A thoughtful hiring process connects the role you describe with the experience a new team member will have. These five priorities can help you make that connection clearer.
1. Clarify role expectations
Before outreach begins, define the work and the support behind it:
- Core responsibilities and required credentials
- Clinical setting, schedule, and travel expectations
- Caseload and documentation responsibilities
- Onboarding, supervision, and access to clinical guidance
Use the same expectations in the job description, interviews, and offer discussion.
2. Keep the process moving
Candidates may be considering several opportunities. Set a realistic response timeline and keep them informed if it changes.
- Agree on who reviews candidates and provides feedback.
- Give each interview a clear purpose.
- Explain the next step before the conversation ends.
The number of interviews should reflect the responsibilities of the role. Avoid adding rounds that repeat questions without helping either side decide.
3. Explain the opportunity clearly
Compensation matters, alongside the details that shape a clinician’s week. Explain your caseload expectations, clinical model, support structure, and opportunities to develop.
For a school-based position, describe collaboration with the school team and IEP planning. For a clinic-based position, explain how supervision and clinical decisions work in practice.
4. Carry expectations into onboarding
The experience after acceptance should reflect the conversations before it. Give new hires a clear point of contact and a practical plan for getting started.
- Introduce the people available for questions and clinical support.
- Review responsibilities and workload expectations together.
- Explain available supervision and professional development.
- Schedule check-ins to surface gaps between expectations and experience.
Listen to concerns and follow through on agreed actions. Retention depends on the ongoing working relationship as well as the initial hiring decision.
5. Choose recruiting support that understands the role
A recruiting partner should be able to discuss the discipline, setting, and responsibilities behind the opening. Ask how they will approach outreach, candidate conversations, interview coordination, and feedback.
Career Connections brings a focus on ABA and autism services, with founder-led involvement in the search. We clarify the role, explore candidate priorities, and help both sides work through the questions that matter before a decision.
When your hiring priorities are clear, explore our BCBA and clinical recruiting support or see the featured client story for one example of an ongoing engagement.