What is a placement specialist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
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If you love to assess the skills of candidates, you will surely like the role of a placement specialist. These professionals are hired by an organization to screen and interview potential candidates for various positions. Placement specialists use several methods to contact candidates for job openings, such as instant messaging, cold-calling, and emailing. After the new trainees have filled out all the paperwork, placement specialists process it and then schedule orientation training.

Specialists in this field usually have a bachelor's or master's degree. They commonly study psychology, social work, or business. Moreover, they have knowledge of customer service, communication, mental health, LinkedIn, and phone call procedures. Being detail-oriented and having great communication and interpersonal skills can make you more successful in this role.

A specialist working in this field can expect to make almost $21.5 in an hour. The yearly earnings would amount to more than $44,500. The career can grow in the future, providing more job opportunities in the US.

ScorePlacement SpecialistUS Average
Salary
3.6

Avg. Salary $45,676

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
8.0

Growth Rate 8%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
7.1
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.73%

Asian 6.51%

Black or African American 11.22%

Hispanic or Latino 18.49%

Unknown 5.30%

White 57.75%

Gender

female 70.51%

male 29.49%

Age - 40
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 40
Stress Level
8.0

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
8.3

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
7.0

Work Life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Placement Specialist career paths

Key steps to become a placement specialist

  1. Explore placement specialist education requirements

    Most common placement specialist degrees

    Bachelor's

    59.1 %

    Associate

    15.5 %

    Master's

    12.9 %
  2. Start to develop specific placement specialist skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    Customer Service22.25%
    Patients10.87%
    Social Work7.17%
    Mental Health6.25%
    Linkedin5.57%
  3. Complete relevant placement specialist training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New placement specialists learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a placement specialist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real placement specialist resumes.
  4. Research placement specialist duties and responsibilities

    • Utilize Taleo applicant tracking system to manage candidate volume.
    • Develop naturally support vocational rehabilitation services for individuals dually diagnose with mental illness & intellectual disabilities, & other co-occurring disorders.
    • Interview and select participants eligible for educational assistance from WIA and TAA benefits.
  5. Prepare your placement specialist resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your placement specialist resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a placement specialist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Placement Specialist Resume templates

    Build a professional Placement Specialist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Placement Specialist resume.
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    Placement Specialist Resume
    Placement Specialist Resume
    Placement Specialist Resume
    Placement Specialist Resume
    Placement Specialist Resume
    Placement Specialist Resume
    Placement Specialist Resume
    Placement Specialist Resume
  6. Apply for placement specialist jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a placement specialist job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Placement Specialist Job

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Average placement specialist salary

The average Placement Specialist salary in the United States is $45,676 per year or $22 per hour. Placement specialist salaries range between $31,000 and $65,000 per year.

Average Placement Specialist Salary
$45,676 Yearly
$21.96 hourly

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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