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For many behavior analysts, leaping from being an independent provider to a clinic owner is a dream come true. Starting an Applied Behavior Analysis clinic is an exciting step, but it quickly raises a major challenge: finding the right people to do the day-to-day work.
Your Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs) are the face of your clinic. They spend the most time with the clients, handle the toughest behaviors, and celebrate the daily wins. Finding, hiring, and keeping your first few RBTs sets the tone for your entire business culture.
If you hire well, your clinic will grow steadily and gain a great reputation with local parents. If you rush the process just to fill open hours, you will find yourself stuck in an endless, stressful loop of interviewing and training. In this article, you will explore the ins and outs of hiring the right RBT.
Why Hiring the Right RBTs Matters?
In the ABA industry, keeping staff is a massive problem. Nationwide, annual RBT turnover ranges from 75 percent to over 100 percent in many organizations. This kind of constant staff change does not just hurt your scheduling; it hurts the children you are trying to help.
Research shows that when a child experiences multiple therapist changes in a year, their progress drops significantly. Furthermore, replacing an employee is very expensive. Onboarding a single new RBT usually costs an ABA clinic between $5,000 and $7,000.
By focusing on hiring the right people from the very start, you protect your clients’ learning progress and save your new clinic thousands of dollars in wasted training time.
Where to Find Qualified RBT Candidates?
When you are a brand-new clinic, you cannot just wait for people to find your website and apply. You have to go out and actively find them.
Finding good candidates means looking in the right places and connecting with people who already have an interest in the behavioral health or education fields.
1. Local Universities
Reach out to psychology, special education, and social work departments. College students or recent graduates are often eager to get hands-on experience. You can also set up a small booth at campus job fairs to meet people face-to-face.
2. Job Boards
Platforms like ZipRecruiter, Indeed, and LinkedIn are standard tools, but make sure you use specific search keywords like “behavior technician” and “autism support”.
3. Employee Referrals
Even if you only have one or two employees right now, ask them if they know anyone. Good RBTs usually know other hardworking people in the field.
4. Social Media Groups
Local Facebook groups for ABA professionals or autism support networks can be great places to post your job openings.
Writing Effective Job Descriptions
Your job posting is the first impression a candidate gets of your clinic. A lot of clinic owners make the mistake of making the job sound too easy just to get more clicks.
The reality is that the RBT role is incredibly demanding, both mentally and physically. If you hide this fact, your new hires will get overwhelmed and quit in their first month.
- Be Honest: Clearly state that the job involves managing challenging behaviors, moving around constantly, and being on your feet.
- Highlight the Support: RBTs often leave because they feel lost and unsupported. Clearly state in your ad that your BCBAs provide hands-on supervision and mentorship.
- Include the Pay and Hours: Be transparent about the hourly rate and how you handle last-minute client cancellations. Unstable schedules and unpaid cancellations are a top reason RBTs quit the field entirely.
Interviewing and Screening Candidates
When the applications finally start coming in, you need a solid way to figure out who will actually succeed on the clinic floor.
While having an active RBT certification is great, a person’s soft skills are just as important. You can teach someone how to take data on a tablet, but it is much harder to teach patience and empathy.
1. Use Scenario Questions
Ask them how they would react if a child suddenly started throwing toys or crying nonstop. Listen for answers that show they can stay calm and patient under pressure.
2. Check for Coachability
A good RBT needs to be able to take correction from their supervising BCBA without getting defensive or angry. Ask about a time they received tough feedback at a past job and how they handled it.
3. Role-Play Scenarios
Do not just ask them what they would do; have them act it out during the interview. Pretend to be a stubborn client and see how the candidate responds in real time.
4. Assess Long-Term Goals
Many people view the RBT role as a temporary stepping stone. Ask if they are interested in eventually becoming a BCBA. If they are, you know they will likely stay with you longer to get their supervision hours.
Training and Onboarding Best Practices
The way you treat your new hires during their first few weeks will decide if they stay for years or leave in a month. When onboarding is chaotic and messy, the job feels impossible to learn. Good training builds confidence and competence right out of the gate.
- Never put a brand-new RBT alone with a client on day one. Have them shadow a BCBA or an experienced therapist for at least a few sessions.
- Make sure the new hire practices using your clinic’s data collection software so they are comfortable with the tools before they have an actual child in front of them.
- If they are taking over a case from someone who left, ensure a formal transfer of the child’s program data, behavior plans, and favorite reinforcers.
- Schedule regular sit-downs during their first 90 days to simply ask how they are feeling, what is stressing them out, and where they need more help.
Conclusion
Building your first team of RBTs takes a lot of time, patience, and planning. By writing honest job descriptions, asking the right questions, and providing strong, organized support during those tough first weeks, you can build a team that actually sticks around.
Remember, investing time and money into your staff is the very best way to invest in your clients. When your RBTs feel confident and valued, the children they work with will thrive.
Sources:
thetreetop.com/rbt-turnover-in-aba-therapy-a-handoff-checklist-for-parents
bhfield.com/resources/why-rbts-leave-and-what-we-can-do-to-keep-them
abatechnologies.com/corporate/blog/why-rbts-leave-and-how-better-training-helps-them-stay
ziprecruiter.com/hiring/how-to-hire/registered-behavior-technician