Personal Support Workers (PSWs) are the backbone of quality home care. As demand for in-home support grows, hiring skilled PSWs has become increasingly competitive. Whether you’re building your care team or expanding your agency, this guide covers everything you need to recruit and retain top PSW talent.
Below you’ll find the core duties of a PSW, required skills and qualifications, salary expectations, training requirements, and a ready-to-use PSW job description template you can copy and paste into your hiring platforms.
What Does a PSW Do?
Personal Support Workers provide essential hands-on care to help seniors and individuals with medical, mobility, or cognitive challenges live safely and independently at home. Their role includes both physical support and emotional companionship.
- Personal care: bathing, grooming, dressing, toileting, pericare, continence support
- Mobility & transfers: safe transfers, lifts, repositioning, fall-prevention
- Medication assistance: reminders and assistance according to agency policies
- Household support: tidying, laundry, light cleaning
- Meal planning & preparation: nutrition support, special diet adherence
- Monitoring: observing and reporting changes in physical or emotional condition
- Companionship: social engagement, conversation, activities
- Support with errands and appointments
PSWs often work independently in the home and must follow individualized care plans aligned with client needs and healthcare team recommendations.
PSW Skills and Qualifications
While requirements vary by agency and state/province, strong PSW candidates typically have:
Core Skills
- Strong communication, empathy, and interpersonal skills
- Ability to safely assist with mobility, transfers, and lifts
- Knowledge of infection prevention and personal care best practices
- Understanding of aging, dementia, and chronic health conditions
- Documentation and reporting skills
- Emotional resilience and patience
Preferred Qualifications
- Completed PSW certificate from a recognized college or accredited program
- CPR & First Aid certification
- Experience providing hands-on personal care (facility or home care)
- Valid driver’s license and reliable vehicle (preferred for community care)
- Ability to pass background checks and reference checks
- Up-to-date immunizations (depending on agency policies)
PSW Salary Expectations & Factors Influencing Pay
PSW wages vary depending on region, experience, and care complexity.
Typical PSW Pay Range
- $18–$28 per hour
- Higher rates for specialized care (dementia, palliative, complex mobility)
- Premiums for weekends, overnights, last-minute shifts
Factors That Influence PSW Wages
- Certification level and years of experience
- Client acuity and level of physical care required
- Scheduling availability (evenings, nights, weekends often pay more)
- Urban vs. rural location
- Live-in vs. hourly care arrangements
Agencies that offer consistent scheduling, guaranteed hours, and paid training tend to attract and keep stronger PSWs.
PSW Education and Training Requirements
Most agencies require:
- Graduation from an accredited Personal Support Worker program
- CPR & First Aid certification
- Training in safe lifts/transfers, WHMIS, and infection prevention
- Additional certifications like Gentle Persuasive Approaches (GPA) or dementia training are strong assets
- Ongoing continuing education is recommended to maintain skills and provide high-quality care
PSW Job Description Template
Copy, paste, and customize this for Indeed, LinkedIn, your website, or your ATS.
About the Role
We’re hiring compassionate, reliable Personal Support Workers to join our growing home care team. As a PSW, you’ll provide essential hands-on support that helps clients live safely, comfortably, and independently in their homes.
If you are a certified PSW looking for meaningful one-on-one work, we’d love to hear from you.
What You’ll Do
- Provide personal care assistance: bathing, grooming, dressing, pericare, toileting
- Support safe mobility, transfers, lifts, and repositioning
- Assist with meal planning, cooking, feeding, and hydration
- Remind and assist with medications according to agency protocols
- Offer companionship and emotional support
- Perform light housekeeping and household tasks
- Escort clients to appointments or run errands as needed
- Follow individualized care plans and document care provided
- Observe and report changes in health, mood, or behavior to the care team
Requirements
- PSW certificate from a recognized or accredited program
- CPR & First Aid certification
- Previous PSW or personal care experience (facility or home care)
- Comfortable with lifting, transfers, and hands-on personal care
- Strong communication, reliability, and professionalism
- Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation preferred
- Ability to pass background checks and reference verification
- Demonstrated compassion and commitment to client dignity and safety
Why You’ll Love Working With Us
- Respectful, supportive, caregiver-first culture
- Flexible scheduling and consistent shifts
- Paid onboarding and ongoing training
- 24/7 supervisor support when you need help
- Opportunities for skill development and career growth
- Meaningful work that impacts clients and families every day
Benefits
- Competitive hourly wages with shift premiums
- Health benefits (if applicable)
- Paid training and continuing education
- Employee recognition and appreciation programs
- Mileage reimbursement and paid travel time (where applicable)
- Referral bonuses for recommending other great PSWs
Hire Faster and Smarter with Hellohire
We hope you find these templates helpful in speeding up your hiring. Hellohire is an AI-powered recruiting assistant built specifically for home care agencies. It helps agencies:
- Pre-screen and engage candidates 24/7
- Schedule interviews and collect documents automatically
- Provide actionable insights on candidate quality
- Reduce time-to-hire so you never miss out on top talent
With Hellohire, administrative staff can focus on high-value tasks while the platform handles repetitive, time-consuming recruiting work—allowing your agency to hire faster, better, and more efficiently.
Why Faster Hiring Drives Growth
The faster you can hire qualified staff, the more clients you can serve. Every open position filled promptly allows your agency to:
- Accept new clients immediately
- Prevent cancellations due to staff shortages
- Increase revenue and scale without sacrificing care quality
In short, recruiting efficiency is a growth strategy. Your caregivers and administrative staff aren’t just employees—they’re the engine that powers your agency.
Take Action Today
Stop losing candidates to competitors and build a strong, reliable team. Use Hellohire to:
- Get better-quality candidates, pre-screened and ready
- Ensure interview no-shows are a thing of the past
- Engage top talent before your competition
Book a demo with Hellohire today and start building your home care talent pipeline the smart way.
