How to Hire Great Tutors: Complete Guide for Tutoring Business Owners

Your tutors are your product. Parents don't buy your business—they buy time with your tutors. Hiring great tutors is the most important operational task for growing a tutoring business. This guide covers everything from sourcing candidates to retaining top performers.

Why Hiring Matters

The cost of a bad hire:

• Lost student (parents switch providers)
• Damaged reputation (negative reviews)
• Wasted onboarding time
• Need to re-recruit and train replacement
• Potential refund requests

The value of a great hire:

• Enthusiastic parent referrals
• Student retention and progress
• Can handle 10-20 students reliably
• Mentors newer tutors
• Becomes face of your business

What Makes a Great Tutor

Look beyond subject knowledge:

Essential Qualities

1. Subject mastery (obvious but insufficient)

• Deep understanding of material
• Can explain multiple ways
• Anticipates common confusion points

2. Communication skills (more important than most realize)

• Explains clearly without jargon
• Adjusts to student's level
• Listens and asks diagnostic questions
• Gives constructive feedback

3. Patience and empathy

• Doesn't show frustration
• Celebrates small wins
• Understands learning takes time
• Creates safe environment for mistakes

4. Reliability (non-negotiable)

• Shows up on time, every time
• Responds to messages promptly
• Follows through on commitments
• Professional communication with parents

5. Adaptability

• Adjusts teaching style per student
• Pivots when approach isn't working
• Handles different age groups
• Works with various learning styles

Red Flags

Watch for:

• ❌ "I'm just doing this temporarily until I get a real job"
• ❌ Inflexible schedule (can only work Tuesday 3-4pm)
• ❌ Poor communication in application/interview
• ❌ Dismissive of parents' concerns
• ❌ Can't explain concepts simply
• ❌ Late to interview or unprepared

Where to Find Tutor Candidates

1. University Job Boards

Best for: Academic subject tutors

How:

• Post on university career center job boards
• Target education, subject-specific majors (math, English, etc.)
• Offer flexible hours (appeals to students)
• Pay competitive hourly rate

Pros: Large talent pool, motivated, affordable Cons: High turnover (graduate and leave)

2. Teacher Networks

Best for: Experienced, professional tutors

How:

• Reach retired teachers
• Connect with teachers looking for summer work
• Find teachers seeking part-time income
• Post in teacher Facebook groups

Pros: Experienced, professional, understand pedagogy Cons: May have limited availability (still teaching full-time)

3. Referrals from Current Tutors

Best for: Cultural fit, proven quality

How:

• Ask your best tutors for referrals
• Offer referral bonus ($200-500)
• They recommend friends/colleagues

Pros: Pre-vetted, know what they're getting into Cons: Limited pool

4. Online Job Boards

Platforms:

• Indeed
• LinkedIn
• Care.com
• Tutor.com boards
• Local Facebook groups

Best for: Casting wide net

Pros: Large reach Cons: Many unqualified applicants, requires heavy screening

5. Former Students

Best for: Test prep, subject specialists

How:

• Students you tutored who excelled
• Now in college or graduated
• Already know your methods

Pros: Proven track record, understand your business Cons: Very limited pool

Creating an Effective Job Posting

Template Structure

Headline: "Part-Time Math Tutor for Growing Tutoring Center"

About us:

[Your Business Name] helps middle and high school students build confidence and mastery in math. We serve 50 families across [city] with both in-person and virtual tutoring.

The role:

We're seeking a part-time math tutor to work with 8-12 students per week. You'll tutor algebra, geometry, and pre-calculus to students in grades 7-11. Sessions are 60 minutes, scheduled between 3pm-8pm on weekdays.

What we're looking for:

• Strong mathematics background (degree in math, engineering, education, or related field)
• Experience working with teenagers
• Patient, clear communicator
• Reliable and professional
• Comfortable with virtual and in-person tutoring

What we offer:

• $30-45/hour depending on experience
• Flexible schedule (you set your availability)
• Supportive team environment
• Training and curriculum resources
• Steady stream of students (no hunting for clients)

To apply: Send resume and brief cover letter explaining why you'd be a great tutor to [email].

What to Emphasize

For college students:

• Flexible scheduling
• Gaining teaching experience
• Good hourly rate

For teachers:

• Extra income
• Fewer students (more individual attention)
• No grading or lesson planning required

For career tutors:

• Steady client flow (no marketing needed)
• Administrative support
• Professional development

The Screening Process

Step 1: Resume Review (5 minutes)

Look for:

• ✅ Relevant degree or certification
• ✅ Prior tutoring/teaching experience
• ✅ Clear, professional presentation
• ✅ Longevity in previous roles (not job-hopping)

Automatic pass to next round if:

• Teaching certification
• 2+ years tutoring experience
• Strong academic background in subject

Step 2: Initial Email Screening (10 minutes)

Send standard questions:

1. What's your availability? (days/times)
2. Describe your tutoring philosophy in 2-3 sentences
3. Share an example of helping a struggling student succeed
4. What subjects/grade levels are you most comfortable with?
5. Virtual, in-person, or both?

Evaluate:

• Response time (within 24-48 hours?)
• Communication quality (clear, professional?)
• Enthusiasm level
• Realistic availability

Step 3: Phone Screen (15-20 minutes)

Quick call to assess:

• Communication skills (Can they explain clearly?)
• Professionalism (Do they sound reliable?)
• Motivation (Why tutoring?)
• Red flags (Any concerning patterns?)

Sample questions:

• "Walk me through how you'd help a student who doesn't understand slope."
• "Tell me about a time a session didn't go well. What happened?"
• "How do you handle students who are resistant or unmotivated?"
• "What's your availability looking like for the next 3 months?"

Pass to interview: ~30-40% of phone screens

Step 4: In-Person Interview (30-45 minutes)

Format:

1. Conversation (15 minutes)
2. Teaching demo (15 minutes)
3. Logistics and Q&A (15 minutes)

Conversation topics:

• Background and experience
• Teaching style and philosophy
• Scenarios: "What would you do if..."
• Why they want to tutor

Teaching demo: Ask them to teach you a concept (you play the confused student):

• "Explain how to factor quadratics"
• "Help me understand metaphors in literature"
• "Teach me [their specialty]"

Observe:

• Do they check for understanding?
• Do they adjust when you're confused?
• Is their explanation clear?
• Are they patient?

Logistics:

• Compensation structure
• How student matching works
• Scheduling process
• Performance expectations

Step 5: Background Check & References

Background check:

• Criminal history
• Sex offender registry
• Driving record (if transporting students)

Reference checks:

• Call 2 references
• Ask specific questions:
  • "On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate their reliability?"
  • "Would you hire them again?"
  • "Any concerns working with minors?"

Compensation Models

1. Hourly Rate

Structure: Pay $X per hour taught

Typical rates:

• New tutors: $20-30/hour
• Experienced tutors: $30-50/hour
• Specialists (SAT, advanced subjects): $40-70/hour

Pros:

• Simple and clear
• Easy to calculate
• Predictable for tutor

Cons:

• No incentive to take more students
• Doesn't reward performance

2. Revenue Share

Structure: Tutor gets X% of session revenue

Typical split:

• New tutors: 50-60%
• Experienced tutors: 60-70%
• Top performers: 70-80%

Example:

• Session fee: $80
• Tutor gets: $48 (60%)
• You keep: $32 (40%)

Pros:

• Scales with pricing
• Aligns incentives
• Fair for both parties

Cons:

• More complex to calculate
• Tutor sees you're keeping margin (some dislike this)

3. Per-Student Retainer

Structure: $X per month per assigned student

Example:

• $200/month per student
• Tutor assigned 8 students
• Monthly pay: $1,600

Pros:

• Stable income for tutor
• Incentivizes retention
• Predictable costs for you

Cons:

• Risk if student cancels frequently
• Complex to administer

Recommended Approach

Start with: Hourly rate (simple) Transition to: Revenue share once business is stable

Add bonuses for:

• Student retention (student stays 6+ months: $100 bonus)
• Referrals (referred student signs up: $50-100)
• Performance (high parent ratings: quarterly bonus)

Onboarding New Tutors

Week 1: Training

Day 1: Orientation (2 hours)

• Company values and mission
• How we're different from competitors
• Tour of software (Gigpie walkthrough)
• Communication expectations

Day 2: Teaching Best Practices (2 hours)

• Session structure template
• How to write effective notes
• Parent communication guidelines
• Handling difficult situations

Day 3: Subject-Specific Training (if applicable)

• Your curriculum or methodology
• Resources available to tutors
• Testing strategies (for test prep companies)

Day 4: Shadow Experienced Tutor

• Observe a session
• See how they interact with student
• Debrief afterward

Day 5: Supervised First Session

• You observe their first session
• Provide immediate feedback
• Answer questions

Ongoing Support

First month:

• Weekly check-ins
• Quick feedback after early sessions
• Answers to questions
• Moral support

After first month:

• Bi-weekly or monthly check-ins
• Review session notes
• Address parent feedback
• Continuing education opportunities

Setting Expectations

Document in Writing

Create a tutor handbook covering:

1. Scheduling

• How to set availability
• Cancellation policies (24-hour notice required)
• Sick day procedures
• Requesting time off

2. Communication

• Response time expectations (within 24 hours)
• How to message parents
• When to escalate issues to you
• Professional communication standards

3. Session Structure

• Arrive 5 minutes early
• Greet student warmly
• Review last session's homework
• Teach new content
• Assign practice
• Write session notes within 1 hour

4. Parent Interaction

• Always professional
• No private payment arrangements
• Don't criticize other tutors
• Escalate concerns to admin

5. Performance Standards

• Parent satisfaction scores
• Retention rates
• Responsiveness
• Session note quality

Managing Performance

Key Metrics to Track

Use Gigpie to monitor:

Regular Feedback

Monthly performance reviews:

• Celebrate wins (great parent feedback)
• Review metrics
• Discuss challenges
• Set goals for next month

360 feedback:

• Parent surveys
• Student feedback (age-appropriate)
• Peer observations
• Self-evaluation

Addressing Problems

Progressive approach:

1. Coaching conversation

• "I noticed your session notes have been late. What's going on?"
• Problem-solve together
• Offer support or resources

2. Written warning

• Document specific issues
• Clear expectations for improvement
• Timeline (30 days to improve)

3. Probation

• Reduced student load
• More oversight
• Specific performance plan

4. Termination

• If no improvement
• Clear documentation
• Handle professionally (protect brand)

Retaining Great Tutors

Why Tutors Leave

Common reasons:

• 💰 Found higher-paying opportunity
• 📅 Schedule inflexibility
• 🎯 Career change (graduated, new job)
• 😞 Feel undervalued or unsupported
• 🚪 Poor students (behavioral issues)

Retention Strategies

1. Competitive compensation

• Review rates annually
• Reward loyalty (raise after 1 year)
• Performance bonuses

2. Flexibility

• Let them set own schedule
• Accommodate life changes
• Reasonable time-off policies

3. Professional development

• Training opportunities
• Conference attendance
• Curriculum development involvement

4. Recognition

• Celebrate wins publicly
• "Tutor of the Month" recognition
• Share positive parent feedback

5. Community

• Regular team meetings
• Social events
• Slack/WhatsApp for connection
• Peer mentorship

6. Growth opportunities

• Lead tutor roles
• Curriculum development
• Training newer tutors
• Increased rates for seniority

Exit Interviews

When tutors leave, learn:

• What did we do well?
• What could we improve?
• Would you recommend us to other tutors?
• What made you decide to leave?

Use feedback to improve retention.

Scaling Your Hiring

When to Hire More Tutors

Indicators:

• ✅ Current tutors fully booked (85%+ utilization)
• ✅ Turning away inquiries due to capacity
• ✅ Waitlists for popular subjects/times
• ✅ Revenue growing 20%+ annually

Rule of thumb: Hire when current tutors average 80%+ utilization for 3+ consecutive months.

Building a Hiring Pipeline

Always be recruiting:

• Keep job posting active
• Accept rolling applications
• Build "bench" of qualified candidates
• When someone great applies, find room for them

Seasonal hiring:

• May-June: Hire for summer and fall rush
• December: Hire for spring semester
• Post early (30-45 days before need)

Legal Considerations

Employee vs. Independent Contractor

Most tutors are contractors if:

• They set their own schedule
• Use their own methods
• Work for multiple clients
• You don't control how they work

Consult attorney - Misclassification has legal consequences

Required Documents

For all tutors:

• W-9 (if contractor) or W-4 (if employee)
• Background check consent
• Signed agreement (terms, compensation, expectations)
• Emergency contact information

For employees (if applicable):

• I-9 (employment eligibility)
• State tax withholding
• Benefits paperwork

Liability & Insurance

Protect your business:

• General liability insurance
• Professional liability insurance
• Background checks on all tutors
• Clear policies in tutor agreement

Frequently Asked Questions