When you're tasked with hiring houseparents, you're not just filling a position. You're shaping the daily lives of children who’ve already faced more than their fair share of challenges. As you are well aware, it’s one of the most important (and most difficult) hiring decisions your organization can make.

Hiring houseparents is about more than checking off experience or degrees. It requires intuition, discernment, and a deep understanding of what makes someone not just qualified—but called—to do this work.

And yet, one of the most common places things go wrong in the hiring process? The job description.

If you're not getting strong applicants, or if great candidates are falling off before they apply, your job listing might need some attention. Here's how to make sure your houseparent job description is doing its job.

1. Use Real Language—Not Buzzwords or Bureaucratic Speak

Instead of:

“The Houseparent will provide nurturing care in a trauma-informed environment using youth development best practices…”

Try:

“As a houseparent, you’ll live in a home with up to 8 kids and help with everything from homework to bedtime routines—while modeling healthy habits, boundaries, and emotional support.”

Plain language makes your listing more approachable. Most great candidates are skimming job posts. If they can’t figure out what you’re saying in the first few lines, they’ll move on.

Tip: Read your listing out loud. If it doesn’t sound like something you’d actually say to a person, rewrite it.

2. Be Honest About the Lifestyle—and the Support You Provide

This is not a 9-to-5 job. Don’t hide that. But also, don’t forget to include the supports that help people succeed:

• Scheduled time off
• Access to mental health resources
• Training and mentorship
• Living arrangements (private apartment? shared space?)

Let people know what they’re walking into—and what you’ll offer to help them thrive.

3. Break It Up: Formatting Matters More Than You Think

Avoid long, dense paragraphs. Instead, use:

• Bullet points
• Subheadings
• Short, punchy sections

Example:

What You’ll Do:

• Create structure and routines in the home
• Support kids with emotional regulation and school needs
• Work closely with a co-houseparent or spouse
• Communicate with supervisors, teachers, and families

You’ll Love This Job If You:

• Are calm under pressure
• Have a heart for kids who’ve been through hard things
• Like working as a team
• Believe in consistency, love, and second chances

4. Make Applying Easy and Clear

One of the biggest turnoffs for candidates is unclear or outdated application instructions. Here’s a simple checklist to run through when posting a job:

Is there a working link to the application page?
Is it clear who should apply—individuals, couples, or both?
Do you mention what materials are needed (résumé, references, cover letter)?
Do you list a real person to contact with questions?

Bonus tip: If you require a multi-step process (background checks, video interviews, etc.), preview it briefly so applicants aren’t surprised.

5. Consider What’s Not Being Said

Sometimes the most important things are what’s left out—like:

• Salary or stipend information
• Housing details
• Whether the position is year-round or seasonal
• The age range of the children in care

Candidates want to imagine themselves in the role. The more they understand, the more confident they’ll feel clicking “Apply.”

Your Job Post Is a First Impression

You don’t need to be a professional writer to create a great job listing. You just need to be clear, honest, and human. When you write your job description like you’re talking to someone you hope will join your team, you’ll attract more of the right people—and save time weeding through the wrong ones.

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