The Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) field continues to grow at incredible rates. With this growth comes a tremendous need for Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) and Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs). In recent years, many ABA practices have faced substantial RBT and BCBA shortages—coupled with high rates of turnover—impacting everything from the client's progress to the organization's financial health. Your staff is your greatest asset. As such, hiring and retaining top talent for your ABA practice is critical for long-term success. Let's explore four strategies for recruiting top talent for your RBT roles.
Engage Candidates on Social Media Platforms
LinkedIn can be a valuable tool for engaging candidates, especially BCBAs. Regularly posting on LinkedIn not only adds visibility to your open positions but also provides an opportunity to showcase your organization’s culture, values, and mission.
Facebook also offers some opportunities for reaching potential applicants. There are many Facebook groups dedicated to ABA job advertising. The greatest benefit of posting jobs in social media groups is that it's free, making it an appealing option for those with limited marketing budgets. However, the effectiveness of your posts largely depends on the platform’s algorithms, which can make visibility and engagement unpredictable.
Here are a few Facebook ABA Job Posting Groups you can try posting to:
Post RBT and BCBA Listings to ABA Job Boards
Traditional job boards like Indeed are becoming increasingly costly while delivering lower-quality candidates. Small and midsized ABA practices, often operating with tighter budgets, find it particularly challenging to compete with large, private-equity-backed organizations that dominate these platforms with extensive marketing resources.
ABA-specific job boards provide a much-needed alternative, leveling the playing field for smaller practices. These niche platforms are designed to be cost-effective while directly connecting practices with candidates actively seeking roles in the ABA field. This targeted approach not only reduces costs but also minimizes the influx of unqualified applicants, saving valuable time in the hiring process.
The ABA Resource Center’s Job Board is a platform exclusively tailored to the ABA industry. It offers an ideal solution for small and midsized practices looking to increase the visibility of their job openings without straining their finances.
Are you preparing your job listing? This article explores how to craft a compelling job post to stand out and attract top talent in a competitive market.
Partner With AppleTree Connection for RBTs
AppleTree Connection is an RBT training and mentorship organization. In addition to their 40 hour RBT course, they offer employer partnerships to help match comprehensively trained RBTs with high-quality organizations. AppleTree Connection has a series of initiatives within their Empowered RBT TM program to improve employee engagement, reduce turnover, and improve outcomes.
AppleTree Connection's employer partners must agree to:
Hire RBTs as W2 employees, and NOT 1099 contractors
Guarantee at least 5% supervision
Not charge for Competency Assessment
Not require payback of costs for required employment onboarding training
Outsource RBT and BCBA Recruiting
Staffing is one of the greatest pain points ABA practices face, requiring extensive time and resources that could otherwise be dedicated to client care and staff supervision. For many practices, outsourcing staffing is a practical and effective solution to free up valuable time, reduce stress, and fill positions quicker. By delegating the hiring process to seasoned hiring experts, you can focus on what truly matters—delivering quality care to your clients.
If this resonates with you, outsource your RBT and BCBA staffing to experienced professionals, like the behavioral health recruiting specialists at Reliatus Behavioral Health.
Gain Leverage in Today's Competitive ABA Market
The current job market in the ABA field is heavily tilted in favor of job seekers. With high demand and low availability of ABA professionals, BCBAs and RBTs have a wide range of organizations to consider when choosing where to work. These dynamics have made it more challenging than ever for ABA practices to fill critical RBT and BCBA roles while maintaining a focus on client care, staff retention, and organizational growth. Implementing a robust recruiting strategy that incorporates multiple strategies can help you navigate this competitive landscape.
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