How to hire arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators
A job description you can copy, interview questions tied to the real work, and what to pay. Free.
Job description template
Copy it, fill in the brackets, and remove anything that does not fit your job. Keep only must-haves you would really turn someone away for.
[Job title] at [Company name] [City, State] · [Full-time / Part-time] · [Pay range] About the role [Two or three sentences about your team, the work and why it matters.] What you will do • Apply relevant laws, regulations, policies, or precedents to reach conclusions. • Conduct hearings to obtain information or evidence relative to disposition of claims. • Conduct initial meetings with disputants to outline the arbitration process, settle procedural matters, such as fees, or determine details, such as witness numbers or time requirements. • Confer with disputants to clarify issues, identify underlying concerns, and develop an understanding of their respective needs and interests. • Determine extent of liability according to evidence, laws, or administrative or judicial precedents. • Prepare written opinions or decisions regarding cases. • Rule on exceptions, motions, or admissibility of evidence. • Use mediation techniques to facilitate communication between disputants, to further parties' understanding of different perspectives, and to guide parties toward mutual agreement. What you bring • [Required license, certification or years of experience, if any] • [Education, only if you truly need it. Typical to start in this job: Bachelor's degree] • Strong active listening, writing, reading comprehension, speaking, critical thinking and active learning skills • Working knowledge of English Language, law and government and personnel and human resources • [Anything else you would really turn someone away for] Pay and benefits [Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $36.31 an hour ($75,530 a year). [Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.] How to apply [Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]
Interview questions for arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators
Ask every candidate the same questions, in the same order, and write down what they say. Questions about past work show what someone has actually done.
- Tell me about a time you had to apply relevant laws, regulations, policies, or precedents to reach conclusions. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to conduct hearings to obtain information or evidence relative to disposition of claims. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to conduct initial meetings with disputants to outline the arbitration process, settle procedural matters, such as fees, or determine details, such as witness numbers or time requirements. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to confer with disputants to clarify issues, identify underlying concerns, and develop an understanding of their respective needs and interests. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to understand a request or problem that was explained poorly. How did you make sure you got it right?
- Describe something important you wrote at work, such as a report, notes or an email. Who read it and what happened next?
- Tell me about written instructions, a policy or a manual you had to follow closely. How did you make sure you followed it correctly?
- Why this job, and why now? What would make you stay here for the long term?
Good answers name a real situation, what the person did themselves and what happened. Avoid questions about age, family plans, religion, health, national origin or anything else unrelated to the job.
What arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators do
- Apply relevant laws, regulations, policies, or precedents to reach conclusions.
- Conduct hearings to obtain information or evidence relative to disposition of claims.
- Conduct initial meetings with disputants to outline the arbitration process, settle procedural matters, such as fees, or determine details, such as witness numbers or time requirements.
- Confer with disputants to clarify issues, identify underlying concerns, and develop an understanding of their respective needs and interests.
- Determine extent of liability according to evidence, laws, or administrative or judicial precedents.
- Prepare written opinions or decisions regarding cases.
- Rule on exceptions, motions, or admissibility of evidence.
- Use mediation techniques to facilitate communication between disputants, to further parties' understanding of different perspectives, and to guide parties toward mutual agreement.
Skills that matter most
Education, experience and outlook for arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators
- Typical education to start: Bachelor's degree (BLS)
- Related work experience most have: 6 to 8 years (O*NET)
- Experience usually needed to start: Less than 5 years (BLS)
- Training on the job: Moderate-term on-the-job training (BLS)
- Job outlook: +4.7% over ten years, about as fast as average · about 300 openings a year (BLS)
What to pay arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators
Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:
| State | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| New York | $70,800 |
See arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators pay in every state
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Post this job on JAI Bot. Free to start: JAI Bot reads every applicant against your must-haves, shows the resume evidence behind each one, and helps you reply to everyone. People make every decision.
Post a job freePay by areaJob duties and skills: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025. Interview questions and the job description template: JAI Bot, based on the duties and skills above.