How to hire surgical technologists
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 • Count sponges, needles, and instruments before and after operation. • Hand instruments and supplies to surgeons and surgeons' assistants, hold retractors and cut sutures, and perform other tasks as directed by surgeon during operation. • Maintain a proper sterile field during surgical procedures. • Monitor and continually assess operating room conditions, including patient and surgical team needs. • Prepare patients for surgery, including positioning patients on the operating table and covering them with sterile surgical drapes to prevent exposure. • Prepare, care for, and dispose of tissue specimens taken for laboratory analysis. • Scrub arms and hands and assist the surgical team to scrub and put on gloves, masks, and surgical clothing. • Wash and sterilize equipment, using germicides and sterilizers. 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: Postsecondary nondegree award] • Strong monitoring, active listening, reading comprehension, speaking, active learning and critical thinking skills • Working knowledge of medicine and dentistry, English Language and customer and personal service • [Anything else you would really turn someone away for] Pay and benefits [Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $31.08 an hour ($64,650 a year). [Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.] How to apply [Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]
Interview questions for surgical technologists
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 count sponges, needles, and instruments before and after operation. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to hand instruments and supplies to surgeons and surgeons' assistants, hold retractors and cut sutures, and perform other tasks as directed by surgeon during operation. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to maintain a proper sterile field during surgical procedures. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to monitor and continually assess operating room conditions, including patient and surgical team needs. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- How do you keep track of your own work quality during a busy shift or week? Give an example of catching a problem early.
- 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?
- 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 surgical technologists do
- Count sponges, needles, and instruments before and after operation.
- Hand instruments and supplies to surgeons and surgeons' assistants, hold retractors and cut sutures, and perform other tasks as directed by surgeon during operation.
- Maintain a proper sterile field during surgical procedures.
- Monitor and continually assess operating room conditions, including patient and surgical team needs.
- Prepare patients for surgery, including positioning patients on the operating table and covering them with sterile surgical drapes to prevent exposure.
- Prepare, care for, and dispose of tissue specimens taken for laboratory analysis.
- Scrub arms and hands and assist the surgical team to scrub and put on gloves, masks, and surgical clothing.
- Wash and sterilize equipment, using germicides and sterilizers.
Skills that matter most
Education, experience and outlook for surgical technologists
- Typical education to start: Postsecondary nondegree award (BLS)
- Related work experience most have: 6 months to 1 year (O*NET)
- Job outlook: +5% over ten years, faster than average · about 7,100 openings a year (BLS)
What to pay surgical technologists
Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:
| State | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| Oregon | $81,390 |
| California | $81,310 |
| Massachusetts | $80,870 |
| Minnesota | $80,210 |
| Connecticut | $79,890 |
| Mississippi | $49,810 |
| Alabama | $49,420 |
| West Virginia | $49,110 |
See surgical technologists pay in every state
Related hiring guides
- Surgical Assistants
- Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians
- Healthcare Support Workers, All Other
- Medical Equipment Preparers
- Radiologic Technologists and Technicians
- Diagnostic Medical Sonographers
- Ophthalmic Medical Technicians
- Radiation Therapists
- Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians
- Nuclear Medicine Technologists
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.