Hiring a youth ministry leader

Hire someone young, be willing to allow them to make mistakes for the first year or so, give them opportunities to go and grow (conferences, workshops, networking), don't hire them if they have to conform to the same worship style and method as big church, lay out a well defined job description, make sure they have a proper budget, and make sure they relate to others well.

Personally, depending on the church, I'd go to a good college or seminary and put out an opportunity for resumes. When we hire a junior or entry-level staffer we always start with these places. We then go and do interviews on site for a day or two, pick the best three and pursue further. Works well for us.

For higher level staff positions we tend to use professional networks or a staffing firm. We've had outstanding success with staffing firms, however they are pretty pricey.

Finally, don't hire someone related to anyone in the church and don't let whoever you hire (if they're single) date anyone in the church. That is a huge lesson we learned the hard way.