Post job

How to hire an alterations tailor

Alterations tailor hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring alterations tailors in the United States:

  • In the United States, the median cost per hire an alterations tailor is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
  • On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new alterations tailor to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire an alterations tailor, step by step

To hire an alterations tailor, consider the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, allocate a budget for the position, and post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Follow these steps to hire an alterations tailor:

Here's a step-by-step alterations tailor hiring guide:

  • Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
  • Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
  • Step 3: Make a budget
  • Step 4: Write an alterations tailor job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new alterations tailor
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an alterations tailor do?

An alterations tailor specializes in altering clothing for adjustments and repairs. Their responsibilities include communicating with clients to determine their needs, recording client measurements and alteration requests, analyzing the quality of fabric to identify the most convenient process, and sewing clothing materials by machine or hand. They may also restyle old clothes, insert new designs, and even coordinate with designers. Furthermore, as an alterations tailor, it is essential to build rapport with clients to earn referrals and establish a strong client base.

Learn more about the specifics of what an alterations tailor does
jobs
Post an alterations tailor job for free, promote it for a fee
  1. Identify your hiring needs

    First, determine the employments status of the alterations tailor you need to hire. Certain alterations tailor roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    Hiring the perfect alterations tailor also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

    This list presents alterations tailor salaries for various positions.

    Type of Alterations TailorDescriptionHourly rate
    Alterations Tailor$10-24
    Tailor FitterTailor Fitters are highly responsible for constructing, amending, altering, repairing, and changing the garments of clients based on choice and preferences. They ask for the customer's measurement like body size and determine if additional requirements are essential.$10-25
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Customer Service
    • Coats
    Responsibilities:
    • Assist in MIG and TIG welding.
    • Learned techniques in bespeak tailoring with a concentration in menswear.
    • Perform HVAC system change-outs in residential occupancies.
    • Perform HVAC system change-outs in residential occupancies.
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in the alterations tailor job description is a good way to get more applicants. An alterations tailor salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

    For example, the average salary for an alterations tailor in Alabama may be lower than in Alaska, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level alterations tailor. Additionally, an alterations tailor with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

    Average alterations tailor salary

    $16.41hourly

    $34,125 yearly

    Entry-level alterations tailor salary
    $22,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 16, 2025

    Average alterations tailor salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1Ohio$40,389$19
    2Michigan$38,697$19
    3District of Columbia$38,062$18
    4Massachusetts$36,315$17
    5Colorado$35,996$17
    6Virginia$35,650$17
    7California$35,526$17
    8Oregon$34,683$17
    9New York$34,581$17
    10Indiana$34,548$17
    11New Jersey$34,432$17
    12Illinois$34,120$16
    13Pennsylvania$32,981$16
    14Washington$32,659$16
    15Maryland$32,380$16
    16Kansas$30,631$15
    17Georgia$30,372$15
    18Texas$27,926$13
    19Tennessee$27,920$13
    20Florida$25,644$12

    Average alterations tailor salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1Jun Group$43,470$20.90
    2New Image Construction$34,889$16.77
    3Zahner$33,730$16.22
    4LBS Group$33,642$16.17
    5SCOTTY'S INC$33,642$16.17
    6Nordstrom$31,851$15.3157
    7New Era$31,848$15.31
    8TAS$31,597$15.19
    9Macy's$30,353$14.594
    10Neiman Marcus Group$28,116$13.5211
    11E&C Enterprises Inc$27,002$12.98
    12Lee$25,357$12.19
  4. Writing an alterations tailor job description

    An alterations tailor job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of an alterations tailor job description:

    Alterations tailor job description example

    Macy's is proudly America's Department Store. There's a reason we've been around for 160 years. Customers come to us for fashion, value and celebration. Macy's is also known for giving back to our communities.

    The magic of Macy's ultimately comes alive in our stores, and our store colleagues are the ones making it happen. They provide outstanding customer service, create a memorable shopping experience, and drive sales results. A store position at Macy's (seasonal, part-time, or full-time) is the perfect way to explore the world of retail. Some of Macy's top executives started their careers as part-time retail sales associates. Our store positions are ideal for forming relationships, building teams, and developing leadership skills to grow your career at Macy's. Macy's stores are ideal for building capability in creating partnerships, building teams, and developing the leaders of tomorrow. Macy's is the “Academy” for retail careers.

    Store colleague position (whether it's a seasonal job, part-time retail job, or a full-time career) is the perfect way to launch a career in the world of retail. Many of Macy's top executives started their careers in part-time retail sales roles, or as recent college graduates into our development programs in the various functions at Macy's.

    Job Overview:

    The Tailor's primary responsibility is to sew garments, either to repair or to alter to customer's tastes and to operate on sewing equipment. Perform other duties as necessary

    Essential Functions:

    • Perform basic alterations on garments including, but not limited to, sleeves, backs, sides, collars and bodices, inserting shoulder pads, altering waists, taking out hems to lengthen, shortening lengths, and adding cuffs
    • Do minor repairs to garments by replacing buttons, mending seams, and replacing hem
    • Provide an exceptional customer experience by ensuring the customer is always the priority
    • Give advice regarding the fit and care of garments to customers
    • Write up alterations tickets recording the details of the alterations being made on the garment
    • Press and steam garments before returning to customer
    • Be knowledgeable of styles, fits, and fabrics to better serve the customer
    • Maintain records for alterations department
    • Inform team leader/ CSX manager of supply needs that arise in daily operations.
    • To carry out the more complex customer fittings as needed.
    • Follows shortage programs and procedures
    • Dependable attendance and punctuality

    Qualifications and Competencies:

    • High School Diploma or equivalent required
    • Strong interpersonal skills with proven ability to communicate and share information with diverse groups of customers and peers.
    • Resourceful and able to adapt quickly to changing priorities
    • Resourceful self-starter, works well independently as well as part of a team, and able to adapt quickly to changing priorities
    • Ability to work a flexible schedule with retail hours, including day, evening, weekends, and/or holidays
    • Prior experience a plus.

    Physical Requirements:

    • Position requires prolonged periods of standing/walking around store or department
    • May involve reaching, crouching, kneeling, stooping, color vision and climbing ladders
    • Frequent use of computers and other technology necessary to perform job duties, including handheld electronic equipment.
    • Must be able to operate and perform basic maintenance on sewing machines.
    • Frequently lift/move up to 50lbs

    Candidates in Colorado: Click here for Pay Range and here to learn about Benefits .

    Candidates in Connecticut: Click here for Pay Range

    Candidates in Nevada: Click here for Pay Range

    STORES00
  5. Post your job

    There are a few common ways to find alterations tailors for your business:

    • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
    • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
    • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
    • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your alterations tailor job on Zippia to find and recruit alterations tailor candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    Recruiting alterations tailors requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

    You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

    The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

  7. Send a job offer and onboard your new alterations tailor

    Once you've selected the best alterations tailor candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

    It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

    After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new alterations tailor. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

  8. Go through the hiring process checklist

    • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
    • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
    • Define job responsibilities and requirements
    • Establish budget and timeline
    • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
    • Write job description
    • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
    • Promote the job internally
    • Process applications through applicant tracking system
    • Review resumes and cover letters
    • Shortlist candidates for screening
    • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
    • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
    • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
    • Conduct background checks on top candidates
    • Check references of top candidates
    • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
    • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
    • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
    • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
    • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
    • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)
    Sign up to download full list

How much does it cost to hire an alterations tailor?

Hiring an alterations tailor comes with both the one-time cost per hire and ongoing costs. The cost of recruiting alterations tailors involves promoting the job and spending time conducting interviews. Ongoing costs include employee salary, training, benefits, insurance, and equipment. It is essential to consider the cost of alterations tailor recruiting as well the ongoing costs of maintaining the new employee.

You can expect to pay around $34,125 per year for an alterations tailor, as this is the median yearly salary nationally. This can vary depending on what state or city you're hiring in. If you're hiring for contract work or on a per-project basis, hourly rates for alterations tailors in the US typically range between $10 and $24 an hour.

Find better alterations tailors in less time
Post a job on Zippia and hire the best from over 7 million monthly job seekers.

Hiring alterations tailors FAQs

Search for alterations tailor jobs

Ready to start hiring?

Browse production and manufacturing jobs