How to hire a cargo mate

How to hire a cargo mate, step by step

Here's a step-by-step cargo mate hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the cargo mate you need to hire. Certain cargo mate 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?

   Yes

   No

   A cargo mate's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, cargo mates from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents cargo mate salaries for various positions.

   Type of Cargo Mate	Description	Hourly rate
   Cargo Mate	Water transportation workers operate and maintain vessels that take cargo and people over water. The vessels travel to and from foreign ports across the ocean and to domestic ports along the coasts, across the Great Lakes, and along the country’s many inland waterways.	$10-74
   Ship Worker	Ship workers are employees assigned to crew the ship. They may be transferred to cargo ships, cruise ships, or any other sea vessel... Show more	$9-20
   Mate	A Mate is the seafaring captain's assistant in charge of the ship's welfare and crew on board. The Chief Mate is responsible for leading the team... Show more	$10-31

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Cargo Operations

   Responsibilities:

   • Work closely with surveyors, clients and ROV supervisors to achieve safe and effective subsea operations.
   • Trained/Mentore multiple junior officers in dynamic positioning, ballast control, and seamanship.
   • Trained/Mentore multiple junior officers in dynamic positioning, ballast control, and seamanship.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your cargo mate job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A cargo mate can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, cargo mates' average salary in idaho is 54% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level cargo mates 86% less than senior-level cargo mates.
   • Certifications. A cargo mate with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a cargo mate's salary.

   Average cargo mate salary

   $58,098yearly

   $27.93 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level cargo mate salary

   $21,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 17, 2025

4. Writing a cargo mate job description

   A good cargo mate job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a cargo mate job description:

   Cargo mate job description example

   $19.57

   Shift:

   12pm - 8:30pm (Sunday and Monday off)

   Please email resume to

   or

   Text to set up a phone screen

   Description:

   • Load/unload air cargo from/to trucks

   • Prepare and palatalize cargo as needed

   • Make sure paperwork related to the cargo is correct

   • Assure proper handling and delivery of cargo and operation of related equipment

   • Follow Dangerous Goods Requirements and Regulations

   • Comply with Standard Operating Procedures and Policies

   • All other duties as assigned

   Skills:

   Warehouse Operation, Warehouse Packing, Shipping And Receiving, Sorter, Sorting

   Please email resume to

   or

   Text to set up a phone screen

   Additional Skills & Qualifications:

   Must be able to lift 50 Lbs

   Experience Level:

   Entry Level

   About Aerotek:

   We know that a company's success starts with its employees. We also know that an individual's success starts with the right career opportunity. As a Best of Staffing Client and Talent leader, Aerotek's people-focused approach yields competitive advantage for our clients and rewarding careers for our contract employees. Since 1983, Aerotek has grown to become a leader in recruiting and staffing services. With more than 250 non-franchised offices, Aerotek's 8,000 internal employees serve more than 300,000 contract employees and 18,000 clients every year. Aerotek is an Allegis Group company, the global leader in talent solutions. Learn more at

   The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regards to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find cargo mates 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 cargo mate job on Zippia to find and recruit cargo mate candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with cargo mate candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   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 cargo mate

   Once you've found the cargo mate candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new cargo mate. 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.)

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