How to hire a certified forklift driver

How to hire a certified forklift driver, step by step

Here's a step-by-step certified forklift driver hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a certified forklift driver, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect certified forklift driver 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 certified forklift driver salaries for various positions.

   Type of Certified Forklift Driver	Description	Hourly rate
   Certified Forklift Driver	Material moving machine operators use machinery to transport various objects. Some operators move construction materials around building sites or excavate earth from a mine... Show more	$12-19
   Warehouse Machine Operator	Warehouse machine operators perform various tasks for their employers. These include setting up, operating, monitoring, and troubleshooting machinery, inspecting parts for specifications and any potential damage, and reading and interpreting diagrams and blueprints to position and secure the machines... Show more	$12-19
   Driver/Material Handler	Primarily, driver/material handlers help maintain the production and distribution of products through inventory pullout, production materials, and supplies delivery, and finished product staging. Material handlers manage the transport of equipment or ammunition and conduct the planning and execution functions for effective grind force training... Show more	$13-21

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Pallets
   • Safety Procedures
   • Pallet Jack
   • Production Lines
   • RF Scanner
   • Load Trucks
   • Delivery Truck
   • Assembly Line
   • CDL
   • Inventory Control
   • Hand Trucks
   • CPR
   • Customer Orders
   • Logistics

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Maintain a clean and safe work environment daily by removing empty pallets, wood, plastic and other unuse raw materials.
   • Unload trucks and repair damaged pallets repacked damage products
   • Handle emergency hazmat situations requiring quick decision making skills.
   • Move palletize inbound/outbound freight to assign locations using WMS system

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your certified forklift driver job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A certified forklift driver salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, certified forklift drivers' average salary in tennessee is 35% less than in alaska.
   • Seniority. Entry-level certified forklift drivers earn 33% less than senior-level certified forklift drivers.
   • Certifications. A certified forklift driver with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a certified forklift driver's salary.

   Average certified forklift driver salary

   $15.82hourly

   $32,915 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level certified forklift driver salary

   $27,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 17, 2025

4. Writing a certified forklift driver job description

   A good certified forklift driver 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 certified forklift driver job description:

   Certified forklift driver job description example

   DLP Staffing is currently accepting applications for the position of:
   
   POSITION TITLE: CERTIFIED FORKLIFT OPERATOR

   • Location: Del Rio, TX
   • FLSA: Non-Exempt
   • Hire Pay: DOE
   • Classification: Full Time

   JOB DESCRIPTION:
   The Forklift Operator will be responsible for loading and unloading material in a light industrial setting
   
   JOB SUMMARY:

   • Transport materials to different locations within the facility.
   • Load and unload, receiving warehouse items.
   • Picking and wrapping orders for shipment.
   • Abide by safety management standards.
   • Must adhere to production schedules.
   • Ensures that all plant standard operating procedures are being followed.
   • Uses proper Personnel Protective Equipment (PPE) and follows all safety procedures and guidelines.
   • Other duties as assigned
   • Performs other duties as requested.

   QUALIFICATIONS:

   • Transport materials to different locations within the facility.
   • Load and unload, receiving warehouse items.
   • Picking and wrapping orders for shipment.
   • Abide by safety management standards.
   • Must adhere to production schedules.
   • Ensures that all plant standard operating procedures are being followed.
   • Uses proper Personnel Protective Equipment (PPE) and follows all safety procedures and guidelines.
   • Other duties as assigned

   SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED:
   Receives supervision from the Plant Manager. The position has formally assigned supervisory responsibility and authority. Must complete jobs without constant supervision.
   
   WORKING CONDITIONS:
   The principal duties of this position are performed in an indoor/outdoor environment, with high equipment noise, and work in all areas of facilities.
   
   ALCOHOL AND DRUG TESTING POLICY:
   This position is subject to pre-employment drug testing. DLP Staffing has a Drug Free Workplace Policy which includes Post-Accident Testing, Random Testing, and/or Reasonable Suspicion Testing.
   
   MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

   • Must pass a background check
   • Must pass a pre-employment drug test.
   • Must be a Certified Forklift Driver

   Other:

   • Ability to lift and twist up to 50 pounds several times throughout the shift
   • Valid Drivers’ License Class C

   DLP STAFFING IS AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION / EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find certified forklift drivers for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any certified forklift drivers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level certified forklift drivers with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your certified forklift driver job on Zippia to find and recruit certified forklift driver candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting certified forklift drivers 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.

   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 certified forklift driver

   Once you've found the certified forklift driver 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 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 certified forklift driver. 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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