How to hire a construction labour

How to hire a construction labour, step by step

Here's a step-by-step construction labour hiring guide:

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

What does a construction labour do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a construction labour, 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 construction labour 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.

   The following list breaks down different types of construction labours and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Construction Labour	Description	Hourly rate
   Construction Labour	Construction laborers and helpers perform many tasks that require physical labor on construction sites.	$11-20
   Trades Helper	As a Trades Helper, your duties will include obtaining parts and equipment for supervising tradesmen. You will have to carry out some complex routine tasks involving the use of machinery and equipment... Show more	$10-28
   Helper/Apprentice	Helpers/apprentices are skilled employees who are responsible for performing various tasks that are related to the construction industry while learning the trade from a skilled employer. These employees must assist skilled tradesmen by performing general construction duties while following the rules and safety regulations of OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration)... Show more	$12-19

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Hand Tools
   • Asphalt
   • Demolition
   • Ladders
   • Scaffolding
   • OSHA
   • Safety Procedures
   • Work Ethic
   • Physical Labor
   • Roofing
   • Shovels
   • Manual Labor
   • Excavations
   • Traffic Control

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Operate hand and power tools, air hammers, earth tampers, cement mixers, and small mechanical hoists.
   • Operate hand and power tools of all types: chain see, earth tampers, cement mixers, small mechanical hoists.
   • Clean and prepare construction sites to eliminate possible hazards using picks, shovels, pneumatic tampers, and rakes.
   • Work on bobcat and excavation equipment; drive heavy trucks - no CDL.
   • Clean and prepare sites, dig trenches and set braces to support the sides of excavations.
   • Clean grounds, using rakes, brooms and hoses.

   More construction labour duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the construction labour job description is a good way to get more applicants. A construction labour 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 a construction labour in Utah may be lower than in Hawaii, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level construction labour. Additionally, a construction labour with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average construction labour salary

   $15.69hourly

   $32,628 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level construction labour salary

   $24,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 14, 2026

   Average construction labour salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$43,519	$21
   2	California	$41,703	$20
   3	Washington	$41,435	$20
   4	Minnesota	$40,963	$20
   5	New Jersey	$39,448	$19
   6	North Dakota	$38,868	$19
   7	Oregon	$37,916	$18
   8	Ohio	$36,557	$18
   9	Michigan	$35,436	$17
   10	Colorado	$34,968	$17
   11	Wisconsin	$34,798	$17
   12	Pennsylvania	$34,138	$16
   13	Iowa	$33,360	$16
   14	Arizona	$33,269	$16
   15	Maryland	$33,052	$16
   16	Nebraska	$32,795	$16
   17	Maine	$32,366	$16
   18	Kansas	$31,581	$15
   19	South Dakota	$31,427	$15
   20	Tennessee	$29,489	$14

   Average construction labour salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Hill International	$52,504	$25.24	16
   2	Resource Management	$43,527	$20.93
   3	Jacobs Engineering Group	$43,483	$20.91
   4	Insituform Technologies	$43,150	$20.75	3
   5	MDU Resources	$42,063	$20.22
   6	WeatherTech	$40,447	$19.45
   7	DATTCO	$40,394	$19.42	1
   8	St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office	$40,374	$19.41
   9	MasTec	$40,355	$19.40	155
   10	UGI	$40,200	$19.33	4
   11	Turner Construction	$40,041	$19.25	18
   12	Granite Construction	$39,871	$19.17	20
   13	Warfel Construction	$39,759	$19.11	2
   14	Legacy Housing	$39,626	$19.05
   15	Clear Channel Airport	$39,621	$19.05
   16	Stronghold Engineering	$39,615	$19.05
   17	AquaGuard Foundation Solutions	$39,511	$19.00
   18	Bridge Builders USA	$39,343	$18.91	1
   19	APTIM	$38,959	$18.73	27
   20	Solar.com	$38,941	$18.72	2

4. Writing a construction labour job description

   A construction labour 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 a construction labour job description:

   Construction labour job description example

   Are you interested in a career that truly makes an impact? Do you want your job to help make nature and communities better with each project you touch?
   
   At RES, we believe that human progress and the restoration of nature's resources can go hand in hand. Our belief made us what we are today - the nation's leading ecological restoration company, with over 300 stream miles restored and conserved, 20,000,000 trees planted, and 15,000 acres of special-status species habitat established. We restore our land and waters with integrity and innovation, one community at a time.
   
   Do you want to be part of a team whose talent and dedication are unmatched in the industry? RES is accepting applications for a full-time
   Laborer with prior construction and/or landscape experience.
   What your day-to-day might look like?
   Responsibilities
   Primary job is seeding, mulching, and installing erosion control matting Work with construction crews on manual labor activities to support overall project Perform routine inspection and preventive maintenance on assigned equipment Clean equipment and reports any service related concerns promptly to supervisor Maintain a positive working relationship with customers and co-workers Qualifications
   Qualifications
   Previous experience in outdoor construction Experience and understanding of engineered blue print drawings & specifications Must be willing and able to travel overnight and work at assigned project locations weekly Willingness & ability to occasionally lift 70 pounds Experience as a Laborer on Stream Restoration and/or Wetland construction projects preferred We invite you to become a part of our team!
   
   VEVRAA Federal Contractor
   
   RES is an equal opportunity employer that recognizes the value of a diverse workforce. All qualified individuals will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or any other criteria protected by federal, state or local law.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find construction labours 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 construction labours they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level construction labours 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 construction labour job on Zippia to find and attract quality construction labour candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as constructionjobs.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit construction labours, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   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 construction labour

   Once you've selected the best construction labour 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.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is 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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How much does it cost to hire a construction labour?