How to hire a crew leader

How to hire a crew leader, step by step

Here's a step-by-step crew leader hiring guide:

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

What does a crew leader do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The crew leader hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A crew leader's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, crew leaders 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.

   The following list breaks down different types of crew leaders and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Crew Leader	Description	Hourly rate
   Crew Leader	A Crew Leader coordinates, organizes, and directs the activities of project participants. They are also responsible for preparing supplies and equipment inventories, purchasing materials as needed, and providing training and technical assistance in a specific project area.	$12-24
   Electrical Foreman	An electrical foreman is a professional who is responsible for supervising power linesmen and electricians in the installation, repair, and maintenance of electrical power lines or electrical systems. Electrical foremen conduct periodic inspections at a construction site to ensure that materials and supplies are available... Show more	$17-34
   General Foreman	Using their knowledge and expertise of all construction disciplines, a general foreman plans and oversees operations within a construction site to ensure that everything is running smoothly. They are typically in charge of conducting regular inspections, coordinating with engineers and architects, managing the budget and expenditures, supervising workers, and ensuring that the project moves according to the desired time frame... Show more	$17-29

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • CDL
   • Safety Procedures
   • CPR
   • Cleanliness
   • Customer Service
   • OSHA
   • Lawn Care
   • Industrial Cleaning
   • Leadership
   • Excellent Guest
   • Mowing
   • Safety Rules
   • Retaining Walls
   • Food Preparation

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage 3-6 mow crews that vary from 2-6 on a crew.
   • Manage crews for mowing residents and businesses
   • Use hand tools such as clippers, shovels, racks, pruning saws, bush trimmers, and hedge trimmers.
   • Complete safety training programs first aid, OSHA and CPR.
   • Instruct teenage youth how to safely use basic hand tools such as weed eaters, shovels, and rakes.
   • Strengthen performance ratings and customer satisfaction by collaborating with leadership to gather information need to accurately execute assign projects.

   More crew leader duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, crew leaders' average salary in mississippi is 49% less than in washington.
   • Seniority. Entry-level crew leaders earn 47% less than senior-level crew leaders.
   • Certifications. A crew leader 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 crew leader's salary.

   Average crew leader salary

   $37,983yearly

   $18.26 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level crew leader salary

   $27,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 5, 2025

   Average crew leader salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New Hampshire	$50,015	$24
   2	New Jersey	$48,411	$23
   3	Illinois	$47,634	$23
   4	California	$47,357	$23
   5	Minnesota	$46,178	$22
   6	Oregon	$41,703	$20
   7	Colorado	$41,647	$20
   8	Iowa	$39,060	$19
   9	Maine	$38,520	$19
   10	Indiana	$38,493	$19
   11	Michigan	$38,304	$18
   12	New Mexico	$38,068	$18
   13	Maryland	$37,273	$18
   14	Utah	$36,708	$18
   15	Texas	$36,468	$18
   16	Georgia	$35,503	$17
   17	West Virginia	$34,882	$17
   18	North Carolina	$34,707	$17
   19	Arizona	$34,292	$16
   20	Virginia	$33,886	$16

   Average crew leader salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Regional Medical Center- Orangeburg	$52,931	$25.45
   2	Baker Hughes	$52,673	$25.32	2
   3	Fresh Express	$52,076	$25.04	6
   4	Columbia International University	$51,718	$24.86
   5	Bayer	$51,109	$24.57	1
   6	GPAC	$50,631	$24.34
   7	Ground Effects	$50,364	$24.21
   8	MetrolinaGreenhouses	$49,923	$24.00	4
   9	SBA Communications	$49,762	$23.92	5
   10	Sonoco	$49,253	$23.68	4
   11	Conagra Foods	$49,023	$23.57	3
   12	City of University City, Missouri	$48,949	$23.53	2
   13	Henkels & Mccoy Group Inc	$48,120	$23.13
   14	Wells Enterprises	$48,067	$23.11
   15	Mayor Ethan Berkowitz	$47,960	$23.06
   16	Shearer's Foods	$47,901	$23.03
   17	Sun Solar	$47,778	$22.97
   18	Clean Harbors	$47,673	$22.92	10
   19	Valmont Industries	$47,620	$22.89	2
   20	Student Conservation Association	$47,618	$22.89	72

4. Writing a crew leader job description

   A good crew leader 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 crew leader job description:

   Crew leader job description example

   The Crew Leader position is responsible for preparing our delicious grilled-to-order menu, fresh-cut fries, and hand-squeezing our lemonade, managing shifts, maintaining a high level of service and quality, and providing overall direction to a crew of 4-6 crew members.

   Apply here, over the phone, in-store, or online at penn-station.com/careers

   Shifts are flexible - no late nights!

   In addition you will be:

   Utilizing knowledge of various work-station skills, focusing on customer service and maintaining a safe and healthy work environment for co-workers and crew.

   Providing the highest level of customer service to each customer.

   Requirements:

   Great attitude is required.

   Must be able to be self-directed with oversight from management.

   All employees must be at least 16.

   PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES NEEDED:

   Punctual

   Reliable

   Positive attitude

   Accountable

   Present a professional image

   Values constructive criticism and coaching

   Strive to be your best everyday

   In addition to the above, the Crew Leader position is responsible for:

   Effectively able to direct and oversee of the crew during the revenue period.

   Manage customer satisfaction.

   Properly manage cash procedures as well as all closing procedures.

   About Penn Station East Coast Subs

   --

   Founded in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1985, Penn Station serves a variety of grilled and cold deli sandwiches made to order with high-quality ingredients on freshly baked bread. The menu also includes hand-cut fries, hand-squeezed lemonade made throughout the day and chocolate chunk cookies baked in the restaurant. Penn Station was named the best sandwich chain in the Nation's Restaurant News Consumer Picks survey.

   Penn Station has more than 315 locations in 15 states including Ohio, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia.

   Company Introduction

   Penn Station is a chain of restaurants specializing in what it calls \East Coast subs.\ The first restaurant was opened in 1985 by Jeff Osterfeld in Cincinnati, Ohio. Currently, Penn Station has over 300 locations in 15 states.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right crew leader for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your crew leader job on Zippia to find and recruit crew leader candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as constructionjobs.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting crew leaders 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.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to 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 crew leader

   Once you've found the crew leader 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.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new crew leader. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

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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