How to hire a dock supervisor

How to hire a dock supervisor, step by step

Here's a step-by-step dock supervisor hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your dock supervisor job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a dock supervisor for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

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   Hiring the perfect dock supervisor 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 shows salaries for various types of dock supervisors.

   Type of Dock Supervisor	Description	Hourly rate
   Dock Supervisor		$14-19
   Transportation Coordinator	A transportation coordinator is responsible for monitoring the timely deliveries of goods and services based on the shipment agreement. Transportation coordinators track the delivery logistics, assigning fast routes to drivers to avoid possible delays, and adhere to the deadline... Show more	$12-24
   Warehouse Lead	Warehouse leads are responsible for supply chain management in distribution centers. Their duties and responsibilities include supervising employees and evaluating their performance, meeting safety regulations, and monitoring deliveries and shipments... Show more	$12-29

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Work Ethic
   • Safety Rules
   • Government Regulations
   • Customer Service
   • Necessary Paperwork
   • LTL
   • Customer Expectations
   • Steady Flow
   • Contractual Language
   • Safety Regulations
   • OSHA
   • Safety Procedures
   • Cleanliness
   • AS400

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage large team of outbound shipping loaders ensuring timely and proper loading of trailers.
   • Manage cleanliness and organization throughout the facility.
   • Manage logistics personnel and logistics systems and direct daily operations.
   • Train staff on company policies, safety procedures, and OSHA compliance.
   • Perform accurate and timely entries of all dock and line haul movement on the AS400 computer system.
   • Upload daily productivity and Kronos time.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, dock supervisors' average salary in florida is 31% less than in rhode island.
   • Seniority. Entry-level dock supervisors earn 24% less than senior-level dock supervisors.
   • Certifications. A dock supervisor 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 dock supervisor's salary.

   Average dock supervisor salary

   $36,007yearly

   $17.31 hourly rate

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   Entry-level dock supervisor salary

   $31,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 20, 2025

4. Writing a dock supervisor job description

   A good dock supervisor 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 dock supervisor job description:

   Dock supervisor job description example

   With a genuine culture of recognition, we want our employees to grow, develop and be part of our journey. We offer a benefits package with a focus on your wellbeing. This includes competitive Paid Time Off, 401(k), health insurance and an employee benefits platform that offers discounts on gym memberships and a diverse range of retail, travel, car and hospitality brands, including important offerings like pet insurance.

   We are a team in every sense, and we support each other and work collaboratively to achieve our goals together.

   It is our goal that you will be compensated for your hard work and commitment, so if you’d like to work for one of the top Logistics providers in the world then let’s work together to help you find your new role.

   ABOUT TOMORROW

   We value your professional and personal growth. That’s why we share plenty of career opportunities for you to thrive within CEVA. This role can be the first step on your career path with us. You can stay in the same job family, find a new family to grow in (how about sales or supply chain?) or find your own path. Join CEVA for a challenging and rewarding career.

   Company DescriptionCEVA Logistics provides world-class supply chain solutions for large and medium-size national and multinational companies across the globe. As an industry leader, CEVA offers customers complete supply chain design and implementation in contract logistics and freight management, alone or in combination. Together with CMA CGM, a leading worldwide shipping group and CEVA’s strategic partner, we are able to offer our customers end-to-end logistics solutions. CEVA’s integrated global network has facilities in over 160 countries and approximately 58,000 employees; all dedicated to delivering consistently excellent operations and supply chain solutions. In our North American cluster, CEVA has more than 11,000 associates running all of Freight Management and Contract Logistics operations in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
   
   CEVA offers competitive incentive packages, excellent benefits and an exceptional culture for career building. Start your career with CEVA and build on our Foundations: Unity, Growth and Excellence. At CEVA, we are passionate about our people and our people are passionate about supply chain management.
   
   CEVA operates in a multicultural, global environment and is a richly diverse organization operating seamlessly as one company. We aim to attract, motivate and retain the best people in our industry, whatever their background. We share the same passion to deliver world-class solutions to our customers. We have the best supply chain professionals in the industry and develop this talent in an inspiring work environment.
   
   CEVA Logistics is proud to be an equal opportunity work place and an affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status or any other characteristic. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer of Minorities, Females, Protected Veterans, and Individual with Disabilities.

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5. Post your job

   To find the right dock supervisor for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with dock supervisors they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit dock supervisors who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit dock supervisors, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you 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 dock supervisor

   Once you've selected the best dock supervisor 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 important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is 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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