How to hire a dock worker

How to hire a dock worker, step by step

Here's a step-by-step dock worker 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 worker job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new dock worker
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a dock worker do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a dock worker, 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

   A dock worker's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, dock workers 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 dock worker salaries for various positions.

   Type of Dock Worker	Description	Hourly rate
   Dock Worker	Hand laborers and material movers manually move freight, stock, or other materials. Others feed or remove material to and from machines, clean vehicles, pick up unwanted household goods, and pack materials for moving.	$13-20
   Material Handler/Warehouse	A warehouse material handler is responsible for assisting warehouse operations, moving merchandise from one place to another, labeling products, performing quality check procedures, packaging goods, and loading and unloading items from distribution vehicles. Warehouse material handlers operate warehouse tools and equipment for production, as well as ensuring the adequacy of stock inventory needed for orders and deliveries... Show more	$12-18
   Material Handler	Material handlers are responsible for moving products, storing items, and managing supplies to proper shelf categories. A material handler also documents deliveries and ensures that all items for shipment are correct and free of any damage... Show more	$12-19

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Safety Rules
   • Tractor Trailer
   • LTL
   • Unload Trailers
   • Basic Math
   • Dock Equipment
   • Pallets
   • Math
   • Freight Bills
   • Electric Pallet Jack
   • Hazardous Materials
   • Safety Policies
   • Hand Trucks
   • Work Ethic

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Operate yard truck to manage dock needs, maintain safety and cleanliness of dock as well as yard.
   • Work with AS400 WMS to coordinate the movement of freight in and out of the terminal.
   • Use of the AS400 to process outbound shipments, including but not limit to data entry, and BOL imaging.
   • Print BOL for daily deliveries.
   • Use RF scanning system to select orders.
   • Process and palletize all damage, penny, and RTV merchandise.

   More dock worker duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, dock workers' average salary in arkansas is 26% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level dock workers 33% less than senior-level dock workers.
   • Certifications. A dock worker 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 dock worker's salary.

   Average dock worker salary

   $36,027yearly

   $17.32 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level dock worker salary

   $29,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average dock worker salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Minnesota	$39,704	$19
   2	Washington	$39,262	$19
   3	Wisconsin	$38,395	$18
   4	Oregon	$38,208	$18
   5	Colorado	$38,001	$18
   6	Iowa	$37,784	$18
   7	Kansas	$37,690	$18
   8	New York	$37,593	$18
   9	Rhode Island	$37,191	$18
   10	Nebraska	$36,963	$18
   11	Indiana	$36,887	$18
   12	Pennsylvania	$36,851	$18
   13	Illinois	$36,525	$18
   14	Ohio	$36,227	$17
   15	Utah	$36,154	$17
   16	Missouri	$35,743	$17
   17	Oklahoma	$35,395	$17
   18	Maryland	$35,377	$17
   19	Tennessee	$35,335	$17
   20	Virginia	$35,329	$17

   Average dock worker salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Dairy Farmers of America	$41,170	$19.79	45
   2	Prairie Farms Dairy	$39,597	$19.04
   3	United Natural Foods	$38,991	$18.75	6
   4	Salt Lake County	$38,865	$18.69	7
   5	XPO Logistics	$38,838	$18.67
   6	University of Kentucky	$38,799	$18.65	3
   7	Bimbo Bakeries	$38,795	$18.65
   8	Trident Seafoods	$38,768	$18.64	1
   9	Cargill	$38,653	$18.58	36
   10	USF Reddaway	$38,399	$18.46
   11	New Penn Financial, LLC	$37,182	$17.88
   12	Carmeuse	$37,011	$17.79
   13	Borden Dairy Company	$36,972	$17.77
   14	H-E-B	$36,946	$17.76	1
   15	Superior Dairy	$36,631	$17.61
   16	ADM	$36,329	$17.47	76
   17	Maverick Transportation	$36,057	$17.34
   18	Raymond	$35,936	$17.28
   19	Sullivan Tire and Auto Service	$35,925	$17.27	4
   20	Optimum Nutrition	$35,897	$17.26	10

4. Writing a dock worker job description

   A dock worker 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. To help get you started, here's an example of a dock worker job description:

   Dock worker job description example

   1st shift 7am-3:30pm. May work as early as 5:30am or as late as 5pm

   2nd shift 3:30pm-12am. May work as early as 1:30pm or as late as 2am

   All OT is during the week and no weekend work!

   Description:

   Working on the loading dock loading the barrels on to the trucks.

   You will be working in their loading dock section.

   You will be putting the lids on the paper drums and will then be rolling them into the trucks. This will be very repetitive and fast.

   Employee Value Proposition

   -When hired on permenantly after 90 days, you will receive a pay increase of $23.93/hr

   -Company offers matching 401K

   -Company offers tuition reimbursement for higher level training/schooling

   -Company reimburses for steel toe shoes

   -They treat employees equally regardless of status

   -Average tenure is 40 years( people love working here)

   -Company does production/safety events such as bringing food trucks, host holiday parties

   -Give out employee of the month awards

   Work Environment

   -Most, if not all machines are automated.

   -Candidates will be operating slitter machine, rewinder and automatic spot welder

   -They will be rolling the drums into the trucks repeatedly throughout the day.

   -Once they have shown that they are a good worker they can then move up to an operator position in the plant.

   -Very clean for a manufacturing environment

   -Well Lit Environment

   Additional Skills & Qualifications:

   Repetitive work for 8 plus hours

   Heavy OT although you will only work during the week - no weekends

   Experience Level:

   Entry Level

   If you have any questions, please contact Adam Safy at 1-

   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 various strategies that you can use to find the right dock worker 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 dock worker job on Zippia to find and recruit dock worker candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with dock worker 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 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 worker

   Once you have selected a candidate for the dock worker position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize 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.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new dock worker. 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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How much does it cost to hire a dock worker?