How to hire an electrical line worker

How to hire an electrical line worker, step by step

Here's a step-by-step electrical line worker hiring guide:

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

Post an electrical line worker job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the electrical line worker you need to hire. Certain electrical line worker roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

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

   Type of Electrical Line Worker	Description	Hourly rate
   Electrical Line Worker	Line installers and repairers, also known as line workers, install or repair electrical power systems and telecommunications cables, including fiber optics.	$23-70
   Groundman	A ground man is primarily responsible for performing support tasks for power line construction, repair, or maintenance. Their responsibilities include preparing sites by digging holes, setting up poles, and even notifying clients for any power or service interruption... Show more	$21-43
   Lineman	The primary job of a lineman is to install, repair, and maintain high-powered electrical lines and systems. They work on transmission and distribution lines from the power sources and extend to individual buildings or homes... Show more	$25-55

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Hand Tools
   • Electrical Equipment
   • Electrical Components

   Responsibilities:

   • Perform operational checks on components of limit complexity such as heating elements and electrical rudder control switches.
   • Lead lineman building ADSS self support fiber optics for AEP Ohio and Wv.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, electrical line workers' average salary in hawaii is 47% less than in connecticut.
   • Seniority. Entry-level electrical line workers 67% less than senior-level electrical line workers.
   • Certifications. An electrical line 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 an electrical line worker's salary.

   Average electrical line worker salary

   $84,409yearly

   $40.58 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level electrical line worker salary

   $48,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

4. Writing an electrical line worker job description

   A job description for an electrical line worker role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's an electrical line worker job description:

   Electrical line worker job description example

   Intervening Electric Distribution: The objective of the project is to complete a total of 120 intervening electric distribution work orders at various municipal locations throughout the City and County of San Francisco. The 7350s Transmission and Distribution Line Workers are expected to complete 40 work orders per year for the next three years. Under general supervision, the 7350 performs journey level skilled line work in the installation and construction of high voltage overhead transmission and underground distribution lines, as well as rigging blocks, splicing wires and operating hydraulic lift buckets, and other related duties as required. This position will perform emergency response to power outages and damaged equipment as well as perform street light O&M and emergency repair.
   
   1. Installs, repairs, and maintains high tension overhead transmission systems, related feeder lines, towers and poles; performs such maintenance activities when lines are energized as well as de-energized.
   
   2. Maintains, operates, and adjusts electrical transmission and primary power substations ranging from 600 to 230,000 voltage, including circuit breakers, relays, batteries, and controls.
   
   3. Installs and maintains underground and overhead power lines and feeders and related auxiliary equipment; locates and isolates faulty sections and removes, installs and makes corrections where necessary.
   
   4. Installs watt-hour meter systems, connects potential transformers, current transformers, phase shifting transformers, test switches, reactive meters, demand meters, and watt hour meters.
   5. Maintains, operates, and repairs high voltage street light system.
   
   6. Installs, repairs, and maintains high tension overhead transmission systems, related feeder lines, towers and poles; performs maintenance activities when lines are energized as well as de-energized.
   
   7. Installs and maintains street lighting systems including circuits, poles, arms, and luminaries.
   
   8. Tests, inspects, repairs, and replaces overhead and underground transmission and distribution lines and circuits.
   
   9. Maintains utility power generation and transmission systems, and related components, including circuit breakers, relays, switches, and fuses, transformers, busses, and underground cables, feeders, and associated equipment.
   
   10. Performs other related duties as assigned.
   
   Nature of Work: Nature of work involves considerable physical effort and dexterity with frequent exposure to inclement weather and natural elements and working conditions where serious accidents or injuries may occur. Requires knowledge of safety measures related to work on overhead and underground lines, as well as use of respirators.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find electrical line workers for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with electrical line 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. 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 electrical line worker

   Once you've found the electrical line worker 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.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new electrical line worker. 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.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire an electrical line worker?