How to hire a feeder catcher

How to hire a feeder catcher, step by step

Here's a step-by-step feeder catcher hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a feeder catcher, 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 feeder catcher's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, feeder catchers 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 feeder catchers and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Feeder Catcher	Description	Hourly rate
   Feeder Catcher	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.	$10-19
   Feeder	Feeders work on machines inside a factory, "feeding" or loading raw ingredients for the product they are supposed to make. They are typically also responsible for unloading the finished products... Show more	$11-19

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Quality Checks
   • Assembly Line

   Responsibilities:

   • Feed all cattle, clean barns, scrape manure, maintain barns, run various equipment, and fencing.
   • Catch the chickens that go to Tyson's.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, feeder catchers' average salary in arizona is 43% less than in new york.
   • Seniority. Entry-level feeder catchers earn 49% less than senior-level feeder catchers.
   • Certifications. A feeder catcher 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 feeder catcher's salary.

   Average feeder catcher salary

   $14.46hourly

   $30,086 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level feeder catcher salary

   $21,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 31, 2026

   Average feeder catcher salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Illinois	$34,430	$17
   2	California	$28,198	$14
   3	Indiana	$27,949	$13
   4	North Carolina	$23,572	$11

   Average feeder catcher salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	WestRock	$33,698	$16.20	3
   2	MeadWestvaco	$33,175	$15.95
   3	OpSource	$32,567	$15.66
   4	Kelly Services	$31,369	$15.08
   5	intiGrow	$30,905	$14.86
   6	ManpowerGroup	$30,783	$14.80
   7	Graphic Packaging International	$30,480	$14.65	12
   8	HW Staffing Solutions	$28,389	$13.65
   9	Randstad North America, Inc.	$28,306	$13.61

4. Writing a feeder catcher job description

   A feeder catcher 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 feeder catcher job description:

   Feeder catcher job description example

   Feeder Catcher FULL-TIME
   $16.50/hr, plus $750 new hire bonus, see details below Employees have the opportunity to progress pay every 6 months. Pay starts at 16.50 but can increase to 19.10 after obtaining level 3 status at $19.10. The person who occupies this position is responsible for assuming all duties performed by feeder (feed flat cartons into gluing/paneling machines), catcher (remove product from press and pack into cases) and sorter (quality checks on cartons). This person rotates between these positions throughout working shift. They understand and align business operations and Finishing Department as he/she executes their role to exceed customer expectations and align with GPI business, cultural, financial and operational objectives. ORD-03 WS-03
   Schedule
   Shift start: 2:30PM or 6:30PM or 10:30PM
   Shift length: 8 - 12 hours
   8 hour night shift Monday - Friday or a rotating 12 hour shift including two weekends a month
   Benefits
   Health, dental, vision insurance - available after 60 days Paid time off 401(k) plan
   Qualifications
   Must pass drug screen (cannabis included) Must pass background check Can lift 50 lbs Must be at least 18+ years old
   
   $750 new hire incentive
   Paid in 3 installments over the course of the 1st year About Graphic Packaging International
   Graphic Packaging International is committed to providing consumer packaging that makes a world of difference. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, they are a leading global provider of paper-based packaging solutions for a wide variety of products for food, beverage, foodservice and other consumer products companies. They strive to be an environmentally responsible leader in their industry and in the communities where they operate. Graphic Packaging has approximately 17,000 employees working in more than 60 locations in North and South America, Europe and the Pacific Rim. They are committed to workplace diversity and offer compensation and benefits programs that are among the best in the industry to reward the talented people who make their company successful.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right feeder catcher 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 feeder catcher job on Zippia to find and recruit feeder catcher 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 feeder catchers, 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.

   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 feeder catcher

   Once you've found the feeder catcher 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 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 feeder catcher first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

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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