How to hire a field worker

How to hire a field worker, step by step

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The field worker 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 field worker's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, field 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.

   Here's a comparison of field worker salaries for various roles:

   Type of Field Worker	Description	Hourly rate
   Field Worker	Agricultural workers maintain the quality of farms, crops, and livestock by operating machinery and doing physical labor under the supervision of farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers.	$10-15
   Ranch Hand	A ranch hand is a person who takes care of livestock animals in a ranch. Ranch hands perform the ranch husbandry job, which involves keeping them healthy, feeding them, and overseeing breeding... Show more	$10-16
   Groom	A groom is primarily in charge of maintaining the hygiene and appearance of pets. Typically working at grooming shops, a groom liaises with pet owners to identify their preferences, observe the pet's condition to identify its needs, and explain the extent of procedures to pet owners... Show more	$10-20

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Home Health
   • Safety Procedures
   • Safety Regulations
   • CDL
   • Mowing
   • Data Collection
   • GPS
   • Irrigation Systems
   • General Maintenance
   • Fruit Trees
   • GIS
   • Manual Labor
   • Shovels
   • Snow Blowers

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Weld pipe stack pipe load frac sand operate end loaders backhoes bobcats trenches.
   • Connect sections of drill pipe, collar, drill bitsClean and oil pulleys, blocks, and cableshelp wherever need
   • Access Cisco 6400 , 10K routers to troubleshoot DSL issues.
   • Use hand tools, such as shovels, rakes, hedge or brush trimmers.
   • Design and arrange planters for resale.
   • Operate pneumatic hammers, vibrators and tampers.

   More field worker duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, field workers' average salary in louisiana is 39% less than in vermont.
   • Seniority. Entry-level field workers 33% less than senior-level field workers.
   • Certifications. A field 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 field worker's salary.

   Average field worker salary

   $13.04hourly

   $27,114 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level field worker salary

   $22,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 20, 2025

   Average field worker salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$31,426	$15
   2	Utah	$28,360	$14
   3	Arizona	$26,685	$13
   4	Florida	$24,781	$12
   5	Louisiana	$20,922	$10

   Average field worker salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	American Water	$33,064	$15.90	11
   2	Delaware North	$29,573	$14.22	6
   3	Clean Harbors	$29,486	$14.18	260
   4	Aramark	$28,274	$13.59	1,212
   5	University of Tennessee	$28,173	$13.54	4
   6	Corteva	$27,911	$13.42	4
   7	Martinelli's	$27,098	$13.03
   8	Alma Restaurant	$27,047	$13.00
   9	Hunter	$26,988	$12.97	1
   10	North Central Group	$26,971	$12.97
   11	CARBO	$26,937	$12.95
   12	Hero	$26,929	$12.95	1
   13	Illinois Farm Bureau	$26,928	$12.95
   14	Cascade Corporation	$26,887	$12.93
   15	HireLevel	$26,757	$12.86
   16	Logan Farms - SHV	$26,662	$12.82
   17	Reinforced Earth	$26,629	$12.80
   18	Mi Technologies	$26,577	$12.78
   19	ASTRA	$26,543	$12.76
   20	Sodexo Management, Inc.	$26,499	$12.74	350

4. Writing a field worker job description

   A good field worker 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 field worker job description:

   Field worker job description example

   • High School Graduate - Preferred
   • Must have a valid driver's license and reliable transportation
   • Ability to read and write in English required
   • Must be able to:
   • To work at least an 8‐hour rotating shift and up to a 12‐hour rotating shift, which includes some weekends and holidays
   • To work overtime
   • To lift a minimum of 50 pounds
   • To work around chemicals
   • To wear fire retardant clothing and personal protective equipment (such as steel‐toe shoes, ear and eye protection)
   • To operate a 20-30 lb fire extinguisher
   • To work outside in harsh weather conditions

   Physical & Mental Requirements

   The physical demands must be met by an employee to successfully perform essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

   While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk and use hands to finger, handle, or feel and reach with hands and arms. The employee frequently is required to walk, stoop, kneel, climbing, carry, pushing/pulling and use repetitive wrist and hand movements. The employee may be required to lift and/or move objects of up to 50 pounds. Hearing, seeing ability of rapid mental coordination. It is required to be mentally alert for entire regular shift.

   This position may work in various locations within the U.S. Some locations may be subject to extreme temperatures, working in high places, etc. Potential for exposure to temperature changes, wetness, confined spaces, fumes/odors, working with ladder/scaffolds, working with pressurized equipment, high places, hazardous materials. The company will supply adequate training and equipment to meet the functions of the job.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find field workers for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any field workers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level field workers with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   To find field worker candidates, you can consider the following options:

   • Post your job opening on Zippia or other job search websites.
   • Use niche websites that focus on engineering and technology jobs, such as ag hires, farm job, farming work , joe produce, picking jobs.
   • Post your job on free job posting websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with field 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 field worker

   Once you've selected the best field worker 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.

   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.

   To prepare for the new field worker 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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