How to hire a flagger

How to hire a flagger, step by step

Here's a step-by-step flagger hiring guide:

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

What does a flagger do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the flagger you need to hire. Certain flagger 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

   A flagger's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, flaggers 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 flagger salaries for various roles:

   Type of Flagger	Description	Hourly rate
   Flagger		$10-18
   Crossing Guard	A crossing guard directs and escorts pedestrians when crossing the street, enforcing traffic laws when necessary. They have the authority to control both pedestrian and vehicular traffic, and they will sometimes be responsible for directing traffic to avoid hazards... Show more	$11-20
   School Crossing Guard	A school crossing guard is an adult whose work is to ensure the safety of students and any other pedestrian or cyclist as they cross the road while heading or coming from school. They encourage safety for all people crossing the road around the school premises... Show more	$10-37

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Work Ethic
   • Safety Rules
   • Construction Sites
   • Direct Traffic
   • Vehicular Traffic
   • Public Safety
   • Asphalt
   • Traffic Flow
   • HEED
   • Work Boots
   • Traffic Control Signs
   • Safety Regulations
   • Construction Projects
   • ATSSA

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Learn the location and purpose of street traffic signs within assign patrol areas
   • Test an repair uhf, vhf, Am/fm, ssb radios recording devices for a working airport.
   • Scan the CCTV's on the interstate system.
   • Maintain traffic control to ATSSA standards.
   • Maintain a visible presence and alertness to surrounding traffic.
   • Used shovels, digging bars, and other basic tools.

   More flagger duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your flagger job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A flagger salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a flagger in Missouri may be lower than in North Dakota, and an entry-level flagger usually earns less than a senior-level flagger. Additionally, a flagger with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average flagger salary

   $14.18hourly

   $29,484 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level flagger salary

   $22,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 14, 2025

   Average flagger salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$36,838	$18
   2	Washington	$36,054	$17
   3	Indiana	$31,568	$15
   4	Ohio	$31,129	$15
   5	Tennessee	$31,031	$15
   6	Oregon	$31,005	$15
   7	Maine	$29,782	$14
   8	Pennsylvania	$29,442	$14
   9	Nevada	$28,977	$14
   10	Maryland	$28,817	$14
   11	Colorado	$28,395	$14
   12	Virginia	$27,300	$13
   13	Utah	$26,352	$13
   14	North Carolina	$25,307	$12
   15	South Carolina	$24,628	$12
   16	Georgia	$24,557	$12
   17	Texas	$23,121	$11
   18	Florida	$23,115	$11

   Average flagger salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Walsh Electric	$38,816	$18.66
   2	MDU Resources	$38,255	$18.39
   3	Arapahoe County	$35,720	$17.17
   4	Deschutes County	$34,839	$16.75
   5	The Walsh Group	$33,429	$16.07	2
   6	State of West Virginia	$32,972	$15.85
   7	FlatironConstruction	$32,356	$15.56
   8	Safeway	$32,291	$15.52
   9	FNF Construction	$32,077	$15.42	1
   10	Hubbard Construction	$32,019	$15.39
   11	Star Construction Management	$31,932	$15.35
   12	Jr. Davis Construction	$31,899	$15.34
   13	Oldcastle Infrastructure	$31,886	$15.33	18
   14	Propark Mobility	$31,853	$15.31	4
   15	Mears Transportation Group	$31,729	$15.25	3
   16	Blattner Energy	$31,528	$15.16	2
   17	Transwest	$31,463	$15.13
   18	LaborMAX Staffing	$31,425	$15.11	13
   19	Eutaw Construction	$31,208	$15.00
   20	Ethan Allen Workforce Solutions	$30,486	$14.66

4. Writing a flagger job description

   A good flagger 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 flagger job description:

   Flagger job description example

   Certified Traffic Flaggers (Must have valid Traffic Flagger Card) start at $19 an hour
   Required schedule: Split shift 7:00am to 11:00am, 3:00pm to 7:00pm Monday through Friday

   Job Summary

   Oversee our parking lots and garages. Provide excellent customer service and create a welcoming and safe environment by greeting clients, communicating transportation information and tracking relevant parking and ridership data. When needed provide security to off-site lots and complete incident reports.

   Responsibilities and Duties

   Assist with safe entry, parking and exiting of guests to our parking lots and garages.
   Oversee the safety of vehicles and guests in the lots and garages.
   Provide excellent customer service always; greet customers professionally; offer assistance with boarding or de-boarding as appropriate, in accordance with operations policies; maintain an appropriate level of supplies such as schedules or other information; stay current with knowledge of transportation operations; provide information to riders about transportation options or how to access additional information.
   Report all environmental safety hazards, unusual incidents, suspicious circumstances, and accidents; report all incidents; complete incident reports as necessary; participate in accident or incident reviews as requested. Document all accidents/incidents verbally and/or in writing or e-mail as directed by Manager.
   Perform proactive lot counts with detail and accuracy.
   Qualifications and Skills

   KEY POSITION COMPETENCIES :
   You possess an outgoing and positive attitude and demeanor; you genuinely enjoy, and take pride in, providing excellent customer service every day.
   You keep a professional appearance always.
   You are highly organized.
   You work effectively and collaboratively with other team members.

   Requirements

   Must be able to walk and stand for an entire shift in inclement weather, including extreme heat or cold.
   Must be at least 18 years old
   Must have reliable transportation to work
   Must be able to bend, twist, crouch and reach
   Must be able to lift up to 30 lbs.
   Must be able to communicate clearly in English
   Must be able to pass a pre-employment drug test and criminal background check

   Benefits

   - Starting Pay of $19 an hour

   -Annual Pay Increases

   -Holiday Pay

   - Medical, Dental, Vision, Life and 401k with matching available for full time employees

   -PTO accruals starting on Day 1 with increasing levels based on year's of service

   TransWest Culture: Come join our close knit team. We enjoy having summer BBQs, holiday parties, games, contests and so much more at our bus yards and in the office.
   

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find flaggers 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 flagger job on Zippia to find and recruit flagger 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 flaggers, 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.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete 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 flagger

   Once you have selected a candidate for the flagger 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 flagger. 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 flagger?