How to hire a forklift-picker

How to hire a forklift-picker, step by step

Here's a step-by-step forklift-picker hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The forklift-picker 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 forklift-picker's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, forklift-pickers 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 forklift-picker salaries for various roles:

   Type of Forklift-Picker	Description	Hourly rate
   Forklift-Picker	Material moving machine operators use machinery to transport various objects. Some operators move construction materials around building sites or excavate earth from a mine... Show more	$12-19
   Reach Truck Operator	Ramp supervisors oversee safety procedures, ramp equipment, and company policies. They will be tasked with oversight of airport ramp operations, directing the loading and unloading of aircraft cargo and baggage, assurance of proper ramp functions, and compliance with the airport and the government's regulations... Show more	$13-20
   Driver/Warehouse Worker	A driver/warehouse worker is responsible for transporting goods and services from the warehouse or distribution center to specific destinations based on the delivery details. Driver/warehouse workers assist in loading and unloading items from delivery trucks, storing merchandise to the appropriate warehouse areas, operating various warehouse tools and equipment, and inspecting the delivery vehicle for any engine defects that might cause delays... Show more	$12-21

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Pallets
   • Pallet Jack
   • RF Scanner
   • Load Trucks
   • Shipping Receiving
   • Reach Truck
   • SIT
   • Cherry Pickers
   • Safety Regulations
   • Unload Materials
   • Customer Orders
   • Sit-Down Forklift
   • Industrial Trucks
   • Scan Gun

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Operate forklift to organize and wrap complete pallets, also operate other machinery that handle completed pallets to load company trucks.
   • Maintain accurate and timely documentation as is required by organization and OSHA.
   • Shrink wrap pallet and then set pallet by the correct load door to be check for accuracy.
   • Certify cherry picker operator / pull orders and putaway

   More forklift-picker duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the forklift-picker job description is a good way to get more applicants. A forklift-picker salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a forklift-picker in Virginia may be lower than in North Dakota, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level forklift-picker. Additionally, a forklift-picker with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average forklift-picker salary

   $15.72hourly

   $32,704 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level forklift-picker salary

   $26,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 31, 2026

   Average forklift-picker salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	South Dakota	$34,450	$17
   2	Illinois	$34,071	$16
   3	Arizona	$34,030	$16
   4	California	$33,294	$16
   5	Missouri	$32,492	$16
   6	Michigan	$32,482	$16
   7	Ohio	$31,018	$15
   8	Pennsylvania	$29,888	$14
   9	Texas	$29,716	$14
   10	Mississippi	$27,537	$13
   11	Tennessee	$27,405	$13
   12	Florida	$26,867	$13
   13	North Carolina	$26,854	$13

   Average forklift-picker salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Tyson Foods	$37,685	$18.12	6
   2	Mohawk Industries	$36,171	$17.39	26
   3	C&R Systems	$33,098	$15.91
   4	Novo	$32,996	$15.86	11
   5	Staffing Resources	$32,039	$15.40
   6	Kelly Services	$31,788	$15.28	85
   7	Elwood Staffing	$31,772	$15.28
   8	ManpowerGroup	$31,625	$15.20	110
   9	Workbox Staffing	$31,415	$15.10	15
   10	SelecSource	$31,323	$15.06	11
   11	Staffmark	$31,315	$15.06
   12	PrideStaff	$31,229	$15.01
   13	Link Staffing	$31,196	$15.00	2
   14	Express Employment Indy South	$31,184	$14.99	2
   15	Aerotek	$31,180	$14.99	251
   16	Adecco	$31,059	$14.93	95
   17	Randstad North America, Inc.	$29,945	$14.40	9
   18	Trc Staffing Services	$28,898	$13.89

4. Writing a forklift-picker job description

   A forklift-picker 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 forklift-picker job description:

   Forklift-picker job description example

   We are looking for a motivated and experienced Cherry Picker to join our client near Jurupa Valley, CA. As a cherry picker operator your primary responsibility is pulling products to fulfill orders, restock materials, or prepare orders for shipment. In this role, you will work in a team to meet daily quotas and improve day to day practices.
   Shifts: Monday-Friday (OT may be required)
   Schedule:
   1st-shuft 4:00AM - 2:30PM - Monday - Friday Mandatory OT and scheduled Weekends
   
   2nd-shift 3:00PM - 1:30PM - Sunday - Thursday Mandatory OT and scheduled Weekends
   
   Daily Responsibilities include:
   Pick product from location Conduct put-away's Use RF scanner to move product into and out of location Other tasks as needed
   Requirements At least 2 years of Cherry Picker experience is required Able to lift up to 50lbs consistently Staffmark is proud to be military friendly and veteran ready.
   
   Apply today and you could win in our $100k Giveaway for Job Fest 2022. This year’s Job Fest features weekly drawings for $1k, three $25k giveaways, and more. In total, we''re giving away $100k! Between September 12 and December 4, employees receive an automatic contest entry for every week you work 36+ hours on assignment with us. The more weeks you work, the better chance you have to win. To learn more and read the contest rules, visit www.worknowandwin.com. Apply now for a chance to win! Company DescriptionLet’s find your next job – together. Whether you’re looking for temporary work or a direct-hire job, Staffmark will connect you to an opportunity that closely matches your interests and skills. Staffmark is a proud member of Staffmark Group, an award-winning family of staffing brands with a national network of 450+ offices. We connect over 250,000 people to jobs each year, and we’re ready to put this expertise to work for you! Learn more at www.staffmark.com.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find forklift-pickers 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 forklift-picker job on Zippia to find and recruit forklift-picker candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting forklift-pickers requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   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 forklift-picker

   Once you've selected the best forklift-picker 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.

   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.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is 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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