How to hire a freight associate

How to hire a freight associate, step by step

Here's a step-by-step freight associate hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the freight associate you need to hire. Certain freight associate 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 freight associate's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, freight associates 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 freight associate salaries for various roles:

   Type of Freight Associate	Description	Hourly rate
   Freight Associate	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.	$12-18
   Package Handler	A package handler's primary duty is to place and load correct packages to delivery vehicles and review inventory upon shipments. Package handlers are responsible for analyzing product labels to make sure that the items are accurately processed... Show more	$12-19
   Can Handler	Can handlers or material handlers have various duties and responsibilities within an organization. These include maintaining production and product distribution, staging finished products, and delivering production supplies and materials... Show more	$12-19

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Sales Floor
   • Cleanliness
   • Customer Service
   • Sort Merchandise
   • Store Merchandise
   • Math
   • Electric Pallet Jack
   • Store Shelves
   • Stock Shelves
   • Unload Trucks
   • Preps
   • RF
   • Truck Freight
   • Stock Merchandise

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Operate a wide variety of lift equipment.
   • Work at the MSP airport sorting and loading air containers to assure proper delivery.
   • Job duties include receiving and unloading freight, pulling pallets to the floor after separating.
   • Specialize in use of RF equipment to determine sign needs by fixture for particular ad events.
   • Stack empty CHEP pallets in racks and regular pallets on dock floor at end of shift.
   • Perform inventory duties with the RF hand scanner, which include research, outs, and rigs.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, freight associates' average salary in louisiana is 41% less than in alaska.
   • Seniority. Entry-level freight associates earn 33% less than senior-level freight associates.
   • Certifications. A freight associate 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 freight associate's salary.

   Average freight associate salary

   $15.43hourly

   $32,103 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level freight associate salary

   $26,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

4. Writing a freight associate job description

   A freight associate 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 freight associate job description:

   Freight associate job description example

   As a Freight Handler at Walmart Supply Chain, you will have a critical role in moving product through our Distribution network to the Stores to service our Customers. Your role is critical in providing our customers with the product they expect at an everyday low price.
   
   You can expect the work to be very physically demanding with an extremely high focus on your safety and the safety of others. You will be lifting heavy cases in extreme climates. The flow of freight is very fast-paced, and productivity expectations are high.
   Duties and Responsibilities
   
   Freight Handling Handles and processes freight in a safe and correct manner through the facility to the Stores. Loads, unloads, orderfills, packs, and/or processes freight in an accurate and timely manner. Tells management about unsafe working conditions, damaged products, or improper procedures in the facility. Uses freight handling equipment in a safe and correct manner. Maintains a clean work environment to ensure safety and compliance. Complies with company policies, procedures, and standards of ethics and integrity. Ensures freight quality and integrity. Performs additional duties as assigned
   #supplychainjobs
   
   About Walmart
   
   At Walmart, we help people save money so they can live better. This mission serves as the foundation for every decision we make, from responsible sourcing to sustainability-and everything in between. As a Walmart associate, you will play an integral role in shaping the future of retail, tech, merchandising, finance and hundreds of other industries-all while affecting the lives of millions of customers all over the world. Here, your work makes an impact every day. What are you waiting for?
   
   Walmart, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer- By Choice. We believe we are best equipped to help our associates, customers, and the communities we serve live better when we really know them. That means understanding, respecting, and valuing diversity- unique styles, experiences, identities, abilities, ideas and opinions- while being inclusive of all people.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find freight associates 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 freight associate job on Zippia to find and recruit freight associate 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 freight associates, 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.

   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 freight associate

   Once you've found the freight associate 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.

   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 freight associate 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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