What Does a General Warehouse Associate Do?

A General Warehouse Associate performs a variety of tasks at warehouses on a day-to-day basis. They typically receive and process shipments, organize stocks, inspect packages to ensure quantity and quality, maintain inventory and other records, operate tools and equipment such as forklifts and scanners, utilize warehouse spaces, and prepare products subjected for deliveries. Moreover, a General Warehouse Associate must maintain an active communication line with staff for a smooth and efficient workflow.

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General Warehouse Associate Responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real general warehouse associate resumes representing typical tasks they are likely to perform in their roles.

Unload product off trailers, receive product using the WMS system, and transport product to its necessary location.
Travele to other distribution centers to assist with the setup, training and operation of the KEXE WMS system implementation.
Assemble medical equipment-Deliver medical supplies to patients homes and medical facilities-Prepare supplies and packaging for delivery-Load packages according to borough
Order selectors are required to safely operator a motorize pallet jack.
Operate power equipment including: order pickers, tuggers, reach trucks, and counterbalance forklifts.

General Warehouse Associate Job Description

When it comes to understanding what a general warehouse associate does, you may be wondering, "should I become a general warehouse associate?" The data included in this section may help you decide. Compared to other jobs, general warehouse associates have a growth rate described as "little or no change" at 1% between the years 2018 - 2028, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In fact, the number of general warehouse associate opportunities that are predicted to open up by 2028 is 46,900.

General warehouse associates average about $15.55 an hour, which makes the general warehouse associate annual salary $32,339. Additionally, general warehouse associates are known to earn anywhere from $26,000 to $39,000 a year. This means that the top-earning general warehouse associates make $11,000 more than the lowest earning ones.

As is the case with most jobs, it takes work to become a general warehouse associate. Sometimes people change their minds about their career after working in the profession. That's why we looked into some other professions that might help you find your next opportunity. These professions include a warehouse selector, warehouse/driver, warehouse labour, and warehouse receiving.

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5 General Warehouse Associate Resume Examples

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Frances Martinez General Warehouse Associate Contact Information Milwaukee, WI (840) 555-1654 fmartinez@example.com Skills Communication Equipment Checks Ensure Accuracy Warehouse Environment Repack Hand Trucks Clamp Forklifts Osha Appropriate Cases Employment History General Warehouse Associate 2020 - Present Brady Milwaukee, WI Process and package goods in an efficient manner. Load and unload trucks making sure dates and item numbers are correct kept warehouse and machines well kept Processed customer orders using a bar code scanner to enter data into computer database. Unload truck in a timely manner. Warehouse Labour 2019 - 2020 J. C. Penney Milwaukee, WI Put away furniture driving cherry picker forkift using RF scanner. Load the pallets and scan the packages and load the pallets onto the truck with the electric pallet jack Provide prompt and courteous customer service, pack and receive shipments, manage and deliver layaway items Manage forklift, hand trucks, pallet jack, computer and boxes recycling machine. Used pallet jack, dolly, and forklift to remove items. Forklift Operator And Receiver 2018 - 2019 ManpowerGroup Milwaukee, WI Work in a warehouse environment where we prepare different boxes. Loaded and unloaded materials to designated areas Conveyed materials to and from storage areas and designated areas using sit-down forklift Unload Trucks, Load truck, Pallet Jack, Case Picker. Education High School Diploma 2018 - 2018


Dylan Brown General Warehouse Associate Contact Info Hoffman Estates, IL (580) 555-2824 dbrown@example.com Skills Assembly LineProduction EquipmentQuality StandardsRFAudit MerchandiseCustomer OrdersHeavy MachineryWarehouse EnvironmentHand TrucksParticular Production Process Employment History General Warehouse Associate 2020 - Present Sears Holdings Hoffman Estates, IL Assist customers on sales floor with any questions or merchandise they may need help with. Unload trucks , stock , merchandise pickup Operated heavy lifting eqipment , provided customer service ,loaded and unloaded trucks onto conveyor belt, and maintained a clean workplace Receive Trucks; load and unload trucks Bring merchandise to customer with the time given Greet customers and give excellent customer service Warehouse Worker 2016 - 2020 Bunn-O-Matic Springfield, IL EXPERIENCE INCLUDES Accuracy Detail-Oriented Customer Service Dedication Detail Oriented Great Physical Condition Order Pulling Organization Problem Solving Safety & Quality Control Shipping Supervised twenty Third Country Nationals on daily operations of the Central Issue Facility. Take inventory Pad off furniture Load and unload truck Put a way pallets , used RF scanner Production Line Worker 2015 - 2016 Express Services Springfield, IL Started as an assembly line packer. Make drawers and wardrobe's in an assembly line, Also to keep a clean and safe workplace. Assembled electronic parts together on an assembly line. Insert Lipton tea bottles on assembly line- Clean work area- Clear jammed bottles from machine Education High School Diploma 2015 - 2015


Dylan Brown General Warehouse Associate Hoffman Estates, IL (580) 555-2824 dbrown@example.com Experience General Warehouse Associate2020 - Present Sears Holdings•Hoffman Estates, IL Assist customers on sales floor with any questions or merchandise they may need help with. Unload trucks , stock , merchandise pickup Operated heavy lifting eqipment , provided customer service ,loaded and unloaded trucks onto conveyor belt, and maintained a clean workplace Receive Trucks; load and unload trucks Bring merchandise to customer with the time given Greet customers and give excellent customer service Warehouse Worker2016 - 2020 Bunn-O-Matic•Springfield, IL EXPERIENCE INCLUDES Accuracy Detail-Oriented Customer Service Dedication Detail Oriented Great Physical Condition Order Pulling Organization Problem Solving Safety & Quality Control Shipping Supervised twenty Third Country Nationals on daily operations of the Central Issue Facility. Take inventory Pad off furniture Load and unload truck Put a way pallets , used RF scanner Production Line Worker2015 - 2016 Express Services•Springfield, IL Started as an assembly line packer. Make drawers and wardrobe's in an assembly line, Also to keep a clean and safe workplace. Assembled electronic parts together on an assembly line. Insert Lipton tea bottles on assembly line- Clean work area- Clear jammed bottles from machine Skills Assembly LineProduction EquipmentQuality StandardsRFAudit MerchandiseCustomer OrdersHeavy MachineryWarehouse EnvironmentHand TrucksParticular Production Process Education High School Diploma 2015 - 2015

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General Warehouse Associate Skills and Personality Traits

We calculated that 16% of General Warehouse Associates are proficient in Pallets, Manual Pallet Jack, and RF Scanner. They’re also known for soft skills such as Communication skills, Customer-service skills, and Detail oriented.

We break down the percentage of General Warehouse Associates that have these skills listed on their resume here:

Pallets, 16%
Order selectors were required to safely operator a motorized pallet jack.
Manual Pallet Jack, 9%
Moved freight using various equipment such as stand up forklift, electric pallet jacks and, manual pallet jacks.
RF Scanner, 7%
Performed tasks such as Picking and Packing, Manifesting; Used RF scanners in order to complete tasks.
Safety Regulations, 7%
Maintained and handled moving equipment regarding all safety regulations.
Unload Trailers, 7%
Unload trailers either manually or by a forklift* Inventory and Quality Assurance* Clerical tasks using Access, Excel, and Outlook
Electric Pallet Jack, 5%
Reach Truck/Pacer/Electric Pallet Jack certified.

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Some of the skills we found on general warehouse associate resumes included "pallets," "manual pallet jack," and "rf scanner." We have detailed the most important general warehouse associate responsibilities below.

Arguably the most important personality trait for a general warehouse associate to have happens to be communication skills. An example from a resume said this about the skill, "production, planning, and expediting clerks are frequently in contact with suppliers, vendors, and production managers and need to communicate the firm’s scheduling needs effectively." Additionally, other resumes have pointed out that general warehouse associates can use communication skills to "demonstrate basic material handling/packaging/warehouse equipment skills * effective oral communication skills * accurately performs multiple operational tasks assigned"

While it may not be the most important skill, we found that many general warehouse associate duties rely on customer-service skills. This example from a general warehouse associate explains why: "stock clerks sometimes interact with customers in retail stores and may have to get the item the customer is looking for from the storeroom." This resume example is just one of many ways general warehouse associates are able to utilize customer-service skills: "maintained product integrity by inspecting all products for damage and misplacement to ensure customer orders were processed accurately. "

General warehouse associates are also known for detail oriented, which can be critical when it comes to performing their duties. An example of why this skill is important is shown by this snippet that we found in a general warehouse associate resume: "material and product inspecting clerks check items for defects, some of which are small and difficult to spot." We also found this resume example that details how this skill is put to the test: "inventory: working for the home depot has thoroughly increased my attention to detail when it comes to inventory. "

In order for certain general warehouse associate responsibilities to be completed, the job requires the skill "math skills." According to a general warehouse associate resume, "some material recording clerks use math to calculate shipping costs or take measurements." As an example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies: "used math equations to solve how much material and weight is on hand. "

See the full list of general warehouse associate skills.

We've found that 19.1% of general warehouse associates have earned a bachelor's degree. Furthermore, 0.8% earned their master's degrees before becoming a general warehouse associate. While it's true that some general warehouse associates have a college degree, it's generally possible to become one with only a high school degree. In fact, one out of every two general warehouse associates did not spend the extra money to attend college.

The general warehouse associates who went onto college to earn a more in-depth education generally studied business and general studies, while a small population of general warehouse associates studied criminal justice and computer science.

When you're ready to become a general warehouse associate, you might wonder which companies hire general warehouse associates. According to our research through general warehouse associate resumes, general warehouse associates are mostly hired by Total Staffing Solutions, The TJX Companies, and Kimco Staffing Services Inc. Now is a good time to apply as Total Staffing Solutions has 51 general warehouse associates job openings, and there are 31 at The TJX Companies and 23 at Kimco Staffing Services Inc.

But if you're interested in companies where you might earn a high salary, general warehouse associates tend to earn the biggest salaries at Olympic Steel, Ashley HomeStore, and International Paper. Take Olympic Steel for example. The median general warehouse associate salary is $39,080. At Ashley HomeStore, general warehouse associates earn an average of $37,321, while the average at International Paper is $36,781. You should take into consideration how difficult it might be to secure a job with one of these companies.

View more details on general warehouse associate salaries across the United States.

We also looked into companies who hire general warehouse associates from the top 100 educational institutions in the U.S. The top three companies that hire the most from these institutions include Amazon, Integrity Staffing, and The Home Depot.

The three companies that hire the most prestigious general warehouse associates are:

Total Staffing Solutions51 General Warehouse Associates Jobs
The TJX Companies31 General Warehouse Associates Jobs
Kimco Staffing Services Inc23 General Warehouse Associates Jobs

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What Warehouse Selectors Do

A warehouse selector is responsible for preparing merchandise and packing items appropriately according to clients' orders and special instructions. Warehouse selectors ensure the adequacy of stock inventory to release orders and create purchase requests as needed. They also assist in the manufacturing and production process, label items accurately, and inspect the quality of the materials before distribution. A warehouse selector must have excellent organizational skills, as well as the ability to work in a fast-paced environment to meet deadlines and achieve the highest customer satisfaction.

In this section, we take a look at the annual salaries of other professions. Take warehouse selector for example. On average, the warehouse selectors annual salary is $5,442 higher than what general warehouse associates make on average every year.

Even though general warehouse associates and warehouse selectors have vast differences in their careers, a few of the skills required to do both jobs are similar. For example, both careers require pallets, electric pallet jack, and customer orders in the day-to-day roles.

There are some key differences in responsibilities as well. For example, a general warehouse associate responsibilities require skills like "manual pallet jack," "rf scanner," "safety regulations," and "unload trailers." Meanwhile a typical warehouse selector has skills in areas such as "work ethic," "materials handling," "warehouse environment," and "basic math." This difference in skills reveals how truly different these two careers really are.

Warehouse selectors receive the highest salaries in the manufacturing industry coming in with an average yearly salary of $39,926. But general warehouse associates are paid more in the technology industry with an average salary of $33,144.

On average, warehouse selectors reach similar levels of education than general warehouse associates. Warehouse selectors are 0.0% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.1% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

What Are The Duties Of a Warehouse/Driver?

A warehouse driver is responsible for transporting packages and other merchandise from the warehouse to different locations. Warehouse drivers strictly follow route sheets to avoid delays in the delivery. They check all the loaded items to ensure that the orders are correct, return defective items, and update the inventory sheet. A warehouse driver must operate the delivery vehicle, perform engine repairs, and follow safety practices and procedures. A warehouse driver also responds to the customers' inquiries and concerns and escalates complaints of incorrect merchandise and defective items to management.

The next role we're going to look at is the warehouse/driver profession. Typically, this position earns a higher pay. In fact, they earn a $1,661 higher salary than general warehouse associates per year.

While the salary may be different for these job positions, there is one similarity and that's a few of the skills needed to perform certain duties. We used info from lots of resumes to find that both general warehouse associates and warehouse/drivers are known to have skills such as "pallets," "safety regulations," and "unload trailers. "

While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, several resumes showed us that general warehouse associate responsibilities requires skills like "manual pallet jack," "rf scanner," "osha," and "forklift equipment." But a warehouse/driver might use skills, such as, "customer service," "math," "basic math," and "cdl."

Warehouse/drivers may earn a higher salary than general warehouse associates, but warehouse/drivers earn the most pay in the manufacturing industry with an average salary of $34,924. On the other side of things, general warehouse associates receive higher paychecks in the technology industry where they earn an average of $33,144.

In general, warehouse/drivers study at similar levels of education than general warehouse associates. They're 0.0% less likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

How a Warehouse Labour Compares

Warehouse labour workers are responsible for organizing shipment details by processing the correct quantity of orders, ensuring that the items are free from any defects and mislabeling. Warehouse labourers prepare the items for packaging efficiently, update the inventory records, and escalate production discrepancy to the management for immediate resolution. They should also strictly adhere to the production area's safety regulations, especially on loading and unloading items, and moving each package to appropriate shelves using warehouse equipment.

The warehouse labour profession generally makes a lower amount of money when compared to the average salary of general warehouse associates. The difference in salaries is warehouse labours making $593 lower than general warehouse associates.

By looking over several general warehouse associates and warehouse labours resumes, we found that both roles utilize similar skills, such as "pallets," "manual pallet jack," and "safety regulations." But beyond that the careers look very different.

There are many key differences between these two careers as shown by resumes from each profession. Some of those differences include the skills required to complete responsibilities within each role. As an example of this, a general warehouse associate is likely to be skilled in "rf scanner," "forklift equipment," "trolleys," and "outbound trailers," while a typical warehouse labour is skilled in "customer service," "basic math," "cleanliness," and "math."

Warehouse labours make a very good living in the technology industry with an average annual salary of $33,085. Whereas general warehouse associates are paid the highest salary in the technology industry with the average being $33,144.

Warehouse labours are known to earn similar educational levels when compared to general warehouse associates. Additionally, they're 0.1% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Description Of a Warehouse Receiving

The duties of a warehouse receiving worker include interacting with delivery couriers, such as DHL and FedEx/UPS, while generally simplifying the customer service delivery process. They are expected to closely inspect all goods and products for damages, verify the quantities of products ordered, and enter these into inventory using RF or WMS system. The responsibility of determining the designated method of shipment of products may also fall to them.

Warehouse receivings tend to earn a higher pay than general warehouse associates by about $475 per year.

While both general warehouse associates and warehouse receivings complete day-to-day tasks using similar skills like pallets, rf scanner, and safety regulations, the two careers also vary in other skills.

Even though a few skill sets overlap, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a general warehouse associate might have more use for skills like "manual pallet jack," "unload trailers," "forklift equipment," and "safety standards." Meanwhile, some warehouse receivings might include skills like "warehouse receiver," "shipping receiving," "warehouse environment," and "basic math" on their resume.

In general, warehouse receivings make a higher salary in the transportation industry with an average of $33,909. The highest general warehouse associate annual salary stems from the technology industry.

The average resume of warehouse receivings showed that they earn similar levels of education to general warehouse associates. So much so that the likelihood of them earning a Master's Degree is 0.0% more. Additionally, they're more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree by 0.2%.

Updated October 2, 2020