How to hire a general warehouse

How to hire a general warehouse, step by step

Here's a step-by-step general warehouse hiring guide:

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

What does a general warehouse do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your general warehouse job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a general warehouse for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a general warehouse to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a general warehouse that fits the bill.

   This list presents general warehouse salaries for various positions.

   Type of General Warehouse	Description	Hourly rate
   General Warehouse	Material recording clerks track product information in order to keep businesses and supply chains on schedule. They ensure proper scheduling, recordkeeping, and inventory control.	$12-18
   Warehouse Machine Operator	Warehouse machine operators perform various tasks for their employers. These include setting up, operating, monitoring, and troubleshooting machinery, inspecting parts for specifications and any potential damage, and reading and interpreting diagrams and blueprints to position and secure the machines... Show more	$12-19
   Warehouse Technician	A warehouse technician is responsible for monitoring the incoming and outgoing goods and services in the warehouse or distribution centers. Warehouse technicians verify shipment details, assist with packaging items, move merchandise to storage areas, inspect the quality of items for release, and escalate defective products for immediate replacement... Show more	$13-20

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Pallets
   • RF
   • Pallet Jack
   • Customer Orders
   • Quality Standards
   • Cycle Counts
   • Shipping Receiving
   • OSHA
   • Repack
   • Warehouse Equipment
   • Safety Standards
   • Load Trucks
   • WMS
   • Assembly Line

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Reconfigure WMS to manage company's new multi-brand strategy.
   • Put all information into the WMS system for accurate account of each trailer that comes into company premises.
   • Operate forklifts removing pallets from inventory racks.
   • Verify proper logistics documentation to ensure destination and proper handling of hazardous material etc.
   • Organize and comply outbound shipping orders through the use of AS400 software.

   More general warehouse duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your general warehouse job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A general warehouse 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 general warehouse in South Carolina may be lower than in Idaho, and an entry-level general warehouse usually earns less than a senior-level general warehouse. Additionally, a general warehouse 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 general warehouse salary

   $15.22hourly

   $31,660 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level general warehouse salary

   $26,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 20, 2026

   Average general warehouse salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$34,422	$17
   2	Nevada	$32,793	$16
   3	Colorado	$32,228	$15
   4	Michigan	$32,025	$15
   5	Wisconsin	$31,999	$15
   6	Illinois	$30,180	$15
   7	Ohio	$29,948	$14
   8	Arizona	$29,481	$14
   9	Indiana	$29,023	$14
   10	Nebraska	$28,824	$14
   11	Kansas	$28,741	$14
   12	Missouri	$28,731	$14
   13	Tennessee	$27,876	$13
   14	Kentucky	$27,815	$13
   15	North Carolina	$27,303	$13
   16	Georgia	$27,200	$13
   17	Alabama	$27,157	$13
   18	Texas	$26,805	$13
   19	Florida	$25,401	$12

   Average general warehouse salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	United Natural Foods	$43,171	$20.76	24
   2	Uline	$40,699	$19.57	225
   3	Kloeckner Metals	$39,998	$19.23	12
   4	L'Oréal	$38,569	$18.54	6
   5	MVP Group Int	$37,234	$17.90
   6	Costco Wholesale	$37,116	$17.84	956
   7	ECMD	$36,865	$17.72	2
   8	VisionCorp Rep	$36,832	$17.71	4
   9	Tempur Sealy International	$36,642	$17.62	12
   10	Ferguson Enterprises	$36,523	$17.56	168
   11	I.T. Consortium	$36,052	$17.33	1
   12	Sonoco	$35,603	$17.12	15
   13	CVS Health	$35,376	$17.01	98
   14	North American Corporation	$35,285	$16.96
   15	US Foods	$35,234	$16.94	295
   16	HD Supply	$35,225	$16.94	119
   17	B&H Photo Video	$34,270	$16.48	3
   18	Smithfield Foods	$34,116	$16.40	5
   19	Sysco	$33,917	$16.31	130
   20	Food City	$33,773	$16.24	166

4. Writing a general warehouse job description

   A job description for a general warehouse role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a general warehouse job description:

   General warehouse job description example

   Square 1 Art – Warehouse Production Positions (Norcross)

   Square 1 Art is a family owned business founded in 2000 by a former art teacher. Located in Norcross, Georgia, Square 1 Art is one of the fastest growing art-based fundraisers of its kind. We serve public and private elementary-aged schools and organizations across the nation. For more information, please visit www.square1art.com.

   Square 1 Art has seasonal positions available to work in our Production Department for the Fall 2022 season (approximately 10-14 weeks, October into December). These production positions will be responsible for producing high quality products from children’s artwork in a fast paced environment. These positions involve creating products with heat presses, trimming images, sorting finished products and packaging for shipment. Could also be responsible for providing support to the Production, Packing and Prep Department.

   
   The ideal candidates must possess the following skills:
   - Have ability to stay focused on tasks in a fast paced production setting.

   - Must be extremely detail oriented to ensure quality products

   - Able to track daily performance and meet weekly goals and quota

   - Ability to maintain integrity and quality standard of all work performed
   - Requires work in a standing position for 8 hours per day.

   - Able to lift 20 lbs.
   - Bilingual skills a plus: English/Spanish or English/Vietnamese
   - Must be available to work overtime, some Saturdays, and holidays.

   - Must have authorization to work in the United States. Square 1 Art participates in the E-Verify system.

   Base working hours are Monday – Friday, 8-hour days, from 08:00 am -04:30 pm MUST be able to commit to the entire season including weekend, holiday and required overtime hours.

   We accept applications T,W,T from 9 am to 12pm & from 1 pm to 3 pm

   · Location: Norcross

   · Compensation: $14.00/hr

   · Principals only. Recruiters, please don't contact this job poster.

   · Please, no phone calls about this job!

   · Please do not contact job poster about other services, products or commercial interests.

   · Drug Free Workplace

   · *Square 1 Art is an Equal Opportunity Employer *

   Company Descriptionmanufacturing company for childrens art.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right general warehouse for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your general warehouse job on Zippia to find and recruit general warehouse candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting general warehouses 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 general warehouse

   Once you've found the general warehouse 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.

   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 general warehouse. 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 general warehouse?