What does a general warehouse do?
A general warehouse worker is responsible for supporting and assisting in warehouse operations and manufacturing processes. Warehouse workers process orders and confirm shipment details for customers and resolve delivery delays immediately. They also inspect the adequacy of stock inventory, run quality checks with the products, and dispose of defective items. A general warehouse worker helps in loading and unloading merchandise from the distribution trucks and store the materials in their appropriate area within the warehouse facility.
General warehouse responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real general warehouse resumes:
- 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.
General warehouse skills and personality traits
We calculated that 20% of General Warehouses are proficient in Pallets, RF, and Pallet Jack. They’re also known for soft skills such as Detail oriented, Math skills, and Communication skills.
We break down the percentage of General Warehouses that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Pallets, 20%
Operated forklifts removing pallets from inventory racks.
- RF, 19%
Use RF System, Maintain/Stock Inventory, Safety Team Member, Reach Truck, Forklift, Clamp, Stock Picker.
- Pallet Jack, 9%
General warehouse duties including loading and unloading, pallet jack, fork lift (not certified), construction work.
- Customer Orders, 9%
Located and selected products throughout the warehouse for customer orders.
- Quality Standards, 9%
Assembled products accurately while communicating strongly with supervisor and other team members to ensure product meets specifications and quality standards.
- Cycle Counts, 7%
Performed daily inventory cycle counts and resolving any inaccurate counts.
Most general warehouses use their skills in "pallets," "rf," and "pallet jack" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential general warehouse responsibilities here:
Detail oriented. The most essential soft skill for a general warehouse to carry out their responsibilities is detail oriented. This skill is important for the role because "material and product inspecting clerks check items for defects, some of which are small and difficult to spot." Additionally, a general warehouse resume shows how their duties depend on detail oriented: "processed damaged goods, again keeping detailed records for inventory control and loss prevention. "
Math skills. Many general warehouse duties rely on math skills. "some material recording clerks use math to calculate shipping costs or take measurements.," so a general warehouse will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways general warehouse responsibilities rely on math skills: "required consistent heavy lifting, math skills (primarily measurements), and fierce attention to detail. "
Communication skills. general warehouses are also known for communication skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to general warehouse responsibilities, because "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." A general warehouse resume example shows how communication skills is used in the workplace: "utilized teamwork, communication and basic math skills. "
Customer-service skills. A big part of what general warehouses do relies on "customer-service skills." You can see how essential it is to general warehouse responsibilities because "stock clerks sometimes interact with customers in retail stores and may have to get the item the customer is looking for from the storeroom." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical general warehouse tasks: "view and fill customer orders electronically with desired quantity of steel within the company's database. "
The three companies that hire the most general warehouses are:
- Dollar General54 general warehouses jobs
- Randstad North America, Inc.36 general warehouses jobs
- CVS Health33 general warehouses jobs
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Compare different general warehouses
General warehouse vs. 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. They are expected to communicate with other team members and provide support for continuous production. Most employers are looking to hire someone with knowledge of production and safety procedures, previous experience as a machine operator, and analytical skills.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between general warehouses and warehouse machine operator. For instance, general warehouse responsibilities require skills such as "pallets," "rf," "pallet jack," and "osha." Whereas a warehouse machine operator is skilled in "basic math," "safety regulations," "electric pallet jack," and "rf scanner." This is part of what separates the two careers.
Warehouse machine operators tend to make the most money working in the manufacturing industry, where they earn an average salary of $36,642. In contrast, general warehouses make the biggest average salary, $34,634, in the manufacturing industry.warehouse machine operators tend to reach similar levels of education than general warehouses. In fact, warehouse machine operators are 0.3% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.1% more likely to have a Doctoral Degree.General warehouse vs. Warehouse shipping clerk
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. They also operate various warehouse equipment and machinery, conduct maintenance repairs, and loading and unloading items from the delivery trucks. A warehouse technician must have excellent time-management and organizational skills, especially on processing orders and creating reports for inventory receipts.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that general warehouse responsibilities requires skills like "rf," "quality standards," "repack," and "safety standards." But a warehouse shipping clerk might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "data entry," "warehouse operations," "ups," and "fedex."
Warehouse shipping clerks may earn a higher salary than general warehouses, but warehouse shipping clerks earn the most pay in the automotive industry with an average salary of $35,441. On the other hand, general warehouses receive higher pay in the manufacturing industry, where they earn an average salary of $34,634.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Warehouse shipping clerks tend to reach similar levels of education than general warehouses. In fact, they're 0.0% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.General warehouse vs. Warehouse technician
A warehouse specialist is someone who manages the daily procedures and functions of the warehouse efficiently and effectively. Their services are often needed in shipping docks, airports, and other industry warehouses. The specialist's primary responsibilities include supervising the shipping and receiving of materials and products, organizing the storage area, and monitoring the inventory. Candidates for the job must have strong knowledge in inventory control systems, able to multi-task, be physically fit, and able to safely operate warehouse machinery.
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, general warehouses are more likely to have skills like "pallet jack," "quality standards," "repack," and "as400." But a warehouse technician is more likely to have skills like "customer service," "warehouse environment," "logistics," and "data entry."
Warehouse technicians make a very good living in the manufacturing industry with an average annual salary of $36,898. On the other hand, general warehouses are paid the highest salary in the manufacturing industry, with average annual pay of $34,634.When it comes to education, warehouse technicians tend to earn similar degree levels compared to general warehouses. In fact, they're 0.7% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.0% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.General warehouse vs. Warehouse specialist
Types of general warehouse
Updated January 8, 2025
