How to hire a general warehouse worker

General warehouse worker hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring general warehouse workers in the United States:

The median cost to hire a general warehouse worker is $1,633.
It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
HR departments typically allocate 15% of their budget towards recruitment efforts.
Small businesses spend $1,105 per general warehouse worker on training each year, while large companies spend $658.
It takes approximately 12 weeks for a new employee to reach full productivity levels.
There are a total of 1,212,835 general warehouse workers in the US, and there are currently 261,027 job openings in this field.
Dinuba, CA, has the highest demand for general warehouse workers, with 16 job openings.

How to hire a general warehouse worker, step by step

To hire a general warehouse worker, you should create an ideal candidate profile, determine a budget, and post and promote your job. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire a general warehouse worker:

Here's a step-by-step general warehouse worker 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 worker job description
Step 5: Post your job
Step 6: Interview candidates
Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new general warehouse worker
Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a general warehouse worker do?

A general warehouse worker takes responsibility for doing various duties in warehousing. General warehouse workers receive and process incoming materials and stock, pick and file orders, and pack and ship these orders. The workers manage, organize, and retrieve stocks from the warehouse. They make sure that the orders are picked up and/or delivered on time. It is expected from them to have working experience in the job. They have to be proficient in terms of inventory software, systems, and databases. Among the other necessary skills for this career are time management, analytical, communication, and good organizational skills.

Learn more about the specifics of what a general warehouse worker does

Post a general warehouse worker job for free, promote it for a fee

Identify your hiring needs

Before you post your general warehouse worker 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 worker 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?

Hiring the perfect general warehouse worker also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

The following list breaks down different types of general warehouse workers and their corresponding salaries.

Type of General Warehouse Worker	Description	Hourly rate
General Warehouse Worker	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

Create an ideal candidate profile
Common skills:
- Pallets
- Safety Rules
- Inbound Trucks
- Math
- Basic Math
- Customer Orders
- Order Processing
- RF Scanner
- Warehouse Equipment
- Electric Pallet Jack
- Quality Standards
- Safety Procedures
- Repack
- Warehouse Environment
Check all skills
Responsibilities:
- Operate electric-forklifts, pallet-jacks and other MHE to complete job duties.
- Used RF computer scanners; scan parts into and out of inventory.
- Train new associates in the proper operation of material handling equipment (MHE).
- Ensure that information from relate ordering and receiving forms are processed according to company and OSHA standards.
- Conclude inventory of receive merchandise on pallets or in individual boxes.
- Maximize efficiency by critically evaluating resources by utilizing on-the-spot math and visualizing complete orders to minimize error before building a pallet.
More general warehouse worker duties

Make a budget

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

$15.49hourly

$32,215 yearly

Entry-level general warehouse worker salary

$26,000 yearly salary

Updated January 30, 2026

Average general warehouse worker salary by state

Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
1	California	$35,035	$17
2	New Jersey	$33,889	$16
3	Ohio	$33,841	$16
4	Wisconsin	$33,707	$16
5	Montana	$33,626	$16
6	Illinois	$32,990	$16
7	Utah	$32,858	$16
8	Pennsylvania	$32,836	$16
9	Colorado	$32,191	$15
10	Missouri	$31,911	$15
11	Kansas	$31,187	$15
12	Virginia	$29,708	$14
13	Arkansas	$28,751	$14
14	Nebraska	$28,639	$14
15	Michigan	$28,260	$14
16	Texas	$27,985	$13
17	North Carolina	$27,173	$13
18	Tennessee	$27,139	$13
19	Georgia	$26,883	$13
20	Alabama	$26,412	$13

Average general warehouse worker salary by company

Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
1	Hormel Foods	$37,460	$18.01	11
2	Conagra Brands	$36,806	$17.70	13
3	Stanley Black & Decker	$36,436	$17.52	22
4	Rite Aid	$36,236	$17.42
5	Best Buy	$36,031	$17.32	166
6	Timberland	$35,840	$17.23
7	Manatt's	$35,108	$16.88
8	Oldcastle Infrastructure	$34,865	$16.76	115
9	Turner Construction	$34,761	$16.71	22
10	Green Mountain Coffee Roasters	$34,693	$16.68
11	NMR	$34,688	$16.68
12	Family Dollar	$34,603	$16.64	16
13	Alpha Consulting	$34,385	$16.53
14	Andrews Distributing	$34,315	$16.50	1
15	Colony Tire	$34,179	$16.43	13
16	Tyson Foods	$33,956	$16.32	11
17	State of Connecticut	$33,822	$16.26	1
18	Dollar General	$33,763	$16.23	178
19	MGC	$33,751	$16.23	10
20	City of Detroit	$33,651	$16.18

Writing a general warehouse worker job description

A good general warehouse worker job description should include a few things:

Summary of the role
List of responsibilities
Required skills and experience

Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a general warehouse worker job description:

General warehouse worker job description example

Apply today – Start ASAP - $14-$17/hour - $500 Sign on Bonus!

Skills

Lift, lower, & carry up to 100lbs

Able to work 40 hours a week minimum

Able to work indoors and outdoors in all weather conditions

Able to take direction and work safely

Willing to learn and move into skilled trade work

Qualifications

Minimum

Have all PPE

Reliable transportation

Reliable form of communication (phone/email)

Work Safely and follow OSHA guidelines

Perks

-Long Term Work - $500 Sign-on Bonus - Paycheck Advances - Weekly Direct Deposit

-Unlimited $250 Referral Bonuses - $50 first day referral bonus

- 40 hrs a week + Overtime - Paid Holidays - 401K & Health Benefits

- Free OSHA training and Lift Certifications - Milestone Rewards Program!

CCS is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer

Some of our positions are subject to a background check for any convictions directly related to its duties and responsibilities. Only job-related convictions will be considered and will not automatically disqualify candidates.

Post your job
There are a few common ways to find general warehouse workers 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 general warehouse worker job on Zippia to find and recruit general warehouse worker candidates who meet your exact specifications.
- Use field-specific websites.
- Post a job on free websites.
Interview candidates
Recruiting general warehouse workers 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 to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.
The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.
Send a job offer and onboard your new general warehouse worker
Once you've decided on a perfect general warehouse worker candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your 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.
Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new general warehouse worker. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.
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.)
Sign up to download full list

How much does it cost to hire a general warehouse worker?

There are different types of costs for hiring general warehouse workers. One-time cost per hire for the recruitment process. Ongoing costs include employee salary, training, onboarding, benefits, insurance, and equipment. It is essential to consider all of these costs when evaluating hiring a new general warehouse worker employee.

The median annual salary for general warehouse workers is $32,215 in the US. However, the cost of general warehouse worker hiring can vary a lot depending on location. Additionally, hiring a general warehouse worker for contract work or on a per-project basis typically costs between $12 and $18 an hour.

Find better general warehouse workers in less time

Post a job on Zippia and hire the best from over 7 million monthly job seekers.

Hiring general warehouse workers FAQs

How much does a good general warehouse worker cost?

What are the duties of a general warehouse worker?

Should I hire a general warehouse worker with no experience?

Search for general warehouse worker jobs

Ready to start hiring?

Updated January 30, 2026

Browse office and administrative jobs

How to hire a general warehouse worker