How to hire a helper

How to hire a helper, step by step

Here's a step-by-step helper hiring guide:

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

What does a helper do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The helper hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   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 helper 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 helper that fits the bill.

   This list shows salaries for various types of helpers.

   Type of Helper	Description	Hourly rate
   Helper	Construction laborers and helpers perform many tasks that require physical labor on construction sites.	$11-18
   Mason	A mason is responsible for shaping artificial mineral products, concrete blocks, stone pieces, and bricks to create structures essential for construction or other building purposes using various machinery and equipment, following the highest safety standards and production procedures. Masons analyze schematics and blueprints, applying the clients' specifications and customization to their product expertise... Show more	$13-32
   Marine Pipefitter Helper	Marine Pipefitter Helpers are apprentices to marine pipefitters responsible for installing and assembling piping systems for water purposes. Their duties include creating pipe section layouts, reading blueprints, sourcing pipe material and equipment, and inspecting work sites... Show more	$14-22

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Food Handling
   • Safety Procedures
   • Safety Rules
   • Construction Sites
   • Physical Labor
   • Windows
   • Pallet Jack
   • Welders
   • Manual Labor
   • Tape Measure
   • General Construction
   • Load Trucks
   • HVAC
   • Safety Regulations

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Attach pulleys and blocks to fix overhead structures such as beams, etc.
   • Operate power nail guns, paint sprayers, ladders, power washers, drive company truck.
   • Clean areas that harbore pests, using rakes, brooms, shovels and mops, preparatory to fumigating.
   • Operate winches and hoisting devices.
   • Perform tack welding as necessary.
   • Install EMT and new wire throughout structure.

   More helper duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, helpers' average salary in florida is 27% less than in alaska.
   • Seniority. Entry-level helpers earn 38% less than senior-level helpers.
   • Certifications. A helper 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 helper's salary.

   Average helper salary

   $15.06hourly

   $31,331 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level helper salary

   $24,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 5, 2025

   Average helper salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Washington	$35,187	$17
   2	Oregon	$35,160	$17
   3	California	$34,476	$17
   4	Minnesota	$32,436	$16
   5	New York	$32,282	$16
   6	Nevada	$32,247	$16
   7	Hawaii	$32,236	$16
   8	New Jersey	$32,076	$15
   9	Pennsylvania	$31,517	$15
   10	Arizona	$30,680	$15
   11	Illinois	$30,449	$15
   12	Colorado	$30,441	$15
   13	Texas	$29,588	$14
   14	Virginia	$29,575	$14
   15	Ohio	$29,264	$14
   16	Indiana	$28,881	$14
   17	Kansas	$28,801	$14
   18	Missouri	$28,790	$14
   19	Tennessee	$27,796	$13
   20	Arkansas	$27,781	$13

   Average helper salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	National Grid plc	$48,565	$23.35	2
   2	Triumph Group	$45,112	$21.69
   3	General Electric	$44,996	$21.63	6
   4	MDU Resources	$44,069	$21.19
   5	Schlumberger	$42,023	$20.20	1
   6	Portland General Electric	$41,866	$20.13	2
   7	ENSTAR Natural Gas	$41,573	$19.99
   8	Steel Dynamics	$41,525	$19.96	12
   9	Rich Products	$41,137	$19.78
   10	ABB	$40,676	$19.56
   11	Peterson Holding	$40,509	$19.48
   12	Syracuse University	$40,400	$19.42
   13	Xcel Energy	$40,259	$19.36	3
   14	SIFCO Industries	$40,141	$19.30	1
   15	Entergy	$39,771	$19.12	11
   16	New York State Restaurant Association	$39,631	$19.05
   17	Pacifi	$39,571	$19.02	6
   18	Precision Castparts	$39,440	$18.96	6
   19	Hawaiian Electric Industries	$38,699	$18.61
   20	Lydall, Inc.	$38,478	$18.50	3

4. Writing a helper job description

   A good helper 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 helper job description:

   Helper job description example

   Associate is responsible for assisting in the delivery of material to customer job sites. Truck Driver Helpers must maintain a professional image and be courteous to all customers. They are responsible for building loads for deliveries and maintaining a safe, clean and well organized lumber yard; loading and unloading of lumber and/or building supplies, and operating a forklift.
   Responsibilities/Duties Essential Functions Assist with delivering material to customer job sites. Build loads for delivery. Load and unload lumber and building supplies. Operates forklift. Keeps lumber yard clean, well-organized and safe. Required Skills Additional Competencies Ability to read and comprehend simple instructions, short correspondence and memos; write simple correspondence; effectively present information to others one-on-one. Ability to apply common sense understanding and carry out simple one or two-step instructions; deal with standardized situations with only occasional or no variables. Required Education High school diploma or general education degree (GED); or related experience and/or training. Details Supervisory Responsibility
   This position has no supervisory responsibilities.
   
   Work Environment
   This position requires driving for long periods of time in a truck as well as working in the lumber yard. Truck Driver Helpers work near moving mechanical parts and in highly precarious places. This position can involve working outdoors or being exposed to wet, humid, extremely hot or extremely cold conditions. This position can be exposed to vibrations, airborne particles or toxic chemicals. There may be a risk of electrical shock.
   
   Physical Demands
   Requires frequent standing, walking, hearing, reaching with hands and arms. Also uses hands to grasp, handle or feel. This position also frequently lifts up to 80 pounds, climbs and balances.
   
   Position Type/Expected Hours of Work
   This is a full-time position. Hours of work depends on hours of operations, 45+ hours per week.
   
   Travel
   Local travel is expected for this position.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right helper 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.

   To find helper candidates, you can consider the following options:

   • Post your job opening on Zippia or other job search websites.
   • Use niche websites that focus on engineering and technology jobs, such as constructionjobs.
   • Post your job on free job posting websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with helper candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   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 helper

   Once you've selected the best helper candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new helper 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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How much does it cost to hire a helper?