How to hire an inventory control associate

How to hire an inventory control associate, step by step

Here's a step-by-step inventory control associate hiring guide:

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

What does an inventory control associate do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the inventory control associate you need to hire. Certain inventory control associate roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   An inventory control associate's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, inventory control associates from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of inventory control associates.

   Type of Inventory Control Associate	Description	Hourly rate
   Inventory Control Associate	Material recording clerks track product information in order to keep businesses and supply chains on schedule. They ensure proper scheduling, recordkeeping, and inventory control.	$11-27
   Warehouse Coordinator	A warehouse coordinator is responsible for monitoring the supply and distribution operations of a warehouse, loading and unloading merchandise from the delivery trucks, and storing items appropriately on the facility. Warehouse coordinators assist in packing and labeling items, pulling out products from delivery, and ensuring the correct quantity and quality of the items before release... 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:

   • Customer Service
   • Inventory Control
   • Sales Floor
   • Cycle Counts
   • Pallets
   • Data Entry
   • Purchase Orders
   • Math
   • WMS
   • RF
   • Stock Merchandise
   • PowerPoint
   • Warehouse Inventory
   • Inventory Reports

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Utilize RF system to manage warehouse shipments, reviewing shipments for shortages and overages within the dry goods warehouse.
   • Participate in material management meetings, offering information on processing of depot support manage items.
   • Issue RMA's using computer program and receive RMA goods.
   • Maintain logistics schedule with trucking companies, customers, and other vendors.
   • Locate products and materials using a RF scanner and transport to its designate aisle locations.
   • Handle all task in the warehouse with responsibilities in shipments, pickups, and operating systems; shipping and receiving logistics.

   More inventory control associate duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your inventory control associate job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. An inventory control associate can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, inventory control associates' average salary in alaska is 52% less than in new york.
   • Seniority. Entry-level inventory control associates 58% less than senior-level inventory control associates.
   • Certifications. An inventory control associate with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in an inventory control associate's salary.

   Average inventory control associate salary

   $37,541yearly

   $18.05 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level inventory control associate salary

   $24,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 31, 2026

   Average inventory control associate salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$57,798	$28
   2	New Jersey	$50,956	$25
   3	Massachusetts	$49,767	$24
   4	Ohio	$42,626	$20
   5	Illinois	$41,616	$20
   6	North Carolina	$39,013	$19
   7	California	$38,306	$18
   8	Arizona	$36,513	$18
   9	Iowa	$35,797	$17
   10	Washington	$34,695	$17
   11	Missouri	$34,672	$17
   12	Texas	$33,673	$16
   13	Florida	$32,433	$16
   14	Georgia	$32,027	$15
   15	Colorado	$31,615	$15
   16	Utah	$30,383	$15

   Average inventory control associate salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Apollo Global Management	$113,196	$54.42
   2	Goldman Sachs	$94,581	$45.47
   3	Colonial Pipeline	$88,047	$42.33	2
   4	BlackRock	$85,157	$40.94	2
   5	Citi	$81,734	$39.30	2
   6	JPMorgan Chase & Co.	$80,314	$38.61	72
   7	Elanco	$75,170	$36.14	3
   8	Collabera	$69,928	$33.62	13
   9	Pwc	$64,873	$31.19	2
   10	Advent Software	$62,092	$29.85
   11	Morgan Stanley	$59,577	$28.64	6
   12	Deutsche Bank	$59,460	$28.59	2
   13	Karma Automotive	$55,961	$26.90
   14	QuintilesIMS	$55,632	$26.75	2
   15	Moderna	$54,476	$26.19	4
   16	Connors Group	$54,298	$26.10
   17	PerkinElmer	$53,949	$25.94	2
   18	Enstoa	$52,454	$25.22
   19	Teledyne Technologies Incorporated	$51,184	$24.61	12
   20	Altec	$51,002	$24.52

4. Writing an inventory control associate job description

   An inventory control associate job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of an inventory control associate job description:

   Inventory control associate job description example

   Morton Buildings, Inc. is the industry leader in post-frame construction. We have been in business for more than 110 years and have six manufacturing plants servicing 106 construction centers nationwide. Per year, across America, more than 3,500 new buildings sport the familiar Morton M.
   
   The Inventory Control Coordinator will be part of the Product Delivery team, reporting to the Regional Plant Manager. The Inventory Control Coordinator will be responsible for several routine functions at the manufacturing plant including cycle counts, purchased materials ordering, and production planning.
   
   Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
   Responsibilities:
   Works with the Transportation Manager, Regional Plant Manager, and Shipping Supervisor to provide timely and effective production schedule planning and communication. Organizes and schedules daily/weekly workflow for the operation. Looks ahead to newly completed shipping schedule workload. Working closely with the Regional Plant Manager and Plant Administrator, establishes and maintains correct and adequate inventory levels of all inventories stocks and supplies for the facility. This is accomplished by direct purchase order placement and coordination with established MBI vendors, and by material orders from other MBI plant locations. Communicates clearly and frequently with internal plant departments on topics relative to planned production and receiving schedules. Takes care of internally produced item inventory ordering, cycle counts and inventory corrections, and recommends minimum supply changes. Learns Production Manager job duties in order to be in a backup/training role. Exhibits customer service focus with an emphasis on quality and timeliness. Performs analysis and adheres to MBI's established inventory value and turns standards. Willingness to work regular overtime and off-hours as needed. Additional responsibilities as assigned.
   Qualifications
   College coursework completed or equivalent work experience as an inventory planner and/or materials purchaser preferably in the construction industry. Minimum 3 years of experience required maintain inventories and manufacturing processes such as scheduling through ERP/MRP system input and manipulation is a plus. Post frame construction industry experience highly desired. Proven process improvement efforts and results achieved. Promotes teamwork and demonstrates natural leadership skills Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Strong organizational planning skills. Ability to work on your feet as required. Microsoft Office skills including Outlook email, Word, and Excel are required. Displays accountability, dedication and enthusiasm to manage plant inventories as if it is your own small company.
   
   Benefits include:
   Excellent medical/dental/prescription coverage Life Insurance Paid holidays Paid vacation Paid sick time 401K Opportunity ESOP Retirement Program which makes you an owner of the company
   Morton Buildings, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Drug-Free Workplace.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right inventory control associate for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with inventory control associates they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit inventory control associates who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with inventory control associate 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.

   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 inventory control associate

   Once you have selected a candidate for the inventory control associate position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the 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 inventory control associate. 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.

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 an inventory control associate?