How to hire an inventory control specialist

How to hire an inventory control specialist, step by step

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

What does an inventory control specialist do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your inventory control specialist 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 an inventory control specialist 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 an inventory control specialist 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 an inventory control specialist that fits the bill.

   The following list breaks down different types of inventory control specialists and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Inventory Control Specialist	Description	Hourly rate
   Inventory Control Specialist	Material recording clerks track product information in order to keep businesses and supply chains on schedule. They ensure proper scheduling, recordkeeping, and inventory control.	$11-24
   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
   Inventory Clerk	Inventory clerks or inventory control clerks manage and maintain all inventory coming in and out. They ensure that the items are stored and stocked in their proper places... Show more	$12-18

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Inventory Control Procedures
   • Work Ethic
   • Sales Floor
   • Safety Standards
   • Stock Merchandise
   • Purchase Orders
   • Physical Inventory
   • Inventory Management
   • Safety Regulations
   • Electric Pallet Jack
   • RF
   • Customer Orders
   • WMS

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Generate and manage ammunition records within an oracle database.
   • Participate in material management meetings, offering information on processing of depot support manage items.
   • Train new users on DMLSS, GSA, DOD Emall, and ECAT sites.
   • Load ups and fed ex grind.
   • Research and compiles information to develop the BOM.
   • Produce monthly PowerPoint presentation for management meeting recapping sales highlights of the month.

   More inventory control specialist duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your inventory control specialist job description helps attract top candidates to the position. An inventory control specialist 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 an inventory control specialist in Alaska may be lower than in Massachusetts, and an entry-level inventory control specialist usually earns less than a senior-level inventory control specialist. Additionally, an inventory control specialist 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 inventory control specialist salary

   $16.59hourly

   $34,507 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level inventory control specialist salary

   $23,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 27, 2025

   Average inventory control specialist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Pennsylvania	$44,036	$21
   2	Maine	$39,753	$19
   3	California	$38,638	$19
   4	Illinois	$36,332	$17
   5	Minnesota	$35,488	$17
   6	South Dakota	$34,787	$17
   7	Oregon	$34,618	$17
   8	Ohio	$33,986	$16
   9	Kansas	$33,500	$16
   10	Indiana	$33,354	$16
   11	Washington	$33,192	$16
   12	Colorado	$31,584	$15
   13	Tennessee	$31,244	$15
   14	Arizona	$31,149	$15
   15	Oklahoma	$30,380	$15
   16	Alabama	$30,175	$15
   17	Texas	$30,001	$14
   18	Florida	$29,361	$14
   19	New Mexico	$28,728	$14
   20	Nevada	$28,337	$14

   Average inventory control specialist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	JPMorgan Chase & Co.	$68,882	$33.12	67
   2	Regeneron	$67,995	$32.69	4
   3	Oracle	$51,031	$24.53	120
   4	FUJIFILM Medical Systems USA	$48,493	$23.31	72
   5	ONE Gas	$48,225	$23.19	1
   6	Altice USA	$47,522	$22.85	5
   7	NanoString Technologies	$47,031	$22.61
   8	Orthofix	$45,618	$21.93	2
   9	FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies	$45,545	$21.90	14
   10	Array Networks	$45,373	$21.81	1
   11	AMETEK	$44,991	$21.63	24
   12	Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Inc.	$43,683	$21.00
   13	Medical University of South Carolina	$43,052	$20.70	3
   14	American Woodmark	$42,108	$20.24	1
   15	Washington State University	$42,016	$20.20
   16	PepsiCo	$41,811	$20.10	40
   17	Johnson Controls	$41,678	$20.04	48
   18	Republic Steel	$41,473	$19.94
   19	HRL Laboratories	$41,176	$19.80	2
   20	Ecolab	$41,055	$19.74	110

4. Writing an inventory control specialist job description

   An inventory control specialist 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 specialist job description:

   Inventory control specialist 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 inventory control specialists for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any inventory control specialists they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level inventory control specialists with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit inventory control specialists, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   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.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new inventory control specialist

   Once you have selected a candidate for the inventory control specialist 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 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 inventory control specialist 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 an inventory control specialist?