How to hire a locksmith

How to hire a locksmith, step by step

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

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

What does a locksmith do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the locksmith you need to hire. Certain locksmith 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

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a locksmith 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 locksmith that fits the bill.

   Here's a comparison of locksmith salaries for various roles:

   Type of Locksmith	Description	Hourly rate
   Locksmith		$12-30
   Installation And Service Technician	An installation and service technician is an individual who oversees the continuous operation of personal equipment through operating functions. Installation and service technicians maintain the supplies, perform preventive maintenance, and call for repairs in structures... Show more	$13-23

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Hand Tools
   • Door Locks
   • Door Hardware
   • Emergency Calls
   • Customer Service
   • Troubleshoot
   • Lock Systems
   • Control Systems
   • Security Systems
   • Door Closers
   • Locksmiths
   • Panic Hardware
   • Security Devices
   • HVAC

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Attain high security certifications for ASSA, Medeco and Primus.
   • Manage overflow and on-demand jobs for other locksmiths throughout central Indiana.
   • Fabricate tools and jigs that are not available within the company to assist in accomplishing difficult and technical assignments.
   • Install and maintain CCTV systems.
   • Remove damaged or vandalize USPS mail boxes.
   • Identify, troubleshoot and resolve building manager complaints.

   More locksmith duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the locksmith job description is a good way to get more applicants. A locksmith salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a locksmith in Oregon may be lower than in Alaska, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level locksmith. Additionally, a locksmith with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average locksmith salary

   $40,723yearly

   $19.58 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level locksmith salary

   $26,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average locksmith salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Connecticut	$50,201	$24
   2	Delaware	$49,030	$24
   3	Massachusetts	$49,008	$24
   4	Washington	$47,495	$23
   5	District of Columbia	$47,478	$23
   6	New York	$47,187	$23
   7	Virginia	$47,057	$23
   8	Maryland	$46,593	$22
   9	California	$45,921	$22
   10	Pennsylvania	$44,981	$22
   11	Ohio	$43,645	$21
   12	New Jersey	$42,060	$20
   13	Kentucky	$39,857	$19
   14	South Carolina	$39,766	$19
   15	Missouri	$39,574	$19
   16	Colorado	$39,209	$19
   17	Texas	$38,249	$18
   18	Kansas	$37,561	$18
   19	Wisconsin	$37,555	$18
   20	Michigan	$33,720	$16

   Average locksmith salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Middlebury College	$97,731	$46.99
   2	Argonne National Laboratory	$79,314	$38.13
   3	Yale University	$71,134	$34.20
   4	Salt River Project	$69,847	$33.58
   5	University of California	$69,644	$33.48	1
   6	University of California-Berkeley	$64,467	$30.99
   7	Princeton University	$64,190	$30.86	1
   8	The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory	$63,473	$30.52	1
   9	Columbia University in the City of New York	$62,974	$30.28	2
   10	Emory University	$62,710	$30.15	2
   11	University of Rochester	$61,878	$29.75	4
   12	Vectrus	$56,434	$27.13
   13	Northrop Grumman	$53,296	$25.62	7
   14	Washington State University	$50,850	$24.45
   15	Lockheed Martin	$49,975	$24.03	3
   16	Vanderbilt University Medical Center	$49,929	$24.00	1
   17	TechFlow	$49,781	$23.93	20
   18	University of Houston	$49,690	$23.89
   19	UW-Milwaukee	$48,633	$23.38
   20	The University of Kansas Health System	$47,829	$22.99	3

4. Writing a locksmith job description

   A locksmith 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. Below, you can find an example of a locksmith job description:

   Locksmith job description example

   **General Summary**
   
   Installs, repairs, modifies, and opens a variety of locking mechanisms found on doors, desks, compartments, mobile equipment, safes, and vaults.
   
   **Essential Duties and Responsibilities**
   
   + Bonded Locksmith requirements are required due to security restrictions.
   
   + Examines locking mechanism and installs new unit or disassembles unit and replaces worn tumblers, springs, and other parts or repairs them by filing, drilling, chiseling and grinding.
   
   + Opens door locks by moving lock pick in cylinder or opens safe locks by listening to lock sounds or by drilling.
   
   + Changes combination by inserting new or repaired tumblers into lock. Cut new or duplicate keys using impressions or code key machines.
   
   + Disassemble mechanical or electrical locking devices, and repair or replace worn tumblers, springs, and other parts, using hand tools.
   
   + Keep records of locks and keys. Establishes and maintains master key systems for buildings.
   
   + Other duties as assigned by supervisor.
   
   **Work Environment**
   
   + Occasional and/or light lifting required--limited exposure to elements such as heat, cold, noise, dust, dirt, chemicals, etc., but none to the point of being disagreeable.
   
   + May involve minor safety hazards where likely result would be cuts, bruises, etc.
   
   _This job description is subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer and requirements of the job change._
   
   **We maintain a drug-free workplace and perform pre-employment substance abuse testing**
   
   Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
   
   The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

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

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit locksmiths, 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.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates 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 locksmith

   Once you've found the locksmith candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new locksmith 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 locksmith?