How to hire a lumber associate

How to hire a lumber associate, step by step

Here's a step-by-step lumber associate hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your lumber associate 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 lumber associate 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 a lumber associate 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 lumber associate that fits the bill.

   The following list breaks down different types of lumber associates and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Lumber Associate	Description	Hourly rate
   Lumber Associate	Retail sales workers include both those who sell retail merchandise, such as clothing, furniture, and automobiles, (called retail salespersons) and those who sell spare and replacement parts and equipment, especially car parts (called parts salespersons). Both types of workers help customers find the products they want and process customers’ payments.	$11-22

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Forklift Operation
   • Work Ethic
   • Math
   • Sales Floor
   • Basic Math
   • Plumbing
   • Stock Merchandise
   • Safety Policies
   • Customer Inquiries
   • Customer Assistance
   • Electric Pallet Jack
   • Load Trucks
   • Customer Orders

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Participate in ordering of all nursery stock and managing inventory.
   • Help patients obtain secondary insurance coverage through Arkansas Medicaid, and/or exploring Arkansas Medicaid options for uninsure or exhaust benefits.
   • Perform weekly demonstrations for (DIY) customers with the latest power tools and hand tools.

   More lumber associate duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, lumber associates' average salary in florida is 42% less than in massachusetts.
   • Seniority. Entry-level lumber associates 50% less than senior-level lumber associates.
   • Certifications. A lumber 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 a lumber associate's salary.

   Average lumber associate salary

   $16.01hourly

   $33,301 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level lumber associate salary

   $23,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 21, 2026

   Average lumber associate salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Oregon	$30,375	$15
   2	Illinois	$29,766	$14
   3	North Carolina	$29,473	$14
   4	Idaho	$28,966	$14
   5	Missouri	$28,600	$14
   6	Tennessee	$28,042	$13
   7	Colorado	$26,857	$13
   8	Arkansas	$26,806	$13
   9	Ohio	$26,647	$13
   10	Alabama	$26,107	$13
   11	Texas	$24,195	$12
   12	Florida	$23,633	$11

   Average lumber associate salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Volt Systems LLC	$37,324	$17.94
   2	HireLevel	$33,039	$15.88
   3	ManpowerGroup	$32,827	$15.78	24
   4	Randstad North America, Inc.	$32,732	$15.74	2
   5	Parr Lumber	$32,574	$15.66
   6	The Shelly Company	$32,541	$15.64
   7	LaborMAX Staffing	$32,132	$15.45	1
   8	Golden State Lumber	$31,350	$15.07
   9	US LBM	$31,232	$15.02
   10	Modular Homes	$30,662	$14.74
   11	R P Lumber	$30,026	$14.44	32
   12	Gillman Automotive Group	$29,756	$14.31	4
   13	Staffmark	$29,228	$14.05
   14	Automation Personnel Services	$28,307	$13.61	3
   15	Atlas Staffing	$28,085	$13.50	1
   16	Aventure Staffing	$27,929	$13.43
   17	Meador Staffing	$27,887	$13.41
   18	Trc Staffing Services	$25,323	$12.17
   19	Ace Hardware	$25,172	$12.10	840
   20	84 Lumber	$23,966	$11.52	20

4. Writing a lumber associate job description

   A good lumber associate 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 lumber associate job description:

   Lumber associate job description example

   $17.50 an hour

   1st shift only! 6am-2pm M-F with some Saturdays

   Responsibilities

   Set up equipment and material to assemble product

   Understand the design provided for production

   Perform repetitive line assembly operations

   Manually fit and size products by utilizing various tools

   Meet production quotas Maintain quality assembly

   Keep accurate inventory counts Adhere to safety requirements.

   Requirements:

   You MUST have your own vehicle.

   Candidates are required to supply their own 24 oz. hammer.

   Previous experience in a manufacturing environment is preferred

   Knowledge and expertise in the use of a variety of tools Ability to do repetitious work

   Must be able to work at a fast pace Ability to work in a team environment

   Physical Requirements: Stand for up to 8 hours per day Lift up to 100 lbs. regularly without assistance

   Stooping and bending at the waist

   Occasional kneeling and crawling

   Pushing and pulling items of various weights and sizes multiple times daily.

   Equipment Used: Banding Machine Cutting Saws Various power, air and hand tools

   Company DescriptionTime Staffing provides customized employment services to businesses and people looking for employment in the communities we serve. We focus our time on critical factors that ensure our clients and employees are positioned for success. Time Staffing is different in three key areas;
   
   • Certified Staffing Specialists – Our team members are Certified Staffing Professionals through the American Staffing Association. While less than 5% of our industry can claim this distinction, Time Staffing believes this certification benefits our clients through working with highly trained professionals that have shown a commitment to the profession and have a deeper understanding of employment law
   
   • Emphasis on performance and safety – Time Staffing understands that performance and safety go hand in hand. That is why we require Safety Training for every pre-screened candidate, Client Safety Worksite Evaluations, and Routine Candidate Performance and Client Business Reviews
   
   • Industry Leading Performance – Time Staffing consistently exceeds the industry ASA average of 30% of associates being hired full time by clients. Based on our clients’ feedback, Time Staffing’s turnover rates are consistently lower than our competitors, ranging between 10% and as high as 50% lower turnover.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right lumber 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 lumber associates they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit lumber 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 lumber associate job on Zippia to find and recruit lumber associate candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as salesjobs, salesheads, allretailjobs.com, sales trax.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit lumber associates, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   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 lumber associate

   Once you've found the lumber associate 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.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new lumber associate. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

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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