How to hire a maintenance craftsman

How to hire a maintenance craftsman, step by step

Here's a step-by-step maintenance craftsman hiring guide:

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

What does a maintenance craftsman do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

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

   A maintenance craftsman's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, maintenance craftsmen 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 maintenance craftsmen.

   Type of Maintenance Craftsman	Description	Hourly rate
   Maintenance Craftsman	General maintenance and repair workers fix and maintain machines, mechanical equipment, and buildings. They paint, repair flooring, and work on plumbing, electrical, and air-conditioning and heating systems.	$12-20
   Groundskeeping Maintenance	A Groundskeeping Maintenance Worker performs several skilled and semi-skilled tasks in grounds keeping and building trade areas. They maintain turf places, including weed control and Integrated Pest Management... Show more	$11-18
   Operations And Maintenance Technician	Operations and maintenance technicians are skilled professionals who are responsible for conducting preventive maintenance of all equipment used in the operation of an organization. These technicians are required to ensure that their facilities are always operational by performing inspections and documenting the operating conditions of their equipment... Show more	$18-35

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Plumbing
   • Ladders
   • Troubleshoot
   • Maintenance Tasks
   • HVAC
   • Maintenance Actions
   • Switches
   • Aircraft Maintenance
   • Landing Gear
   • Maintenance Manuals
   • Technical Data
   • Flight Line
   • Test Equipment
   • Maintenance Procedures

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage 22 active duty hydraulic technicians in support of 32 of USAF's 59 KC-10A aircraft.
   • Inspect, install, repair, maintain, troubleshoot, service and modify tactical aircraft systems, components and aircraft-instal components.
   • Review require customer and FAA paperwork to ensure proper maintenance updates and compliance with applicable regulations and customer requirements.
   • Maintain plastic extrusion equipment.Other maintenance duties as required

   More maintenance craftsman duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, maintenance craftsmen' average salary in louisiana is 42% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level maintenance craftsmen 40% less than senior-level maintenance craftsmen.
   • Certifications. A maintenance craftsman 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 maintenance craftsman's salary.

   Average maintenance craftsman salary

   $15.82hourly

   $32,902 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level maintenance craftsman salary

   $25,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 19, 2025

   Average maintenance craftsman salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Massachusetts	$34,043	$16
   2	Kentucky	$33,767	$16
   3	Ohio	$32,650	$16
   4	Missouri	$31,605	$15
   5	Montana	$29,535	$14
   6	South Carolina	$29,347	$14
   7	Idaho	$29,202	$14
   8	Arkansas	$28,903	$14
   9	Georgia	$25,962	$12

   Average maintenance craftsman salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Emerson	$50,786	$24.42	24
   2	Federal Signal	$43,278	$20.81	5
   3	Bunge	$42,216	$20.30	3
   4	City of Springfield	$35,970	$17.29	6
   5	State Of Illinois - Illinois Student Assistance Commission	$33,128	$15.93	2
   6	Monrovia	$33,116	$15.92	3
   7	Sealed Air	$32,555	$15.65	44
   8	3M Company	$32,479	$15.61	44
   9	Town Pump	$31,783	$15.28	7
   10	State Of Idaho	$31,159	$14.98	3
   11	State of Georgia: Teachers Retirement System of Georgia	$30,716	$14.77	14
   12	Gwinnett County Board of Education	$28,462	$13.68	1
   13	McDonald's	$26,414	$12.70	6,814

4. Writing a maintenance craftsman job description

   A job description for a maintenance craftsman role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a maintenance craftsman job description:

   Maintenance craftsman job description example

   + + Position Type:
   
   Oth Classified Support Person/ Craftsman
   
   + Date Posted:
   
   5/10/2022
   
   + Location:
   
   Hamilton Mill Dist Maint Shop
   
   Job Code: Craftsman - 030136 Standard Hours: 40 Department: Bldg Maintenance - HVAC - 262850 Empl Class: NA
   
   Minimum Salary: $39,389.00/Annually
   
   Maximum Salary: $63,963.00/Annually
   
   Scheduled Days: 246
   
   Target Openings: 2
   
   License and Certification Qualifications: Valid Georgia driver's license and Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) Recovery license required.
   
   Education Qualifications: High school diploma or equivalent required. HVAC technical training preferred
   
   Experience Qualifications: Two years experience in HVAC and refrigeration or similar demonstrated acceptable experience required.
   
   Skills Qualifications: Ability to follow oral and written instructions quickly and accurately; ability to communicate with others in an effective and tactful manner; ability to follow HVAC and refrigeration technical instructions and diagrams; knowledge of all HVAC and refrigeration codes, procedures, materials, and safety procedures; and knowledge of desktop and portable computers.
   
   Primary Responsibilities: Responsible for performing skilled installation, preventive maintenance, repairs and operations of heating, ventilating, and air conditioning equipment, refrigeration systems, boilers, cooling towers, pumps/motors, chillers, chemical water treatment systems, and direct digital control systems in accordance with local, state, and federal regulations and building codes for the Building Maintenance Department.
   
   1. Work on HVAC, refrigeration equipment, and controls using accepted procedures and codes as directed.
   
   a. Diagnose and repair malfunctioning HVAC and refrigeration equipment and controls.
   
   b. Install HVAC and refrigeration equipment per code.
   
   c. Maintain and regulate HVAC and refrigeration equipment accurately.
   
   d. Record repairs made and parts used according to departmental guidelines.
   
   e. Utilize computers when performing work efficiently and effectively.
   
   2. Assume responsibility for materials issued out of inventory and truck stock.
   
   a. Maintain and account for all tools, parts, and equipment issued according to department guidelines.
   
   b. Ensure access to all tools, parts, and equipment issued as directed.
   
   c. Operate and maintain handheld work order/inventory management device.
   
   3. Supervise private contractors if assigned to perform required work.
   
   a. Plan and direct appointed personnel in the daily work schedule as required.
   
   b. Monitor and maintain safe work procedures.
   
   c. Monitor and maintain work according to building and safety codes.
   
   d. Train private contractors and other district employees as necessary to complete work according to building and safety codes.
   
   4. Work with other personnel in the trade area and other departmental personnel.
   
   a. Coordinate with other craftsmen in completing assignments.
   
   b. Cooperate with and maintain a positive relationship with all district personnel.
   
   5. Work toward improving craftsmen skills and abilities.
   
   a. Learn to service and repair different types and makes of equipment.
   
   b. Receive training for repairing new types of items used throughout the county.
   
   6. Work as required after normal work hours.
   
   a. Be on call after normal working hours for a period of seven days.
   
   b. Be subject to being called on 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
   
   7. Perform other duties as assigned.
   
   Physical Demands:
   
   While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to stand, walk, negotiate stairs, climb ladders, reach with hands and arms, talk and hear, manipulate tools and small items with hands, and lift and transport up to 50 pounds over short distances. The employee is required to operate a motor vehicle in performance of duties. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and color vision. The employee may be subjected to a wide range of ambient temperature and humidity conditions while working on equipment under varying conditions including overhead work and work in confined spaces. Potential hazards of this position include working with electricity, working with heat and noise producing machinery and equipment, working on elevated equipment using ladders or other lifting devices, and use of chemicals and solvents. Reasonable accommodations will be made for individuals with specific disabilities.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find maintenance craftsmen 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 maintenance craftsmen they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level maintenance craftsmen 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 maintenance craftsman job on Zippia to find and recruit maintenance craftsman candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit maintenance craftsmen, 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.

   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 maintenance craftsman

   Once you've selected the best maintenance craftsman 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 equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new maintenance craftsman. 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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