How to hire a mate

How to hire a mate, step by step

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

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The mate hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect mate also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

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

   Type of Mate	Description	Hourly rate
   Mate	Water transportation workers operate and maintain vessels that take cargo and people over water. The vessels travel to and from foreign ports across the ocean and to domestic ports along the coasts, across the Great Lakes, and along the country’s many inland waterways.	$10-31
   Ship Worker	Ship workers are employees assigned to crew the ship. They may be transferred to cargo ships, cruise ships, or any other sea vessel... Show more	$9-20

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Safety Equipment
   • Vessel Maintenance
   • Mates
   • Management System
   • DP
   • Groceries
   • USCG
   • DPO
   • Cargo Operations
   • Vessel Operations
   • Coast Guard
   • Engine Room
   • Firefighting
   • Emergency Drills

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Work closely with surveyors, clients and ROV supervisors to achieve safe and effective subsea operations.
   • Supervise the mates and deck hands with regards to all safety inspections, maintenance, and back deck operations.
   • Maintain and troubleshot office and field equipment.
   • Involve in shipyard conversion and COI inspections.
   • Assign to electrical maintenance on USS O'Brien DD-975.
   • Supervise students, mates, and other diving instructors.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your mate job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A mate salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, mates' average salary in tennessee is 44% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level mates earn 67% less than senior-level mates.
   • Certifications. A mate with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a mate's salary.

   Average mate salary

   $38,913yearly

   $18.71 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level mate salary

   $22,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 19, 2025

4. Writing a mate job description

   A mate 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 a mate job description:

   Mate job description example

   MSRC is currently looking for a Mate aboard an Oil Spill Response vessel located in Lake Charles, LA. This position offers a schedule of Monday - Friday with the ability to go home nights and weekends. The Mate will work under the direction of the Master, and is responsible for the sanitation, condition, appearance, and safety of the vessel, including the maintenance of the hull, safety equipment, lifesaving equipment, damage control, and maintaining the highest standards of safety and ensuring the vessel condition is consistent with company standards. This is a dynamic opportunity for a motivated individual to become part of an oil spill response company with a competitive compensation package including great Health Care Benefits with an above average 401(k) savings plan.

   Requirements:

   • The ability to commute daily, and report back to the vessel within 2 hours to comply with MSRC's emergency response mission.
   • Current USCG license of Mate 500/GRT (minimum)
   • Valid Endorsements under the STCW required: II/1 OICNW, II/4 RFPNW, II/5 Able Seafarer-Deck, IV/2 GMDSS, VI/1 BST, VI/II PSC and VI/3, VI/4.
   • Radar, ARPA (required)
   • VSO (preferred)
   • Valid USCG medical certificate with current Domestic AND STCW dates required.
   • TWIC card (required)
   • Experience with Caterpillar engines, hydraulic, electrical and oil recovery equipment (preferred)
   • Capable of prolonged, strenuous work onboard vessels at sea
   • Effective leadership skills, and written and oral communications skills
   • Ability to operate industrial equipment and their systems safely
   • Ability to operate a personal computer
   • Employment is contingent upon:
     • completion of a successful background check,
     • pre-hire medical exam and drug screen;
     • ability to obtain a valid drivers license and U.S. Passport
   • This position requires proof of COVID-19 vaccination.

   Responsibilities:

   • Responsible for supervising the entire Deck Department
   • Responsible for the sanitation, condition, appearance, and safety of the vessel.
   • Ensure that all maintenance checks are performed on all deck and hull equipment.
   • Ensure that the vessel is loaded in compliance with the vessel's stability plan and that the stowage plan is safe under current ballast and fuel conditions.
   • Maintain the navigational charts, navigational compasses, and all other navigation equipment.
   • Assist in verifying that all logs and other documents are properly maintained.
   • At the direction of the Master, the Mate will dispense onboard medical treatment, consistent with his/her training and qualifications.

   Physical Requirements Include, Among Others:

   • Requires standing, lifting up to 45lbs
   • Requires the ability to wear the personnel protective equipment prescribed by posted signs and written instruction
   • Able to work in various temperatures indoors and outdoors in all weather conditions including heat, cold, rain or dry environments
   • Ability to perform work in various sea conditions, under all environmental conditions, often wet/oily decks

   Internal Applicants:

   To facilitate the process, internal applicants are encouraged to speak with their supervisor and/or their HRA about their interest in, and application for, this position.

   Marine Spill Response Corporation is an Equal Opportunity Employer. MSRC prohibits discrimination against any employee or applicant for employment based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, or because an employee or applicant is a disabled veteran, recently separated veteran, or other protected veteran.

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5. Post your job

   To find the right mate 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 mates they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit mates 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 mate job on Zippia to find and recruit mate candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with mate 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.

   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 mate

   Once you've found the mate 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.

   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.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new mate. 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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