How to hire a meat specialist

How to hire a meat specialist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step meat specialist hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the meat specialist you need to hire. Certain meat specialist 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 meat specialist's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, meat specialists 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.

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

   Type of Meat Specialist	Description	Hourly rate
   Meat Specialist	Butchers cut, trim, and package meat for retail sale.	$11-19
   Butcher	A butcher is someone responsible for turning whole or large pieces of meat into ready-to-cook or retail-ready portions that can be purchased by customers or restaurants. Butchers know how to cut meat, poultry, and fish properly, so they deal mostly with sharp instruments like knives, grinders, and other cutting equipment... Show more	$12-19
   Meat Cutter Apprentice	Meat cutter apprentices perform their duties under the supervision of more advanced meat cutters. Besides ensuring meat quality, meat cutter apprentices also rotate, prepare, keep, and receive meat products... Show more	$10-19

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Food Safety
   • Customer Satisfaction
   • Fresh Meat
   • Grinders
   • Seafood Products
   • Quality Customer Service
   • Inventory Control
   • Food Preparation
   • Safety Guidelines
   • Meat Sales
   • Gross Profit

   Responsibilities:

   • Break down and clean industrial grinders and saws.
   • Collaborate with management to help maintain inventory levels.
   • Maintain meat grinding logs via Kroger computer system.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, meat specialists' average salary in mississippi is 43% less than in new hampshire.
   • Seniority. Entry-level meat specialists 43% less than senior-level meat specialists.
   • Certifications. A meat specialist 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 meat specialist's salary.

   Average meat specialist salary

   $14.73hourly

   $30,640 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level meat specialist salary

   $23,000 yearly salary

   Updated February 1, 2026

4. Writing a meat specialist job description

   A good meat specialist 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 meat specialist job description:

   Meat specialist job description example

   Job Title: Meat Specialist
   
   Department: Meat
   
   FLSA: Non-Exempt
   
   General Function
   
   The meat specialist is a fully skilled job that cuts and merchandises all fresh meat commodities.
   
   Core Competencies
   
   * Partnerships
   * Growth mindset
   * Results oriented
   * Customer focused
   * Professionalism
   
   Reporting Relations
   
   Accountable and Reports to: District Store Director; Store Manager; Assistant Managers of Operations, Perishables, Health Wellness Home; Service Managers; Meat Department Manager or Assistant Meat Department Manager where applicable.
   
   Positions that Report to you: None
   
   Primary Duties and Responsibilities
   
   * Provides prompt, efficient and friendly customer service by exhibiting caring, concern and patience in all customer interactions and treating customers as the most important people in the store.
   * Smiles and greets customers in a friendly manner, whether the encounter takes place in the employee's designated department or elsewhere in the store.
   * Makes an effort to learn customers' names and to address them by name whenever possible.
   * Assists customers by:
   * escorting them to the products they're looking for
   * securing products that are out of reach
   * loading or unloading heavy items
   * making note of and passing along customer suggestions or requests
   * performing other tasks in every way possible to enhance the shopping experience.
   
   * Answers the telephone promptly and provides friendly, helpful service to customers who call.
   * Works with co-workers as a team to ensure customer satisfaction and a pleasant work environment.
   * Tenderizes, grinds, and cuts merchandise.
   * Prepares cutting lists for case fills.
   * Conducts cutting tests.
   * Orders new items (not strictly for replenishment).
   * Monitors refrigeration for proper temperatures.
   * Maintains strict adherence to department and company guidelines related to personal hygiene and dress.
   * Adheres to company policies and individual store guidelines.
   * Reports to work when scheduled and on time.
   
   Secondary Duties and Responsibilities
   
   * Manages the department in the absence of the department manager and assistant department manager
   * Wraps, weighs, and labels product
   * Performs cleaning in the department
   * Replenishes and organizes coolers
   * Assists in other areas of store as needed
   * Performs other job related duties and special projects as required
   
   Supervisory Responsibilities
   
   Manages the department in the absence of the Department Manager and Assistant Department Manager
   
   Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Worker Characteristics
   
   * Must be able to solve practical problems; variety of variables with limited standardization; interpret instructions.
   * Must have the ability to do arithmetic calculations involving fractions, decimals, and percentages.
   * Have the ability to file, post, and mail materials; copy data from one record to another; talk with customers to identify their requests; guide people and provide basic direction.
   
   Education and Experience
   
   High School or equivalent, Hy-Vee food safety training. Over one year of related work experience preferred
   
   Physical Requirements
   
   * Must be physically able to exert up to 100 pounds of force (energy exerted) occasionally; exert up to 50 pounds of force frequently; and exert up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects.
   * Visual requirements include vision from less than 20 inches to more than 20 feet with or without correction, depth perception, color vision (ability to identify and distinguish colors), and field of vision.
   * Must be able to perform the following physical activities: Climbing, balancing, stooping, kneeling, reaching, standing, walking, pushing, pulling, lifting, grasping, feeling, talking, hearing, and repetitive motions.
   
   Working Conditions
   
   This position is exposed daily to dirt, noise, temperature extremes, dampness, vibrations, equipment movement hazards, cleaning chemicals/solvents, and electrical shock. This is a fast paced work environment.
   
   Equipment Used to Perform Job
   
   Power ban saw, Grinder, Tenderizer, Slicker, Bone duster (where applicable), Knives, Tumblers, Automatic patty machine (where applicable), Automatic stuffier, Wrapping system, Rotisserie, Pallet jack, Familiar with software.
   
   Confidentiality
   
   Has access to confidential information such as cutting tests, tonnage sheets, monthly reports, and projection sheets.
   
   Contacts
   
   Has daily contact with customers and the general public, and vendors/suppliers in the absence of the department manager.
   
   Are you ready to smile, apply today.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right meat specialist 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 meat specialist job on Zippia to find and recruit meat specialist 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 meat specialists, 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 meat specialist

   Once you have selected a candidate for the meat 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 good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is 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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