How to hire a mill helper

How to hire a mill helper, step by step

Here's a step-by-step mill helper hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a mill helper, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   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 mill helper 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.

   The following list breaks down different types of mill helpers and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Mill Helper	Description	Hourly rate
   Mill Helper	Construction laborers and helpers perform many tasks that require physical labor on construction sites.	$16-26
   Construction Labour	When it comes to Construction Labour, responsibilities will always revolve around physical work on construction sites. Most of the tasks will vary daily, depending on what kind of structure is required... Show more	$11-20
   Construction Apprentice	Construction apprentices are individuals who are trained by experienced professionals for entry-level tasks involving the trade of construction work on the job. Their complimentary training experience helps them to become skilled in a specific trade by combining hands-on work and classroom learning, as they apply the lessons learned through working... Show more	$15-33

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Cranes
   • Calipers
   • Grinders
   • Safety Regulations
   • Hand Tools
   • Unload Trucks

   Responsibilities:

   • Activate shears and grinders to trim workpieces.
   • Test metal for hardness, thickness and width using micrometers and grinders.
   • Layer and assemble plumbing pipes for installation as well as assisted with painting specify areas according to company's specifications
   • Stack up steel in straight sections in the furnace area and lift steel using a walk along crane.
   • Unload steel coils using 60 ton overhead crane and loading the slitter with the coils to be cut.
   • Scrap clean up, masking, prep for plastering

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, mill helpers' average salary in idaho is 46% less than in new york.
   • Seniority. Entry-level mill helpers 38% less than senior-level mill helpers.
   • Certifications. A mill helper 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 mill helper's salary.

   Average mill helper salary

   $43,863yearly

   $21.09 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level mill helper salary

   $34,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 25, 2025

4. Writing a mill helper job description

   A mill helper 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 mill helper job description:

   Mill helper job description example

   Proven to Perform.
   
   From the edges of space to the bottoms of ocean, our materials are proven to perform -- and so is our team. We're hiring high performers as proven as our products. Join us.
   
   ESSENTIAL TASKS:
   
   * Work material through preliminary rolls following a prescribed pass sequence to obtain a specific cross section.
   * Hooking of material through rolling process in the prescribed pass sequence.
   * Assist in roll changes, disassembling of stands, changing of rolls and reassembling of stands following standard procedures.
   * Assist in maintaining and storing of mill equipment in good working condition in designated areas.
   * Maintain a visual alertness to reduce defect level and variations in standard process to improve first pass yield.
   * Assist in the locating and loading of material into furnace.
   * Discharge material from furnace to Rolling Mill to maintain a standard production rate as directed by Roller. Must make absolutely sure that all material loaded in furnace is removed prior to reloading to prevent alloy mix.
   * Participate in Incident Investigation to determine Root Cause using Problem Solving Skills.
   * Participate in Standard Work events on processes to reduce cycle time and create a safer work area.
   * Follow all prescribed safety rules and regulations.
   * Operate auxiliary equipment as directed.
   
   NON-ESSENTIAL TASKS:
   
   * Maintain work areas and equipment in a clean and orderly condition.
   * Perform other duties as required or directed by management.
   
   REQUIREMENTS:
   
   * Education: General high school diploma or GED.
   * Must be able to maintain IME certification by fulfilling all requirements.
   * Experience: Over 3 months mill experience up to 1 year.
   * Use of standard measuring devices, ruler and tape measure.
   * Fundamental math skills.
   
   We thrive when the expectations are great, and the barriers are high. We're solving the world's most difficult challenges through materials science. Our advanced, integrated process technologies and proven performers give us a tremendous competitive advantage. When customers systems need to fly higher, dig deeper, stand stronger, and last longer -- anywhere on, above or below the earth -- ATI is proven to perform.
   
   * It is ATI's policy to not provide immigration sponsorship for any of the company's positions.
   
   ATI and its subsidiary companies will provide equal employment opportunities to all applicants without regard to applicant's race, color, religion, sex, gender, genetic information, national origin, age, veteran status, disability status, or any other status protected be federal or state law. The company will provide reasonable accommodations to allow an applicant to participate in the hiring process if so requested.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right mill helper 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 mill helper job on Zippia to find and attract quality mill helper candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as constructionjobs.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with mill helper 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 mill helper

   Once you've decided on a perfect mill helper candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your 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.

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