How long does it take to become an Order Picker?

It takes 3 years of professional experience to become an order picker. That is the time it takes to learn specific order picker skills, but does not account for time spent in formal education.

How To Become An Order Picker: What It Is and Career Path

What is an order picker and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

An order picker works in a warehouse or distribution center to locate and retrieve products and fulfill customer orders. This involves using handheld scanners, forklifts, or pallet jacks to find and transport items. Order pickers read and interpret product codes, labels, and order forms. They also maintain a clean work area and report inventory discrepancies or damages. The role requires attention to detail, physical stamina, and the ability to work in a fast-paced environment.

ScoreOrder PickerUS Average

Salary

2.5

Avg. Salary $31,950

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

6.9

Growth Rate 1%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.1

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.87%

Asian 6.72%

Black or African American 9.50%

Hispanic or Latino 19.66%

Unknown 5.28%

White 57.96%

Gender

female 23.59%

male 76.41%

Age - 35

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 35

Stress Level

6.9

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

7.6

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

6.6

Work Life balance is good

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being an Order Picker?

Pros

Potential for overtime pay
May offer flexible schedules
Potential for advancement within the company
Possibility of employee discounts
May offer benefits such as health insurance

Cons

May require working in cold or hot environments
May need to work long hours or overnight shifts
Work may be seasonal or temporary
Can be stressful during peak seasons or busy periods
Limited interaction with customers

Key steps to become an order picker

Explore order picker education requirements

Most common order picker degrees

High School Diploma

57.0 %

Diploma

14.7 %

Associate

13.0 %

Start to develop specific order picker skills

Skills	Percentages
Customer Orders	13.02%
Basic Math	11.13%
Pallets	10.66%
Warehouse Environment	8.72%
Electric Pallet Jack	8.09%

Complete relevant order picker training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New order pickers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an order picker based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real order picker resumes.

Research order picker duties and responsibilities

Used WMS and RF systems to pick and stage customer specify orders and lead a team of employees.
Used a stand up reach truck and RF scanner to replenish empty product in pick locations.
Obtain merchandise from bin locations using headset programming or RF hand hold device building correct orders for customers.
Prepare pallets by following prescribe stacking arrangements and properly tagging pallets.

Prepare your order picker resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your order picker resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an order picker resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Order Picker Resume templates

Build a professional Order Picker resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Order Picker resume.