How to hire an order picker/packer

How to hire an order picker/packer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step order picker/packer hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the order picker/packer you need to hire. Certain order picker/packer 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

   An order picker/packer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, order picker/packers 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 order picker/packers and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Order Picker/Packer	Description	Hourly rate
   Order Picker/Packer	Material recording clerks track product information in order to keep businesses and supply chains on schedule. They ensure proper scheduling, recordkeeping, and inventory control.	$12-18
   Packer/Shipper	The role of packers/shippers is to prepare products for shipping. They are responsible for labeling, packing, cleaning, and maintaining shipping containers... Show more	$12-18
   Picker	Pickers are responsible for choosing the correct range of merchandise on the shelves based on the clients' orders. Pickers carefully prepare the items from the stock, ensuring that everything is free of any damage before shipping... Show more	$12-17

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Orders
   • Pallets
   • RF Scanner
   • Electric Pallet Jack
   • Quality Checks
   • Quality Standards
   • Safety Procedures
   • Computer System
   • Assembly Line
   • Handheld Scanner
   • Scan Gun
   • Inspect Containers
   • Inventory Control
   • RF Gun

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Used WMS and RF systems to pick and stage customer specify orders and lead a team of employees.
   • Fill out bills of lading for shipping on trucks, ensuring pallets are wrapped properly and will hold up during shipment.
   • Bring complete orders to the fed ex area.

   More order picker/packer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your order picker/packer job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. An order picker/packer can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, order picker/packers' average salary in georgia is 34% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level order picker/packers 32% less than senior-level order picker/packers.
   • Certifications. An order picker/packer 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 an order picker/packer's salary.

   Average order picker/packer salary

   $15.35hourly

   $31,921 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level order picker/packer salary

   $26,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 19, 2025

   Average order picker/packer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$39,304	$19
   2	Washington	$37,376	$18
   3	New York	$33,901	$16
   4	Massachusetts	$33,842	$16
   5	Rhode Island	$33,748	$16
   6	New Hampshire	$33,493	$16
   7	Wisconsin	$33,303	$16
   8	Pennsylvania	$32,650	$16
   9	Arizona	$32,446	$16
   10	Nebraska	$31,095	$15
   11	Arkansas	$31,028	$15
   12	Tennessee	$31,017	$15
   13	Indiana	$30,987	$15
   14	Mississippi	$30,979	$15
   15	Maryland	$30,901	$15
   16	North Carolina	$28,618	$14
   17	Texas	$28,506	$14
   18	Ohio	$28,431	$14
   19	Georgia	$26,191	$13

   Average order picker/packer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Chewy	$37,498	$18.03	13
   2	UPS	$34,950	$16.80	57
   3	Amazon	$33,115	$15.92	27
   4	On Target LLC	$32,993	$15.86
   5	Sysco	$32,895	$15.81	220
   6	Hanesbrands	$32,234	$15.50
   7	Retail	$32,194	$15.48
   8	Scholastic	$31,616	$15.20	26
   9	QPS	$31,309	$15.05
   10	Pacific Choice Seafood	$31,121	$14.96	16
   11	FOH Holdings, Inc	$31,121	$14.96	2
   12	Kelly Services	$31,089	$14.95	66
   13	TERRA Staffing Group	$31,073	$14.94
   14	Hanes Companies, Inc.	$31,054	$14.93	3
   15	Staffworks Group	$30,947	$14.88	4
   16	ManpowerGroup	$30,946	$14.88	128
   17	The Hillman Group	$30,927	$14.87	7
   18	Partners Personnel	$30,752	$14.78	262
   19	Impact Management Services	$30,751	$14.78
   20	Aerotek	$30,740	$14.78	370

4. Writing an order picker/packer job description

   A job description for an order picker/packer 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 an order picker/packer job description:

   Order picker/packer job description example

   PeopleReady of Olathe, KS is now hiring Order Pullers / Picker Packers! As an Order Puller / Picker Packer, you will pull and prepare orders for shipment.
   
   Apply today and you could start as soon as tomorrow. No resume or interview required – yep, you read that right.
   As a PeopleReady associate you'll benefit from:
   
   * The freedom to work where you want, when you want and as often as you want.
   
   * Next-day pay* for many of our open positions.
   
   * The ability to choose long-term positions for steady work or short-term positions if you just want some extra cash.
   
   * The ability to sign up for jobs right from our mobile app, JobStack!
   
   Pay Rate:
   
   The pay rate for this job is $14.30 / hour
   
   What you'll be doing as a Order Puller / Picker Packer:
   
   * Pull products using order sheet or RF Scanner
   
   * Package products and stage for shipment
   
   * Perform merchandise scan-ins, and other required quality assurance steps that confirm the contents of each order while tracking inventory for the company
   
   * Receive, verify, stage, and stock incoming material
   
   * Ensure the warehouse area is cleaned, organized, and follow all safety procedures
   
   Available shifts:
   
   Shift Timings: 1st Shift (Day)
   
   Job requirements:
   
   * Dependable daily attendance and ability to meet productivity goals
   
   * Strong organizational work and detail-oriented
   
   * Drug screen required
   
   * Background Check Required
   
   * Steel toed boots and Gloves Required
   
   Ready to take control of the way you work?
   
   Complete our application to join the PeopleReady team today. In case you missed it, no resumes or interviews are required!
   
   \#TIER1
   
   PeopleReady is an equal opportunity employer, and we value diversity. We do not discriminate based on race, religious affiliation, color, national origin, gender, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, disability, or any other basis protected by law. We will get to know you and connect you with jobs that match your skills, experience and preferences. We work hard every single day to find jobs so each employee has opportunity and variety in their work.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find order picker/packers for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your order picker/packer job on Zippia to find and recruit order picker/packer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting order picker/packers requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   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 order picker/packer

   Once you've found the order picker/packer 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 also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new order picker/packer first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

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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