How to hire a packer/loader

How to hire a packer/loader, step by step

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

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

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

   Hiring the perfect packer/loader 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 packer/loader salaries for various roles:

   Type of Packer/Loader	Description	Hourly rate
   Packer/Loader	Hand laborers and material movers manually move freight, stock, or other materials. Others feed or remove material to and from machines, clean vehicles, pick up unwanted household goods, and pack materials for moving.	$10-16
   Warehouse Labour	Warehouse labour workers are responsible for organizing shipment details by processing the correct quantity of orders, ensuring that the items are free from any defects and mislabeling. Warehouse labourers prepare the items for packaging efficiently, update the inventory records, and escalate production discrepancy to the management for immediate resolution... Show more	$12-18
   Mover	Movers help people take or move things from one place to another through their physical strength. They work manually to help customers in their businesses or homes... Show more	$12-20

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Electric Pallet Jack
   • Safety Procedures
   • Load Trucks
   • Inspect Containers
   • Assembly Line
   • Label Containers
   • Household Goods
   • RF
   • Container Tags
   • Defective Products
   • Customer Orders
   • Load Packages
   • Load Trailers
   • Safety Rules

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Prepare pallets by following prescribe stacking arrangement and properly tagging pallets.
   • Attach burners on the top castings with clips.

   More packer/loader duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, packer/loaders' average salary in louisiana is 42% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level packer/loaders earn 37% less than senior-level packer/loaders.
   • Certifications. A packer/loader 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 packer/loader's salary.

   Average packer/loader salary

   $13.53hourly

   $28,141 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level packer/loader salary

   $22,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 17, 2025

   Average packer/loader salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Vermont	$35,793	$17
   2	California	$30,713	$15
   3	Indiana	$25,857	$12

   Average packer/loader salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	The Timken Company	$32,829	$15.78
   2	Haworth International Ltd	$31,366	$15.08
   3	Graphic Packaging International	$30,803	$14.81	2
   4	American Red Cross	$29,003	$13.94
   5	ManpowerGroup	$28,118	$13.52	20
   6	Wheaton World Wide Moving	$27,672	$13.30
   7	Randstad North America, Inc.	$27,383	$13.16	8

4. Writing a packer/loader job description

   A packer/loader 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 packer/loader job description:

   Packer/loader job description example

   1st Shift - Full Time
   Job Description/Responsibilities:
   
   Secure job assignment, including minimal job instructions for ordinary work, facilities and materials. Determine sequence of operations.
   
   Identify materials, prepare and pack parts, sub-assemblies and complete machines in boxes, pallets and other containers. Load containers, parts, sub-assemblies and machines on freight cars, trucks, etc. manually or with jib and overhead cranes in accordance with loading instructions. Block and make fast with wire rope, bands, loading rods and plates, lumber and other blocking materials and miscellaneous hardware items, using saws, drills, hammers and other hand tools. Apply preservatives and protective materials.
   
   Workload may change mid operation to more priority concerns.
   
   Required Qualifications: Minimum of 2 years experience cutting, forming and building a variety of wood boxes for shipment of products Experience of loading and securing large components onto rail cars and trucks Desired Qualifications: Carpentry background a plus Ability to work well individually or in a team environment Ability to work overtime to support production demands Experience in preserving and securing parts on crates and skids Additional Information: This position is located at the Caterpillar manufacturing facility located in South Milwaukee, Wisconsin This position is 1st shift Pay starts at Step 1 - $19.26 hr Step 2 - $19.70 hr Step 3 - $20.15 hr and includes immediate benefits, such as medical, dental, and vision coverage, as well as a matching Tax-Deferred Savings Plan. No relocation assistance is available. $2,000 Sign On & Retention Bonus available!!!!
   
   Why Caterpillar South Milwaukee? Competitive Hourly Pay All Positions are Full-Time = Bonuses for New Hires and Referrals Paid Vacation and Holidays Bereavement, Jury Duty, Military Duty Paid Benefits, Parental Leave Benefits Effective Date of Hire - Health, Vision, Dental, Life Insurance, Flexible Spending Accounts (medical and dependent care) 401k with 6% Company Match Company Discounts and Voluntary Benefits Annual Employee Rewards Program Recognition Programs Employee Assistance Program (includes eligible dependents) Adoption Assistance Program Company Provided PPE such as Safety Glasses (includes prescription safety glasses), Safety Boot Reimbursement Company Provided Uniforms and Caps Uniform Lockers, Personal Lockers, Showers Lunchroom with Self-Service Canteen Caterpillar is not currently hiring foreign national applicants that require or will require sponsorship tied to a specific employer, such as H, L, TN, F, J, E, O. As a global company, Caterpillar offers many job opportunities outside of the U.S. which can be found through our employment website at www.caterpillar.com/careers
   
   Please ensure you frequently check the email account you provided on your application, including the junk/spam folder, as this is the primary correspondence method in our recruiting process.
   
   EEO/AA Employer. All qualified individuals - including minorities, females, veterans and individuals with disabilities - are encouraged to apply.
   
   EEO/AA Employer. All qualified individuals - Including minorities, females, veterans and individuals with disabilities - are encouraged to apply.
   
   Not ready to apply? Submit your information to our Talent Network here .

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find packer/loaders for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any packer/loaders they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level packer/loaders with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting packer/loaders 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.

   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 packer/loader

   Once you've selected the best packer/loader candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   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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