How to hire a pen rider

How to hire a pen rider, step by step

Here's a step-by-step pen rider hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your pen rider job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a pen rider for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a pen rider to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a pen rider that fits the bill.

   This list presents pen rider salaries for various positions.

   Type of Pen Rider	Description	Hourly rate
   Pen Rider	Agricultural workers maintain the quality of farms, crops, and livestock by operating machinery and doing physical labor under the supervision of farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers.	$11-50
   Groom	A groom is primarily in charge of maintaining the hygiene and appearance of pets. Typically working at grooming shops, a groom liaises with pet owners to identify their preferences, observe the pet's condition to identify its needs, and explain the extent of procedures to pet owners... Show more	$10-20
   Farm Labour	Also called agricultural workers, farm laborers are people who inspect and harvest crops. The workers irrigate soil on the farm and maintain their pumps, pipes, or ditches... Show more	$10-15

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Stray Animals
   • Yard Maintenance
   • Computer System

   Responsibilities:

   • Review water orders and contact customers determining total CFS need daily.
   • Review water orders and contact customers determining total CFS need daily.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, pen riders' average salary in montana is 48% less than in pennsylvania.
   • Seniority. Entry-level pen riders 77% less than senior-level pen riders.
   • Certifications. A pen rider 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 pen rider's salary.

   Average pen rider salary

   $50,738yearly

   $24.39 hourly rate

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   Entry-level pen rider salary

   $24,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 31, 2025

4. Writing a pen rider job description

   A good pen rider 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 pen rider job description:

   Pen rider job description example

   Friona Industries Pen Rider's priority is to ensure and maintain the health and welfare of the cattle in the feedyard. An effective Pen Rider serves as the first line of detection and communication regarding the health and welfare of the entire feedyard. A Pen Rider will work closely with all feedyard departments both as an individual and as a member of a team to establish the highest quality care and maintenance of the feedyard to ensure the welfare of livestock while contributing to the overall success of the feedyard team.
   
   Roles and Tasks• Adhere to Beef Quality Assurance standards and procedures• Observe livestock daily to recognize and report sick cattle and various feedyard problems• Immediately report any unusual or excessive sickness to the cattle manager• Inspect water and watering system every time a pen is entered and report any issues or maintenance necessary to the Cattle Manager• Segregate and remove sick cattle from pens and transfer them to hospital area containment• Place all stray cattle in proper pens and be constantly alert for cattle requiring additional attention• Assists in shipment and movement of cattle by opening gates, driving cattle to required areas for weighing and counting, and handling strays• Care and maintenance of horses, tack, and facilities• Sort and return hospital cattle back to pens as required• Rides and handles horses safely with awareness of surroundings and potential harmful situations• Observe and record all stiff and prolapsed cattle and pull if necessary• Continual observance and adherence of all safety policies and procedures• Promote, support, and participate in all company policies, procedures and programs
   
   Specific Knowledge:• Basic Knowledge of livestock health and habits• Knowledge of fundamental animal health programs• Understand and apply human handling policies and procedure of cattle and horse livestock• Understand the consulting veterinarian's requirements regarding cattle to be pulled• Experienced in safe horse riding, handling, and maintenance
   
   Special Conditions / Requirements:• Physical Requirements Include: standing, walking, lifting, bending, kneeling, shoveling, working equipment, and handling livestock, mounting, dismounting and riding• Considerable exposure to weather such as: rain, sleet, snow, hail, heat, cold, wind, and dust• Daily close proximity to livestock• Occasional physical exertion during administration of medical attention
   
   It is our policy to provide equal employment opportunities and we will not unlawfully consider any factors of race, religion, age, creed, national origin, gender, disability veteran status or any and all other unlawful biases regarding federal, state or local laws with regard to workers or applicants.
   
   Friona Industries participates in E-Verify. We will provide the U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) and, if necessary, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) with information from each new employer's Form I-9 to confirm work authorization.
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5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find pen riders 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 pen rider job on Zippia to find and attract quality pen rider candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as ag hires, farm job, farming work , joe produce, picking jobs.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting pen riders 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 pen rider

   Once you've selected the best pen rider 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.

   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 pen rider 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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