How long does it take to become a Picker And Packer?

It takes 2 years of professional experience to become a picker and packer. That is the time it takes to learn specific picker and packer skills, but does not account for time spent in formal education.

How To Become A Picker And Packer: What It Is and Career Path

What is a picker and packer and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

A picker and packer fulfills orders by selecting items from storage and packing them for shipment. They use handheld scanners or voice-picking equipment to locate and verify items, then package them according to guidelines. Pickers and packers must work quickly and accurately, paying close attention to detail and following safety procedures. They may also label, weigh, and organize shipments and maintain inventory records. This job requires physical stamina and good communication skills.

ScorePicker And PackerUS Average

Salary

2.4

Avg. Salary $30,841

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

4.2

Growth rate 6%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

9.0

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.66%

Asian 7.46%

Black or African American 13.04%

Hispanic or Latino 20.61%

Unknown 3.68%

White 54.55%

Gender

female 52.35%

male 47.65%

Age - 39

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 - 39

Stress level

4.2

Stress level is moderate

7.1 - high

Complexity level

5.9

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance

8.7

Work life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a picker and packer?

Pros

Opportunities for overtime pay
May offer flexible schedules
Opportunities for advancement to supervisory positions
May offer benefits such as health insurance and retirement plans
Often provides on-the-job training

Cons

Repetitive tasks can lead to boredom or fatigue
May require working weekends, evenings, or overnight shifts
May have strict productivity quotas to meet which can be stressful
Work may be seasonal or project-based with periods of layoff or reduced hours
Pay may be lower compared to other jobs in the logistics industry

Key steps to become a picker and packer

Explore picker and packer education requirements

Most common picker and packer degrees

High School Diploma

59.4 %

Diploma

16.5 %

Associate

10.4 %

Start to develop specific picker and packer skills

Skills	Percentages
Pallets	18.23%
Defective Products	16.26%
Customer Orders	15.72%
Electric Pallet Jack	9.90%
Warehouse Environment	6.72%

Complete relevant picker and packer training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New picker and packers 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 a picker and packer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real picker and packer resumes.

Research picker and packer duties and responsibilities

Pick groceries, put items on pallets, clean warehouse
reach truck, stand up, dock truck, and clamp truck.
Print correct and accurate UPC labels.
complete usps and ups orders and do labels

Prepare your picker and packer resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your picker and packer 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 a picker and packer resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable picker and packer resume templates

Build a professional picker and packer 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 picker and packer resume.

Apply for picker and packer jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a picker and packer job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do picker and packers rate their job?

-/5

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Picker and packer reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2020

Pros

Stay busy stay in shape early hours no one ever died from a little hard work good lumpers can throw 1000 pcs an hour off the floor of a trailer on to a pallet or skid.all you hear is slaming off the wall of the trailer your unloading.

Cons

I like it all whats not to like I like it so much that I owned and operated qualified material handlers inc denver colorado for 10 yrs

A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2020

Pros

U get ur job assignment an do ur job. Nobody breathing down ur back like line work