How to hire a planner

How to hire a planner, step by step

Here's a step-by-step planner hiring guide:

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

What does a planner do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a planner, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or 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 planner 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 planner that fits the bill.

   This list shows salaries for various types of planners.

   Type of Planner	Description	Hourly rate
   Planner	Urban and regional planners develop land use plans and programs that help create communities, accommodate population growth, and revitalize physical facilities in towns, cities, counties, and metropolitan areas.	$21-42
   Transportation Planner	A transportation planner takes responsibility for developing transportation strategies encompassing transportation needs. Transportation planners work along with government agencies for the selection and development of plans organizing mass transit... Show more	$24-44
   Planning Internship	When it comes to planning an internship, an intern's duties will depend on the directives of supervising staff or a manager. Typically, an intern's responsibilities will revolve around performing clerical tasks such as processing documents, producing reports and presentations, responding to calls and correspondence, and managing schedules... Show more	$12-20

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Exceptional Client
   • Logistics
   • Project Management
   • Excellent Interpersonal
   • Strong Analytical
   • MRP
   • Purchase Orders
   • DOD
   • GIS
   • Management System
   • Production Schedules
   • FEMA
   • CAD

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Develop and managing the database for CDBG applicants.
   • Key role in managing and planning projects from sketch to approve plans.
   • Manage creation of replenishment loads (purchase or DRP) that are optimize to minimize logistical costs.
   • Assist with forecasting machines, accessories, and coffee with various departments in order to achieve monthly KPI's.
   • Develop and manage all types of inventory from finish goods, WIP (work in process) to raw material.
   • Manage RFQ process - gather quotations, examine bids with engineering and management, negotiate prices with suppliers and make awards.

   More planner duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, planners' average salary in arkansas is 50% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level planners earn 49% less than senior-level planners.
   • Certifications. A planner 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 planner's salary.

   Average planner salary

   $63,161yearly

   $30.37 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level planner salary

   $45,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 5, 2025

   Average planner salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$89,559	$43
   2	District of Columbia	$88,209	$42
   3	Washington	$72,901	$35
   4	New York	$72,079	$35
   5	Massachusetts	$67,198	$32
   6	New Jersey	$65,997	$32
   7	Virginia	$65,070	$31
   8	Maryland	$63,342	$30
   9	Kansas	$62,740	$30
   10	Texas	$62,137	$30
   11	Illinois	$61,457	$30
   12	Pennsylvania	$61,218	$29
   13	Colorado	$60,871	$29
   14	Ohio	$60,686	$29
   15	Minnesota	$60,172	$29
   16	Utah	$58,733	$28
   17	Hawaii	$58,680	$28
   18	Arizona	$55,303	$27
   19	Missouri	$53,697	$26
   20	North Carolina	$52,943	$25

   Average planner salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Meta	$125,287	$60.23	54
   2	Google	$122,853	$59.06
   3	Microsoft	$121,204	$58.27	5
   4	Enbridge	$113,128	$54.39
   5	PVH	$108,688	$52.25	6
   6	Apple	$108,420	$52.13	2
   7	GoPro	$104,689	$50.33
   8	Nike	$104,311	$50.15	9
   9	Xilinx	$103,279	$49.65
   10	The Children's Place	$103,147	$49.59	3
   11	Gap Inc.	$101,093	$48.60
   12	Saks Fifth Avenue	$100,569	$48.35
   13	Pacifi	$98,777	$47.49	1
   14	RH	$97,462	$46.86	4
   15	Calvin Klein	$96,897	$46.59
   16	Energy Northwest	$96,514	$46.40
   17	Intel	$96,285	$46.29	3
   18	Levi Strauss & Co.	$96,261	$46.28	4
   19	Macy's	$96,181	$46.24	2
   20	Applied Materials	$96,023	$46.16	4

4. Writing a planner job description

   A job description for a planner 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 a planner job description:

   Planner job description example

   Job Family : Planning
   
   Job Type : Regular
   
   Posted : Dec 15, 2021
   
   
   Back to Search Results
   
   Job Description
   
   Apply Now >
   
   Save JobJob Saved
   
   The Planner will assist with the planning, scheduling and monitoring the movement of material through the production cycle. The Planner coordinates the movement of materials through production with materials planning, procurement and supply chain staff
   
   Position will report to the Divisional Production Control Manager and interact intra-divisionally with materials planning, logistics and procurement. Essential Functions: Maintain a variety of schedules, records, and reports pertaining the tracking of materials through the production cycle and availability of production resources. Assists in executing requisite system transactions needed to support the receipt, storage and transferring of material. Assists with the monitoring of inventory levels generating tracking reports and performing data entry as required.
   
   -Minimum of 1 to 3 years experience in inventory and production control. -4 year college degree in business, engineering, or materials management required with certification in supply chain management preferred. -Possess analytical and technical skills required to understand business practices and recommend proper automation opportunities. -Must have intermediate to advanced computer skills and be able to understand of electronic processing. -Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills for effective interface with all internal and external contacts. -Must be an innovator and embrace lean enterprises principles and practices. Additional Comments: The essential functions have been provided as examples of the type of work performed by employees assigned to this job classification. The Company reserves the right to modify the work assignments and/or to make reasonable accommodations so that qualified employees can perform the essential functions. The job description is not intended to be an all inclusive list of duties and responsibilities. It is intended to describe the general nature of the position.
   
   Parker is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on grounds of age, race, religion, ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation or disability in relation to recruitment and employment.
   
   Apply Now >
   
   Save JobJob Saved

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find planners 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 planners they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level planners 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 planner job on Zippia to find and recruit planner candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit planners, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   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 planner

   Once you've decided on a perfect planner candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   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.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new planner. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

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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How much does it cost to hire a planner?