How to hire a platform worker

How to hire a platform worker, step by step

Here's a step-by-step platform worker hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The platform worker hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   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 platform worker 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 platform worker salaries for various roles:

   Type of Platform Worker	Description	Hourly rate
   Platform Worker	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.	$7-20
   Stage Hand	Stagehands are skilled employees who work in the television, film, or theatre to assist other crew members set up the sound, lighting, and other equipment as well as helping performers change into their costumes. These employees are required to hang banners, update marquees, and handle other signage within the venue as it is important for any production... Show more	$12-23
   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

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Safety Regulations

   Responsibilities:

   • Organize pallets according to company-mandate stacking procedures and affix appropriate tags.
   • Prepare American-Style food and deserts.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, platform workers' average salary in alabama is 41% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level platform workers 63% less than senior-level platform workers.
   • Certifications. A platform worker 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 platform worker's salary.

   Average platform worker salary

   $12.95hourly

   $26,945 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level platform worker salary

   $16,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 21, 2026

4. Writing a platform worker job description

   A platform worker 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 platform worker job description:

   Platform worker job description example

   Want to build a stronger, more sustainable future and cultivate your career? Join Cargill's global team of 155,000 employees who are committed to safe, responsible and sustainable ways to nourish the world. This position is in Cargill's food ingredients and bio-industrial business, where we anticipate trends around taste, nutrition and safety to innovate and provide solutions to manufacturers, retailers and foodservice companies.
   
   **Job Type:** Full Time
   **Compensation:** $18.88/hr
   
   **Sign-On Bonus:** $1500
   
   **Benefits:**
   
   + Medical, Dental, Vision, and Prescription Drug Insurance
   
   + Health and Wellness Incentives
   
   + Paid Vacation and Holidays
   
   + 401(k) with Cargill matching contributions
   
   + Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)
   
   + Short-Term Disability and Life Insurance
   
   + Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
   
   + Tuition Reimbursement
   
   + Employee Discounts
   
   **Principal accountabilities**
   
   + Arranges boxes, material and other equipment in neat and orderly manner
   
   + Keeping the work area clean as well as housekeeping responsibilities
   
   + Picks up reusable scrap for salvage and deposits in correct location
   
   + Operates industrial truck to transport materials within plant
   
   + Unwinds plastic or metal banding material from reel, wraps band around stack or bundle, inserts loose end of banding material into strapping tool and cinches and crimps banding material and clamp with strapping tool to secure articles during storage or shipment
   
   + Counts and records number of banded bundles
   
   + Affixes identifying data on visible portion of bundles
   
   + Observes movement of materials or products on conveyor
   
   + Notifies supervisor of equipment malfunction
   
   + Positions chutes or spouts to divert flow of materials from conveyor into railcar or truck
   
   + Packs product into bags, weighs, seals, stacks on pallets and applies wrap
   
   + Other duties as assigned
   
   **Required Qualifications:**
   
   + Right to work in the U.S. that is not based solely on possession of a student visa or a visa sponsored by a third-party employer
   
   + Cargill requires employees be a minimum of 18 years old to work in a production facility
   
   + Ability to perform physical job duties which may include bending, lifting up to 50 lbs, kneeling, climbing, crawling, and twisting safely, with or without a reasonable accommodation
   
   + Ability to work in elevated areas (4 feet and above)
   
   + Ability to work in varied indoor and outdoor conditions which may include heat, cold, dust, loud noise, etc., with the use of personal protective equipment (PPE)
   
   + Ability to work overtime including weekends, holidays, or different shifts with advance notice
   
   + Ability to understand and communicate in English (verbal/written)
   
   **Preferred Qualifications:**
   
   + Forklift experience
   
   + Prior experience in production related work
   
   + Prior experience in grain handling
   
   + Ability to operate machinery and/or industrial equipment
   
   + Basic computer skills
   
   + High School Diploma or GED equivalent
   
   Considered candidates will receive a phone call from a (952) area code. Please note that this position does not include relocation reimbursement.
   
   Cargill highly encourages vaccinations but does not mandate at this time. Upon hire, you will be asked to provide your vaccination status, and if unvaccinated or if you choose not to disclose, you would be expected to follow Cargill's safety protocols for unvaccinated employees (i.e., mask mandates, and social distancing).
   
   Equal Opportunity Employer, including Disability/Vet
   
   At Cargill, everyone matters and everyone counts. Cargill is committed to creating and sustaining an inclusive and diverse work environment where all employees are treated with dignity and respect. As such and in alignment with our Guiding Principles, Cargill's long-standing equal employment opportunity policy prohibits discrimination and harassment against any employee or applicant based on race, ethnicity, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, pregnancy, genetic information, marital status, family status, citizenship status, veteran status, military status, union affiliation, or any other status protected by law.
   
   Cargill also complies with all applicable national and local laws and regulations pertaining to non-discrimination and employment.
   
   Notice to Recruiters and Staffing Agencies: Cargill, Inc. and subsidiaries ("Cargill") have an internal recruiting department. Please review this notice.
   
   US Employment Resources: Equal Opportunity Employer, including Disability/Vet.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right platform worker for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with platform workers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit platform workers who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting platform workers 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.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   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 platform worker

   Once you've found the platform worker 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 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.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new platform worker. 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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