How to hire a production clerk

How to hire a production clerk, step by step

Here's a step-by-step production clerk hiring guide:

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

What does a production clerk do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The production clerk 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

   A production clerk's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, production clerks from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of production clerks.

   Type of Production Clerk	Description	Hourly rate
   Production Clerk	Material recording clerks track product information in order to keep businesses and supply chains on schedule. They ensure proper scheduling, recordkeeping, and inventory control.	$12-19
   Expeditor	The role of expeditors is to ensure the timely and efficient preparation and delivery of food. To accomplish this task, they also perform other duties, including managing inventory levels, managing supply requisition, and coordinating with subcontractors... Show more	$13-25
   Materials Planner	Usually working in a manufacturing setting, a materials planner's role is to manage the supply flow and inventory of materials. Their responsibilities revolve around liaising with vendors and other external agencies, processing purchase orders, monitoring the quality of supplies to ensure it is according to the standards, and coordinating with various teams to learn their needs... Show more	$21-35

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Basic Math
   • Data Entry
   • Safety Procedures
   • Math
   • Production Reports
   • GMP
   • Pallet Jack
   • Payroll
   • Purchase Orders
   • Quality Control Measures
   • Production Schedules
   • Slicers
   • Sales Floor
   • Inventory Control

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Flight line expediter ensures maintenance accomplishment and sortie production by managing, controlling and directing allocate resources and personnel.
   • Clean windows, glass partitions, and mirrors with water and other cleaners with sponges and squeegees.
   • Coordinate with multiple sewing facilities to expedite late customer orders.
   • Ship via fed ex and ups.
   • Observe and follow GMP guidelines ensuring product quality.
   • Perform cycle counting of WIP and complete inventories.

   More production clerk duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your production clerk job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A production clerk salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a production clerk in Louisiana may be lower than in Massachusetts, and an entry-level production clerk usually earns less than a senior-level production clerk. Additionally, a production clerk with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average production clerk salary

   $15.52hourly

   $32,281 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level production clerk salary

   $25,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 5, 2025

   Average production clerk salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Minnesota	$36,825	$18
   2	Colorado	$35,887	$17
   3	California	$34,760	$17
   4	Michigan	$31,935	$15
   5	New York	$31,647	$15
   6	Illinois	$31,614	$15
   7	Virginia	$30,760	$15
   8	Utah	$30,169	$15
   9	Missouri	$29,703	$14
   10	Pennsylvania	$29,637	$14
   11	Arizona	$27,309	$13
   12	Texas	$26,600	$13
   13	Nevada	$25,656	$12
   14	Kentucky	$24,435	$12
   15	Mississippi	$22,208	$11

   Average production clerk salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Rich Products	$41,630	$20.01	23
   2	PPG	$41,038	$19.73	16
   3	Dairy Farmers of America	$40,313	$19.38	59
   4	Amcor	$39,721	$19.10	76
   5	P&G	$39,300	$18.89	3
   6	Sonoco	$38,701	$18.61	27
   7	Keurig Dr Pepper	$37,959	$18.25	316
   8	Schreiber Foods	$37,647	$18.10	20
   9	Smithfield Foods	$36,970	$17.77	82
   10	Green Mountain Coffee Roasters	$36,914	$17.75
   11	East Penn Manufacturing	$35,181	$16.91	5
   12	Habasit America	$35,050	$16.85	1
   13	MI Windows and Doors	$34,569	$16.62
   14	CMC Motocross	$34,526	$16.60	12
   15	The Kraft Heinz Company	$34,513	$16.59	34
   16	Bimbo Bakeries	$34,339	$16.51
   17	Henkel	$34,065	$16.38	37
   18	Harrison Walker & Harper	$33,985	$16.34
   19	JBS USA	$33,777	$16.24	61
   20	UniFirst	$33,557	$16.13	129

4. Writing a production clerk job description

   A good production clerk 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 production clerk job description:

   Production clerk job description example

   Ensures availability of assembly materials transferred from floor stock to the production line to ensure continuous operation, in compliance with clean room monitoring requirements.
   Key Responsibilities:
   * Distribute sterile tools necessary for valve assembly to the production line on a daily basis, at the start of business
   * Conduct monthly cycle counts of floor stock inventory
   * Transport products between operations
   * Terminate components and/or materials in JDE to allow availability in clean room floor stock
   * Other incidental duties: General work area housekeeping
   
   Skills:
   * Good communication skills
   * Able to read, comprehend, speak, and write English
   * Good math skills, equivalent with high school education level
   * Good computer skills with proven ability to learn computer-based programs
   * Adhere to Edwards Environmental Health and Safety and Quality guidelines as they relate to warehouse operations and de-contamination of biohazards
   * Must be able to work with minimum supervision by following general work instructions for routine tasks, decontamination procedures, and detailed work instructions for semi-routine tasks
   * Work in a Team environment, including exchanging information related to performing required tasks with colleagues, within and outside of the warehouse
   * Strict attention to detail and accuracy
   * Ability to accurately perform routine work such as material picking, sorting, and cycle counting, including JDE and other related system operation and updates
   * Knowledge of purchasing and accounts payable systems related to developing and submitting required documentation
   * Ongoing completion of decontamination practices and sensitive material handling training
   
   Education: H.S. Diploma or equivalent 1 Year experience work experience in warehouse support Required Associate's Degree or equivalent Preferred
   
   We are an equal opportunity employer and make hiring decisions based on merit. Recruitment, hiring, training, and job assignments are made without regard to race, color, national origin, age, ancestry, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, disability, or any other protected classification. We consider all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with state and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles' Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right production clerk for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your production clerk job on Zippia to find and recruit production clerk 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 production clerks, 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.

   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 production clerk

   Once you've found the production clerk 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 important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new production clerk 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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How much does it cost to hire a production clerk?