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How to hire a production crew

Production crew hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring production crews in the United States:

  • In the United States, the median cost per hire a production crew is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
  • On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new production crew to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire a production crew, step by step

To hire a production crew, you need to identify the specific skills and experience you want in a candidate, allocate a budget for the position, and advertise the job opening to attract potential candidates. To hire a production crew, you should follow these steps:

Here's a step-by-step production crew 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 crew job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new production crew
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a production crew do?

Production crew members are responsible for maintaining the setup, dismantling, maintenance, and removal of music and theater production equipment for stage work. They are hired in production companies, event venues, theater groups, and touring bands. Their duties include implementing stage design as well as selecting and positioning lighting and sound equipment. Also, they transport, maintain, and mend production equipment. Additionally, they organize and attach cables to the electrical supply utilizing portable junction boxes.

Learn more about the specifics of what a production crew does
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    Before you post your production crew 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 production crew 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?

    A production crew's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, production crews 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 presents production crew salaries for various positions.

    Type of Production CrewDescriptionHourly rate
    Production CrewFood and beverage serving and related workers perform a variety of customer service, food preparation, and cleaning duties in restaurants, cafeterias, and other eating and drinking establishments.$12-18
    Cook/ServerCooks/servers are employees who take on the dual role of being a cook and a server in the restaurant. They are usually trained cooks who are in charge of preparing meals for the guests... Show more$11-17
    Line ServerA line server is responsible for assisting the guests with their needs to ensure an overall satisfying dining experience with the highest quality service. Line servers take and verify guests' orders, provide recommendation for orders, respond to the guests' inquiries regarding the menu, manage the food preparation and serving, assist guests with additional requests, and ensure strict adherence to the sanitary standards and hygienic procedures at all times... Show more$10-17
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Harvest
    • Cleanliness
    • Power Steering
    • Catalytic Converters
    • Video Production
    • Safety Standards
    • Audio Board
    • Production Equipment
    • Sales Floor
    • Quality Checks
    • Food Safety
    • Camera Operation
    • Assembly Line
    • Food Products
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Manage and refine the metadata system for a photography database -communicate with customers over e-mail with regards to advertisement proofs
    • Work in the service department of the front counter and Drive-Thru.
    • Operate the Drive-Thru and maintain a clean restaurant.
    • Conduct a variety of tests to troubleshoot and isolate malfunctions.
    • Train new employees on all production positions and on manufacturing methods in accordance with GMP.
    • Operate all machines, including tractor mowers, trenchers, weed wackers, tru-cuts, hedge trimmers and stick edgers.
    More production crew duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in the production crew job description is a good way to get more applicants. A production crew salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

    For example, the average salary for a production crew in Kansas may be lower than in New Hampshire, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level production crew. Additionally, a production crew with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

    Average production crew salary

    $15.29hourly

    $31,793 yearly

    Entry-level production crew salary
    $25,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 18, 2025

    Average production crew salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1Utah$36,402$18
    2California$36,378$17
    3Washington$36,202$17
    4Ohio$33,417$16
    5New Jersey$32,066$15
    6Wisconsin$30,923$15
    7Arizona$30,792$15
    8Indiana$28,249$14
    9Illinois$26,857$13
    10Virginia$26,828$13
    11South Carolina$26,060$13
    12Texas$24,720$12
    13North Carolina$23,718$11
    14Mississippi$23,690$11
    15Florida$22,530$11

    Average production crew salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1Schnitzer Steel$40,763$19.60
    2General Mills$39,012$18.764
    3Owens Corning$37,134$17.8519
    4Brown University$35,874$17.25
    5WestRock$35,009$16.8372
    6The Andersons$34,945$16.8011
    7Hormel Foods$34,187$16.4415
    8Masco$34,147$16.4211
    9Endura Products$33,863$16.28
    10Memorial Healthcare$33,560$16.13
    11Conner Prairie$33,461$16.09
    12MetrolinaGreenhouses$32,946$15.842
    13Field Roast$32,057$15.41
    14House of Blues$31,726$15.25
    15Bohemian Club$31,541$15.16
    16Live Nation Entertainment$31,366$15.0845
    17Kelly Services$31,268$15.0382
    18ManpowerGroup$31,124$14.96117
    19JuiceLand$31,079$14.94
    20Advanced Systems Group$30,987$14.902
  4. Writing a production crew job description

    A good production crew 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 crew job description:

    Production crew job description example

    Job DescriptionSalary: $15-$21 per hour

    $1,000.00 SIGN ON BONUS

    Summary:

    The production technician performs production processes to fulfill the service needs of individual restoration projects and maintains the professional appearance of SERVPRO equipment as well as an assigned service vehicle. By providing quality, consistent, efficient work, the production technician represents the best in the cleanup and restoration industry.

    Primary Responsibilities:

    1. Inventory and load the work vehicle with equipment, products, and supplies needed for each project. Maintain a clean and organized vehicle and clean equipment appearance.
    2. Prepare rooms/areas for work activities. Set up staging area and equipment for each project.
    3. Perform production processes as directed.
    4. Adhere to safety and risk management guidelines at all times.
    5. Communicate with crew chief and other technicians to maintain efficient production processes.
    6. Perform end-of-day/end-of-job cleanup and breakdown. Leave jobsite with a clean and orderly appearance.

    Secondary Responsibilities :

    1. Maintain an organized warehouse space. Clean and maintain the warehouse, office, and grounds, as assigned.
    2. Develop production expertise in services, cleaning products, and equipment.
    3. Other tasks/duties as required by employer.

    Necessary Experience and Skill Set :

    • Strong work ethic.
    • Strong oral communication skills.
    • Experience in cleaning, restoration, or construction preferred.

    Formal Education/Training:

    • High school diploma/GED
    • IICRC certifications preferred

    Physical and Work Environment Requirements :

    Regularly lifting 50 pounds independently, occasionally lifting up to 100 pounds with assistance, walking and standing for long periods of time, driving, sitting, climbing ladders, working at ceiling heights, working in tight spaces (i.e. crawl spaces, attics), repetitive pushing/pulling/lifting/carrying objects, working with and around chemicals, and working overhead.

    While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently exposed to fumes or airborne particles. The employee is occasionally exposed to a variety of extreme conditions such as heat, noxious odors, etc. The noise level in the work environment and jobsites may be loud. The employee will be required to occasionally wear a respirator for their safety.

    Normal Working Hours, Additional Working Hours, and Travel Requirements:

    This is a full-time position working 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Monday – Friday, 40 hours per week. This position frequently requires long hours (beyond 8 hours a day), including some evening and weekend work. Travel is required and is primarily local. However, some out-of-area and overnight travel may be expected.

  5. Post your job

    There are a few common ways to find production crews 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 production crew job on Zippia to find and recruit production crew candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    To successfully recruit production crews, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

    It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to 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 production crew

    Once you've decided on a perfect production crew 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.

    You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

    After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new production crew. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

  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 crew?

Before you start to hire production crews, it pays to consider both the one-off costs like recruitment, job promotion, and onboarding, as well as the ongoing costs of an employee's salary and benefits. While most companies that hire production crews pay close attention to the initial cost of hiring, ongoing costs are much more significant in the long run.

The median annual salary for production crews is $31,793 in the US. However, the cost of production crew hiring can vary a lot depending on location. Additionally, hiring a production crew for contract work or on a per-project basis typically costs between $12 and $18 an hour.

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