How to hire a seafood clerk

How to hire a seafood clerk, step by step

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

What does a seafood clerk do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the seafood clerk you need to hire. Certain seafood clerk roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   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 seafood clerk 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.

   This list shows salaries for various types of seafood clerks.

   Type of Seafood Clerk	Description	Hourly rate
   Seafood Clerk	Food preparation workers perform many routine tasks under the direction of cooks, chefs, or food service managers. Food preparation workers prepare cold foods, slice meat, peel and cut vegetables, brew coffee or tea, and perform many other food service tasks.	$12-18
   Kitchen Staff	The kitchen staff consists of preparation workers who execute several routine tasks as directed by chefs, food service managers, and cooks. These works should have the ability to follow cooking instructions and deliver well-prepared meals... Show more	$11-17
   Deli Worker	A deli worker specializes in handling deli products and providing customer service in retail stores. They are primarily responsible for packaging and labeling products according to their weight and type, assigning prices, sorting out quality, and arranging them on display, all while following food safety and health guidelines... Show more	$10-17

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Food Handling
   • Math
   • Basic Math
   • Pallets
   • Sales Floor
   • Product Knowledge
   • Good Communication
   • Excellent Time Management
   • Customer Service
   • Seafood
   • Food Products
   • Slicers
   • Product Rotation
   • Cleanliness

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Assist the catering manager to manage, prepare, cook and deliver each day s caterings.
   • Maintain thorough knowledge of seafood department merchandise placement and standards of cleanliness.
   • Assist customers with purchases through use of a POS system.
   • Perform daily cash handling, POS usage, stocking, and store-opening procedures.
   • Used knives, cleavers, band saws, slicers and other equipment to trim, process and cut meats.
   • Use all equipment in meat/seafood department such as the refrigerators, freezers, slicers, and ovens according to company guidelines.

   More seafood clerk duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the seafood clerk job description is a good way to get more applicants. A seafood clerk 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 seafood clerk in Oklahoma may be lower than in Washington, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level seafood clerk. Additionally, a seafood clerk with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average seafood clerk salary

   $15.36hourly

   $31,941 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level seafood clerk salary

   $26,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average seafood clerk salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Washington	$38,892	$19
   2	California	$37,668	$18
   3	Oregon	$33,944	$16
   4	Colorado	$33,904	$16
   5	Illinois	$32,418	$16
   6	Utah	$32,321	$16
   7	Ohio	$32,072	$15
   8	Michigan	$31,675	$15
   9	Wisconsin	$30,610	$15
   10	Virginia	$30,312	$15
   11	New Jersey	$30,243	$15
   12	Arizona	$30,201	$15
   13	Nebraska	$29,520	$14
   14	Indiana	$29,411	$14
   15	Nevada	$28,831	$14
   16	Kentucky	$27,187	$13
   17	Texas	$26,470	$13
   18	Kansas	$26,350	$13
   19	Missouri	$26,219	$13
   20	New Mexico	$26,081	$13

   Average seafood clerk salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	United Natural Foods	$36,738	$17.66	19
   2	Bristol Farms	$35,037	$16.84	8
   3	Nugget Markets	$33,682	$16.19	16
   4	Albertsons	$33,629	$16.17	285
   5	P&S Surgical Hospital	$33,291	$16.01	18
   6	Town & Country Markets	$33,046	$15.89	45
   7	Hy-Vee	$33,034	$15.88	616
   8	Earth Fare	$32,942	$15.84	7
   9	Price Chopper Supermarkets-Market 32	$32,840	$15.79
   10	H-E-B	$32,796	$15.77	1
   11	Kroger	$32,665	$15.70	3,614
   12	ShopRite Supermarkets Inc.	$32,542	$15.65
   13	Whole Foods Market	$32,399	$15.58
   14	Market of Choice	$32,027	$15.40	29
   15	Sprouts Farmers Market	$31,876	$15.32	269
   16	Meijer	$31,810	$15.29	252
   17	Wegmans Food Markets	$31,778	$15.28	5
   18	Bashas'	$31,700	$15.24	41
   19	PLUM	$31,262	$15.03	1
   20	Alex Lee	$30,955	$14.88	236

4. Writing a seafood clerk job description

   A job description for a seafood clerk 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 seafood clerk job description:

   Seafood clerk job description example

   Plum Market - 3675 West Maple, Bloomfield Township Mi 48301

   Full Time & Part Time positions available starting at $15/hr.

   Plum Market is an emerging leader in the Grocery Retail industry. We are committed to stocking the very best selections of All Natural, Organic, Local, and Specialty Grocery items.

   Our Team Members are passionate about delivering the highest quality food, beverage, and grocery essentials to our Customers, helping them achieve a better lifestyle. We make our Team Members and our Customers our top priority by delivering the best possible Customer retail experience.

   Our Plum Market Grocery Stores are a reflection of the very communities we serve. From our Team Members to our Customers, local vendors and product selection, we are proud of the inclusive culture in which we thrive, and strive to promote at Plum Market. If you share our enthusiasm, please apply to see how you may fit in.

   Benefits of working at Plum Market:

   Full time & Part time positions available.

   We can offer a variety of retail shifts to work with your schedule.

   You can learn about great food and grow your passion at the same time.

   We provide exceptional training to help you grow your knowledge.

   Paid time and a half for working any of these five federally recognized holidays: New Year's Day, Labor Day, Fourth of July, Memorial Day and Thanksgiving.

   Promotional opportunities. We are a growing company and you can grow with us!

   Variety of medical, dental, and vision benefits to cover you and/or your family.

   401k with company match after a 6 month waiting period.

   20% off Team Member Discount.

   50% off Team Member Lunch Discount.

   Plum Market offers a desirable and rewarding place to work.

   Must be over the age of 18 to apply.

   Description:

   The Meat & Seafood Clerk is responsible for providing exceptional Customer Service. They will make sure the Meat & Seafood Department is well stocked for our Customers. They will assist in receiving, store and stocking of merchandise while ensuring proper rotation and quality. They will build displays, process damaged produce and maintain proper fronting of the Meat & Seafood Department.

   Who you are:

   You are passionate and wish to continuously learn and grow your capabilities.

   You model and provide exceptional Customer Service.

   You value inclusion and work to create an environment where everyone feels welcomed and every voice is heard.

   You love a challenge and the satisfaction that comes from meeting it.

   You inspire people to want to be their best selves.

   You have a love for all natural, organic and specialty products.

   You have an eye for detail and enjoy merchandising.

   What you will bring:

   Passion for Customer Service.

   Self-motivation.

   Detail oriented nature.

   Able to work a variety of shifts including nights, weekends and holidays.

   Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

   Able to stand and walk for up to 4 hours without a break.

   Ability to bend and stoop to grasp objects, climb ladders, lift loads, up to 50 lbs. unassisted, push and pull carts weighing up to 100 lbs. unassisted.

   What you will do:

   Give exceptional Service to our Customers.

   Create.

   Execute.

   Teach.

   Learn.

   Follow up.

   Help other Team Members in the Meat & Seafood Department.

   Communicate effectively with Customers, Team Members, Store Leadership and Director Group.

   Adhere to all Plum Market policies and standard operating procedures.

   
   

   
   
   

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   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right seafood 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 seafood clerk job on Zippia to find and recruit seafood 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 seafood 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 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 seafood clerk

   Once you've decided on a perfect seafood clerk 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.

   To prepare for the new seafood 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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