How to hire a senior painter

How to hire a senior painter, step by step

Here's a step-by-step senior painter hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The senior painter 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 senior painter's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, senior painters 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.

   The following list breaks down different types of senior painters and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Senior Painter	Description	Hourly rate
   Senior Painter	Painters apply paint, stain, and coatings to walls and ceilings, buildings, bridges, and other structures.	$12-34
   Painter Apprentice	Painter Apprentices work for an organization either full time or part-time while undertaking formal training on the job. Their duties include working out needed materials quantity through job specifications, drawings, or surface measurements, and erecting structures to protect the area from paint such as ladders, scaffoldings, and drop sheets... Show more	$13-22
   Painter Helper	A painter helper is a specialist who assists the principal painter with the preparation of a room, building, car, or other objects. You will be responsible for the preliminary work before the actual painting, such as preparing the work area, scraping off old paint, buffing and sanding surfaces, and applying filler and taping... Show more	$10-23

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Paint Guns
   • OSHA
   • Coats
   • Hand Tools
   • Caulking
   • Spray Guns
   • MSDS
   • Mask
   • Etching
   • Aircraft Painting
   • Stencils
   • Customer Specifications
   • Smooth Surfaces

   Responsibilities:

   • Mask aircraft during stripping, conversion coating, and painting phases.
   • Handle paint specifications, certifications and voc that has to be report to Gulfstream Savannah, OSHA and Gulfstream Dallas.
   • Apply adhesion promoters, primers, base coats, and clear coats to custom design automotive license plates (tags).
   • Paint steam and water treatment piping using scaffolding, safety harnesses, and follow refinery safety protocols
   • Make sure all coatings are apply within Gulfstream specifications, such as mil thickness.
   • Participate in company leadership team to determine and implement need mechanical upgrades.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, senior painters' average salary in oklahoma is 47% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level senior painters earn 64% less than senior-level senior painters.
   • Certifications. A senior painter 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 senior painter's salary.

   Average senior painter salary

   $43,979yearly

   $21.14 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level senior painter salary

   $26,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 7, 2026

4. Writing a senior painter job description

   A senior painter 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 senior painter job description:

   Senior painter job description example

   SeaWorld San Diego
   
   Senior Painter
   
   At SeaWorld, we're passionate about caring for animals. In fact, we've already rescued over 40,000 animals (and counting!). And we can save you from being stuck in just another job. Join us and help bring joy, excitement, and lasting memories to people from around the world. We're seeking enthusiastic, dedicated and hard-working individuals in a wide variety of roles. Join us and play an important part on our incredible team!
   
   What you get to do:
   
   As a Painter you'll roll up your sleeves, get your hands dirty and apply paint coatings to all surfaces needing aesthetic coloring or protection. This includes proper surface preparation, proper application of coatings, clean up, and proper disposal of all debris.
   
   You will also:
   
   * Ensure excellent customer service by responding to customer requirements, expectations, and needs
   * Fill nail holes, cracks, and joints with caulk, putty, plaster, or other filler
   * Select premixed paints, or mix required portions of pigment base and thinning and drying substances to match specific colors
   * Remove fixtures such as pictures and electric switch covers from walls prior to painting
   * Properly prepare surfaces using power and hand tolls or chemical strippers when needed
   * Spread drop cloths over floors and room furnishings, and cover surfaces such as baseboard, door frames, and windows with masking tape and paper to protect surfaces while painting
   * Apply coatings to surfaces with brushes or paint rollers and apply primer when needed
   * Erect scaffolding or set up ladders to perform tasks above ground level
   * Wash surfaces with mildew remover prior to painting when needed
   * Perform any task assigned by supervisors including shop paperwork and shop maintenance
   * Other duties as assigned
   
   What it takes to succeed:
   
   * A minimum of two years related experience
   * At least 18 years of age
   * Have a High School diploma or general education (GED); or equivalent combination of education and experience
   * Have and maintain a valid driver's license; out of state residents, active military, their dependents and students, are required to have a valid driver's license and provide a copy of the DMV report from their state of residency
   * Be a driver in good standing and able to obtain a SeaWorld driver's license
   * Have strong mathematical skills
   * Have the ability to write simple correspondence
   * Have strong written/verbal communication skills
   * Able to lift/move up to 50 pounds
   * Able to operate hand or power tools necessary to complete assigned tasks
   * Able to climb ladders and perform work at heights
   * Able to train for and pass SeaWorld qualification test to operate forklift and man-lift machines
   * Able to handle multiple tasks in a fast-paced work environment
   * Able to stand, walk and/or sit for prolonged periods of time
   * Able to positively interact with guests and co-workers of all ages, different ethnic/cultural backgrounds and/or language, and individuals with special needs
   
   The perks of the position:
   
   As part of the SeaWorld family, you'll enjoy a fun, fast-paced environment and great teammates, as well as:
   
   * FREE park admission
   * Discounted park admission tickets and passes for family and friends
   * Park discounts on food, merchandise, etc.
   
   Join the team!
   
   If you're looking for the opportunity to make the most of your abilities in a one-of-a-kind setting with an entertainment industry leader, we're looking for you!
   
   <

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right senior painter 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 senior painters they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit senior painters 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 senior painter job on Zippia to find and recruit senior painter candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as constructionjobs.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit senior painters, 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. 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 senior painter

   Once you have selected a candidate for the senior painter position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

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