How to hire a shipping and receiving clerk

How to hire a shipping and receiving clerk, step by step

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

What does a shipping and receiving clerk do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your shipping and receiving clerk 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 shipping and receiving clerk 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?

   Yes

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   Hiring the perfect shipping and receiving 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.

   Here's a comparison of shipping and receiving clerk salaries for various roles:

   Type of Shipping And Receiving Clerk	Description	Hourly rate
   Shipping And Receiving 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.	$13-18
   Clerk	Clerks are responsible for many of the general administrative tasks in the office. They are in charge of manning office telephone lines, managing incoming and outgoing mails, filing paperwork and other needed records, scheduling and documenting meetings, typing out documents when needed, disseminating memos and other official announcements, and keeping an inventory of office equipment and supplies... Show more	$11-18
   Inventory Control Clerk	An inventory control clerk is responsible for managing the stock inventory, recording incoming and outgoing deliveries, and inspecting proper labeling before moving the products to the storage areas. Inventory control clerks resolve inventory discrepancies, checking and reviewing product details and reports from the warehouse software database... Show more	$13-20

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Shipping Receiving
   • Customer Service
   • Safety Regulations
   • Purchase Orders
   • Electric Pallet Jack
   • Load Trucks
   • Inventory Control
   • Computer System
   • Delivery Truck
   • Customer Orders
   • Hand Trucks
   • RF
   • Fed-Ex
   • Cycle Counts

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Provide the necessary freight receipt information (international, DHL, USPS, FEDEX, etc . )
   • Sit downs, stand ups, cherry pickers, electric and propane, large industrial type lifts as well.
   • Detail orient & strong math skills.
   • Receive all incoming shipments within GMP guidelines.
   • Prepare FedEx and DHL labels for domestic mailings.
   • Used fed ex and ups to ship packages.

   More shipping and receiving clerk duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, shipping and receiving clerks' average salary in mississippi is 35% less than in north dakota.
   • Seniority. Entry-level shipping and receiving clerks earn 28% less than senior-level shipping and receiving clerks.
   • Certifications. A shipping and receiving clerk 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 shipping and receiving clerk's salary.

   Average shipping and receiving clerk salary

   $16.08hourly

   $33,438 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level shipping and receiving clerk salary

   $28,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 23, 2025

   Average shipping and receiving clerk salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Washington	$40,000	$19
   2	Minnesota	$38,136	$18
   3	Oregon	$36,796	$18
   4	Wisconsin	$36,282	$17
   5	New York	$36,030	$17
   6	Illinois	$35,452	$17
   7	California	$35,216	$17
   8	Colorado	$34,945	$17
   9	Michigan	$34,321	$17
   10	Maine	$34,023	$16
   11	Ohio	$33,989	$16
   12	Indiana	$33,836	$16
   13	Nebraska	$33,495	$16
   14	Missouri	$33,465	$16
   15	Arizona	$33,087	$16
   16	Utah	$32,512	$16
   17	Kansas	$31,862	$15
   18	Tennessee	$31,332	$15
   19	Texas	$31,201	$15
   20	North Carolina	$30,941	$15

   Average shipping and receiving clerk salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Steel Dynamics	$40,244	$19.35	6
   2	Seneca Foods	$39,466	$18.97
   3	Olympic Steel	$39,243	$18.87	8
   4	Danaher	$39,203	$18.85	8
   5	Reyes Holdings	$39,072	$18.78	32
   6	US Foods	$38,858	$18.68	47
   7	Kloeckner Metals	$38,601	$18.56	7
   8	Lincoln Industries	$38,359	$18.44
   9	BD	$38,358	$18.44	4
   10	Keurig Dr Pepper	$38,309	$18.42	260
   11	Sanmina	$38,108	$18.32	1
   12	Fluid Components International	$37,853	$18.20
   13	Collins Aerospace	$37,784	$18.17
   14	Medtronic	$37,742	$18.15
   15	Made In Oregon	$37,724	$18.14
   16	Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co	$37,712	$18.13	33
   17	The Wine Company	$37,712	$18.13	2
   18	Brown University	$37,690	$18.12	11
   19	avanti	$37,682	$18.12
   20	General Electric	$37,664	$18.11	19

4. Writing a shipping and receiving clerk job description

   A shipping and receiving clerk 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. Below, you can find an example of a shipping and receiving clerk job description:

   Shipping and receiving clerk job description example

   Report to designated work area. Log into the computer to check emails and report to Shift Coordinator for work assignment.Operate Fork Lift as needed to complete work assignment.Able to work in a cold environment for extended periods of time.Complete Trailer Checks.Abide by safety rules.Practice GMP's daily.Bill out trucks of finished product using the SAP System. Also receive in materials that have been delivered into the facility.Make adjustments to the system +/- as they may be needed. This is done through the SAP System.Do cycle counts on all materials that are in the warehouse.Help to maintain an easy and friendly work environment.Maintain all paperwork associated with materials that come in and go out of the warehouse.Provide coverage for Shipping and Receiving activities as needed.
   Our Benefits:
   
   We care about your total well-being and will support you with the following, subject to your location and role:
   Health: Medical, dental and vision insurance, company-paid life, accident and disability insurance Wealth: great pay, incentive opportunity, matching 401(k) and stock purchase plan Growth: online courses, virtual and classroom development experiences Balance: paid-time off, parental leave, flexible work-schedules (subject to your location and role)
   
   Our Company:
   
   Conagra Brands is one of North America's leading branded food companies. We have a rich heritage of making great food, and a team that's passionate about innovation and growth. Conagra offers choices for every occasion through iconic brands, such as Birds Eye , Marie Callender's , Banquet , Healthy Choice , Slim Jim , Reddi-wip , and Vlasic , and emerging brands, including Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP , Duke's , Earth Balance , Gardein , and Frontera .
   We pride ourselves on having the most impactful, energized and inclusive culture in the food industry. For more information, visit www.conagrabrands.com.
   
   Conagra Brands is an equal opportunity employer and considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to sex, race, color, religion, ethnic or national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, pregnancy, leave status, disability, veteran status, genetic information and/or any other characteristic or status protected by national, federal, state or local law.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find shipping and receiving clerks for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any shipping and receiving clerks they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level shipping and receiving clerks with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit shipping and receiving clerks, 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.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete 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 shipping and receiving clerk

   Once you've decided on a perfect shipping and receiving 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.

   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.

   To prepare for the new shipping and receiving 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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