How to hire a shipping helper

How to hire a shipping helper, step by step

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your shipping helper 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 helper 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

   No

   Hiring the perfect shipping helper 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 helper salaries for various roles:

   Type of Shipping Helper	Description	Hourly rate
   Shipping Helper	Material recording clerks track product information in order to keep businesses and supply chains on schedule. They ensure proper scheduling, recordkeeping, and inventory control.	$12-17
   Traffic Coordinator	A traffic coordinator is responsible for monitoring the operations of various departments within a company, ensuring the timely submission of project deliverables to meet clients' demands and attain their highest satisfaction. Traffic coordinators evaluate production schedule, including the delivery of materials and proper allocation of resources, and identify areas of improvement on the workflow to avoid delays in production... Show more	$13-25
   Receiver	A receiver is responsible for confirming receipt of items delivered from distribution centers to the warehouse. Receivers carefully evaluate order invoices, ensuring the correct quantity of the items, and inspect the merchandise for any possible mislabeling and defects... Show more	$12-18

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Data Entry
   • Pallets
   • Hand Trucks
   • Fed-Ex

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage EDI process for largest companies.
   • Supervise all supply-chain management operations, including forecasting, sourcing, procurement, pricing, conversion, distribution and logistics.
   • Transition to Receiver/Picker/Packer position using Motorola hand-held barcode scanners with the MASS500 operating systems utilize to process order fulfillment.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, shipping helpers' average salary in south dakota is 32% less than in nebraska.
   • Seniority. Entry-level shipping helpers earn 32% less than senior-level shipping helpers.
   • Certifications. A shipping helper 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 helper's salary.

   Average shipping helper salary

   $14.86hourly

   $30,916 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level shipping helper salary

   $25,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 25, 2025

4. Writing a shipping helper job description

   A good shipping helper 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 shipping helper job description:

   Shipping helper job description example

   This entry-level shipping position earns a competitive wage starting at $16.80/hour , with the ability to increase wages after 30, 60, 90, 180 days and upon annual review. We provide excellent benefits and perks , including health insurance, 1 week of personal time, a 401(k) plan with a 3% match, and 1 week of vacation . If this sounds like the right shipping opportunity in manufacturing for you, apply today !

   
   

   ABOUT QUALITY ALUMINUM PRODUCTS (QAP)

   We manufacture and distribute the highest quality aluminum and steel siding and accessories throughout Michigan. Our manufacturing services are 2nd to none from our large selection of standard colors and customer cuts to reliable delivery schedules. With locations in both Hastings and Flat Rock, we strive every day to give excellent service on every job. We value integrity and trust and always try to do the right thing for our customers, community, and team.

   Our dedicated employees are our most valued resource. We treat each other like family and ensure honesty and respect at all levels . Along with great benefits , we also provide a safe environment where we can achieve our goals and maintain our high standards . Always looking to improve, we love to share ideas and grow .

   
   

   A DAY IN THE LIFE OF SHIPPING HELPER / WAREHOUSE WORKER

   As an Entry-level Shipping Helper / Warehouse Worker, you actively prepare shipments to get them out the door and to our customers in a timely manner. You choose applicable items, move materials around the facility, load products, and utilize power tools to assist when needed. As you prepare orders, you locate and retrieve products and verify quantity, quality, and labeling. In our staging area, you build pallets to the required size and manually load, pack, and organize shipments on trucks based on established shipping logistics. With attention to detail, you complete all required paperwork, as well as maintain warehouse organization and cleanliness. Following established safety and security procedures, you report potentially unsafe conditions as needed. You enjoy using your skills to get our products to customers on time and intact!

   
   

   QUALIFICATIONS FOR A SHIPPING HELPER / WAREHOUSE WORKER

   • Capacity to perform basic math functions
   • Ability to meet physical demands of the position
   • Capability of working in protective gear in a shipping environment or seasonal weather conditions

   A forklift license is a huge plus! Are you customer-focused? Can you be reliable and helpful? Do you manage time effectively and prioritize tasks accordingly? Are you self-motivated and driven? Can you confidently work with management and leadership? Do you communicate effectively? Are you patient and cool under pressure? If so, please consider applying to this manufacturing warehouse position today!

   
   

   ARE YOU READY TO JOIN OUR WAREHOUSE TEAM?

   If you feel you'll be perfect as an entry-level Shipping Helper / Warehouse Worker, apply now using our initial 3-minute, mobile-friendly application. We can't wait to hear from you!

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find shipping helpers 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 shipping helper job on Zippia to find and recruit shipping helper candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting shipping helpers requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates 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 shipping helper

   Once you have selected a candidate for the shipping helper 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.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new shipping helper. 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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