How to hire a store worker

How to hire a store worker, step by step

Here's a step-by-step store worker hiring guide:

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

What does a store worker do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the store worker you need to hire. Certain store worker 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

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

   Type of Store Worker	Description	Hourly rate
   Store Worker	Hand laborers and material movers manually move freight, stock, or other materials. Others feed or remove material to and from machines, clean vehicles, pick up unwanted household goods, and pack materials for moving.	$8-18
   Material Handler	Material handlers are responsible for moving products, storing items, and managing supplies to proper shelf categories. A material handler also documents deliveries and ensures that all items for shipment are correct and free of any damage... Show more	$12-19
   Loader/Unloader	A loader's responsibilities regularly involve manual work such as lifting and transporting objects to vehicles like trucks and vans. The tasks of a loader may also include operating various kinds of machines, maintain accurate documentation and inventory, sort and organize goods while examining their quality and quantity, and devise strategies on how to expand space capacity... Show more	$12-18

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Safety Rules
   • Strong Work Ethic
   • Customer Service
   • Stock Shelves
   • Basic Math
   • Commissary
   • Pallets
   • Sales Floor
   • Computer System
   • Cleanliness
   • Retail Store
   • Store Merchandise
   • Customer Complaints
   • Safety Regulations

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Utilize the POS system for accurate inventory.
   • Perform first-in, first-out (FIFO) procedures in merchandise storing coolers.
   • Use cardboard baler, electric hydraulic/hand-operate pallet jacks, weigh scale, POS.
   • Process debit, credit, checks, WIC, and food stamp transactions.
   • Ensure product are properly store using FIFO method to prevent loss to the government.
   • Reconcile cash, checks, money orders, WIC, ATM debits and credit card transactions.

   More store worker duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, store workers' average salary in louisiana is 41% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level store workers earn 56% less than senior-level store workers.
   • Certifications. A store worker 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 store worker's salary.

   Average store worker salary

   $12.75hourly

   $26,528 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level store worker salary

   $17,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 15, 2025

   Average store worker salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	District of Columbia	$35,589	$17
   2	Massachusetts	$34,786	$17
   3	Maine	$32,551	$16
   4	New York	$30,925	$15
   5	Colorado	$29,866	$14
   6	California	$29,645	$14
   7	New Jersey	$29,602	$14
   8	Maryland	$29,423	$14
   9	Ohio	$28,448	$14
   10	Pennsylvania	$27,519	$13
   11	Washington	$26,807	$13
   12	Florida	$26,669	$13
   13	South Carolina	$26,509	$13
   14	Oregon	$25,932	$12
   15	Virginia	$25,380	$12
   16	Illinois	$24,884	$12
   17	Nevada	$24,096	$12
   18	Texas	$23,920	$12
   19	North Carolina	$23,729	$11
   20	Michigan	$23,548	$11

   Average store worker salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	University of California-Berkeley	$39,130	$18.81
   2	Hormel Foods	$35,387	$17.01	40
   3	Brigham Young University	$32,340	$15.55	2
   4	Vectrus	$31,250	$15.02
   5	StandardTVAppliance	$30,684	$14.75	1
   6	Wegmans Food Markets	$30,047	$14.45	48
   7	Aramark	$28,514	$13.71	1,448
   8	UCI Health	$28,493	$13.70	7
   9	Thorntons	$28,216	$13.57	160
   10	Challenge Unlimited	$27,898	$13.41	5
   11	Coast Guard Exchange System	$27,507	$13.22	1
   12	The Retail Outsource	$27,370	$13.16
   13	Papa John's International	$27,191	$13.07	3
   14	7-Eleven	$27,108	$13.03	74
   15	Mavagi Enterprises, Inc.	$27,092	$13.03
   16	PeopleReady	$27,013	$12.99	113
   17	Crossroads Diversified Services	$26,800	$12.88	7
   18	United States Marine Corps	$26,733	$12.85
   19	Defense Commissary Agency	$26,727	$12.85
   20	Circle K	$26,726	$12.85	411

4. Writing a store worker job description

   A store worker 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 store worker job description:

   Store worker job description example

   PeopleReady of Salem, MA is now hiring Store Reset Workers! As a Store Reset Worker, you will perform duties related to customer service and sales.
   
   Apply today and you could start as soon as tomorrow. No resume or interview required – yep, you read that right.
   As a PeopleReady associate you'll benefit from:
   
   * The freedom to work where you want, when you want and as often as you want.
   
   * Next-day pay* for many of our open positions.
   
   * The ability to choose long-term positions for steady work or short-term positions if you just want some extra cash.
   
   * The ability to sign up for jobs right from our mobile app, JobStack!
   
   Pay Rate:
   
   The pay rate for this job is $18 / hour
   
   What you'll be doing as a Store Reset Worker:
   
   * Greet and engage with customers
   
   * Accurately operate cash registers and provide customers with professional service
   
   * Increase in-store sales, cross-sell products, and direct customers to merchandise
   
   * Stock shelves, maintain the stock room, and help to set-up displays within the store
   
   * Keep store clean and organized
   
   Available shifts:
   
   Shift timings - 1st Shift (Day)
   
   Job requirements:
   
   * Previous retail experience preferred but not required
   
   * Flexibility to work in a dynamic and fast-paced environment
   
   * Basic math skills - addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division on the fly
   
   * Strong communication skills and a positive attitude
   
   Ready to take control of the way you work?
   
   Complete our application to join the PeopleReady team today. In case you missed it, no resumes or interviews are required!
   
   \#TIER2
   
   PeopleReady is an equal opportunity employer, and we value diversity. We do not discriminate based on race, religious affiliation, color, national origin, gender, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, disability, or any other basis protected by law. We will get to know you and connect you with jobs that match your skills, experience and preferences. We work hard every single day to find jobs so each employee has opportunity and variety in their work.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right store worker 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 store workers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit store workers 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 store worker job on Zippia to find and recruit store worker candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit store workers, 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 store worker

   Once you've found the store worker candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   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 store worker. 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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