How to hire a trash collector

How to hire a trash collector, step by step

Here's a step-by-step trash collector hiring guide:

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

What does a trash collector do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The trash collector 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 trash collector's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, trash collectors 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 shows salaries for various types of trash collectors.

   Type of Trash Collector	Description	Hourly rate
   Trash Collector	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.	$10-18
   Collector	Collectors are responsible for monitoring and providing immediate actions for client accounts with overdue payments. Collectors must be able to contact clients through phone or e-mail... Show more	$12-21

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Apartment Community
   • Trash Compactor
   • Trash Truck
   • CDL
   • Dump Contents
   • Safety Procedures
   • Recyclable Materials
   • Hoisting
   • Clean Truck
   • Routine Maintenance
   • Garbage Truck
   • Garbage Collection
   • Yard Waste
   • Drive Trucks

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Operate a tandem axle garbage truck in a city setting collection household waste and recycle.
   • Operate automated or semi-automate hoisting devices.
   • Conduct pre and post trip inspections.
   • Vacuum & clean carpeted areas as well as offices, restrooms and stock areas.
   • Perform pre trips on the truck to make sure everything are in good mechanical order.
   • Ensure cleanliness of break rooms and restrooms, as well as restock the supplies and the food.

   More trash collector duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your trash collector job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A trash collector salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a trash collector in Georgia may be lower than in Alaska, and an entry-level trash collector usually earns less than a senior-level trash collector. Additionally, a trash collector with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average trash collector salary

   $14.18hourly

   $29,503 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level trash collector salary

   $21,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 15, 2025

   Average trash collector salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$42,369	$20
   2	Washington	$40,695	$20
   3	Oregon	$38,008	$18
   4	Colorado	$33,834	$16
   5	Wisconsin	$31,566	$15
   6	Arizona	$31,076	$15
   7	New York	$30,997	$15
   8	West Virginia	$30,458	$15
   9	Illinois	$30,017	$14
   10	Oklahoma	$29,055	$14
   11	Michigan	$28,627	$14
   12	Texas	$28,548	$14
   13	Indiana	$27,676	$13
   14	Ohio	$27,594	$13
   15	Florida	$27,417	$13
   16	Pennsylvania	$27,215	$13
   17	Missouri	$27,167	$13
   18	Iowa	$26,434	$13
   19	Kansas	$26,191	$13
   20	Nebraska	$24,804	$12

   Average trash collector salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	5280	$31,714	$15.25
   2	Service Master Clean	$29,978	$14.41
   3	IH Services	$29,940	$14.39
   4	Valet Living	$29,875	$14.36	267
   5	Aerotek	$27,933	$13.43	2
   6	Adecco	$27,128	$13.04	2
   7	PeopleReady	$27,031	$13.00	12

4. Writing a trash collector job description

   A good trash collector 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 trash collector job description:

   Trash collector job description example

   Help Keep Communities Clean, come work with 5280 Community Waste Solutions, LLC as a Concierge Trash Collector
   
   Pay: Starts at $16.25/hour (part time position)
   Paid training and retention bonuses
   
   Location(s): Colorado Springs
   
   Hours and Available Shifts: Looking for multiple candidates to fill shifts, each candidate will work 3-5 of the following shifts: (part time position)

   • MORNINGS: Saturday from 8:30am-10:30am
   • EVENINGS: Sunday - Thursday (No Friday's) from 5:00pm-7:00pm or 7pm-9pm

   Description: Employees will walk around the apartment complex, pick up bags of trash and/or recycling from the doorstep of each unit and take the trash to the onsite compactor/bin.

   • Change out and replace collection bags at all on-site pet waste collection stations
   • Light janitorial duties
   • Other duties as assigned

   Requirements for this Position:

   · Ability to lift and transport up to 50 pounds

   · Walk long distances during shift

   · Climb multiple flights of stairs while carrying trash items

   · Ability to pass a background check

   · Smart Phone capable of downloading App for clocking in/out

   · Ability to work outdoors in all types of weather conditions

   Commonly Asked Questions:

   · What type of position is this: W4

   · Do I need a CDL: NO

   · Do I need to provide my own truck: NO - The majority of the apartment communities we service, the trash is walked to the onsite compactor/bin by the employee.

   All offers of employment will be contingent on successful background screening.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting trash collectors 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.

   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 trash collector

   Once you've selected the best trash collector candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing 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 trash collector. 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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