How to hire an unloader

How to hire an unloader, step by step

Here's a step-by-step unloader hiring guide:

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

What does an unloader do?

Post an unloader job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your unloader 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 an unloader 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

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them an unloader to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire an unloader that fits the bill.

   This list shows salaries for various types of unloaders.

   Type of Unloader	Description	Hourly rate
   Unloader	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.	$12-19
   Warehouseman	A warehouseman or warehouse worker is the person who assists with the inventory, shipping, and receiving of items in warehouses. Warehousemen receive and process incoming materials and stocks, along with picking and filling orders from the store... Show more	$14-20
   Forklift Operator	Forklift operators are skilled workers responsible for operating heavy equipment machines called forklifts. They are in charge of operating forklifts, a type of industrial or heavy equipment truck/machine that moves materials from one place to another through prongs protruding from the machine... Show more	$12-20

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Pallets
   • Work Ethic
   • Customer Service
   • Electric Pallet Jack
   • Tractor Trailer
   • Safety Procedures
   • Sales Floor
   • Materials Handling
   • Unload Trailers
   • Unload Trucks
   • Safety Rules
   • Unload Pallets
   • Groceries
   • General Merchandise

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Prepare pallets by following prescribe stacking arrangement and properly tagging pallets.
   • Volunteer work for kohl's cares events.

   More unloader duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, unloaders' average salary in georgia is 33% less than in alaska.
   • Seniority. Entry-level unloaders earn 35% less than senior-level unloaders.
   • Certifications. An unloader 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 an unloader's salary.

   Average unloader salary

   $15.81hourly

   $32,885 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level unloader salary

   $26,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 18, 2025

   Average unloader salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Idaho	$39,532	$19
   2	Oregon	$38,506	$19
   3	California	$38,365	$18
   4	Colorado	$38,231	$18
   5	Wisconsin	$36,161	$17
   6	North Dakota	$35,890	$17
   7	Montana	$35,579	$17
   8	Arizona	$34,862	$17
   9	South Dakota	$34,462	$17
   10	Illinois	$34,029	$16
   11	Pennsylvania	$33,857	$16
   12	Indiana	$32,811	$16
   13	Maryland	$32,383	$16
   14	Ohio	$32,233	$16
   15	Texas	$32,036	$15
   16	Alabama	$31,509	$15
   17	Florida	$30,809	$15
   18	North Carolina	$30,567	$15
   19	Virginia	$30,494	$15
   20	Tennessee	$30,423	$15

   Average unloader salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Land O'Lakes	$41,504	$19.95	3
   2	Cargill	$40,551	$19.50	25
   3	JBS USA	$39,742	$19.11	3
   4	Utz Brands	$39,549	$19.01	6
   5	Optimum Nutrition	$39,230	$18.86	13
   6	NexTier Oilfield Solutions	$39,011	$18.76
   7	Pella	$38,462	$18.49	8
   8	Gordon Food Service	$37,846	$18.20	23
   9	Pilgrim's	$37,649	$18.10	6
   10	Calportland	$37,608	$18.08
   11	Jack Link's Protein Snacks	$37,513	$18.04	3
   12	HD Supply	$37,386	$17.97	1
   13	Shearer's Foods	$37,177	$17.87	9
   14	Retail	$37,031	$17.80
   15	Toro	$36,755	$17.67	6
   16	Staples	$36,721	$17.65	5
   17	Sysco	$36,520	$17.56	33
   18	Landscape Structures	$36,507	$17.55	2
   19	Buzzi Unicem USA	$36,125	$17.37	1
   20	Trek Bicycle	$35,998	$17.31

4. Writing an unloader job description

   A good unloader 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 an unloader job description:

   Unloader job description example

   Be in a growing company, come work with 5280 Community Waste Solutions, LLC as a Concierge Trash Collector!

   5280 Community Waste Solutions is a local company and strives for a culture of excellence while having a positive impact on the world.
   Take a look at the owner explaining the strong sense of teamwork at 5280 Community Waste Solutions:

   www.CWS5280.com

   
   Pay: Starts at $17.25 an hour (part time position)
   Paid training.

   5280 Community Waste Solutions LLC is a local company with leadership that listens and is accessible. 5280 CWS trust and respect their employees without micro managing their nightly shifts. All while providing challenging work with authority & autonomy to solve issues.
   
   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 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

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

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit unloaders, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   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 unloader

   Once you've found the unloader 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 also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new unloader 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.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire an unloader?