What does an unloader do?
An unloader is responsible for monitoring truck deliveries and managing all goods and merchandise to the store. Unloaders verify the deliveries' correct quantity by checking the receipts and ensuring its quality for customers' purchase. They respond to the customers' inquiries and concerns, facilitate the shelf arrangement of the products, sort items, and help with the store's organization and cleanliness. An unloader must have excellent time-management skills and the ability to multitask to perform various tasks in the fast-paced industry.
Unloader responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real unloader resumes:
- Prepare pallets by following prescribe stacking arrangement and properly tagging pallets.
- Volunteer work for kohl's cares events.
Unloader skills and personality traits
We calculated that 24% of Unloaders are proficient in Pallets, Work Ethic, and Customer Service. They’re also known for soft skills such as Hand-eye coordination, Listening skills, and Physical strength.
We break down the percentage of Unloaders that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Pallets, 24%
Unloaded trucks of goods to be organized and placed on pallets and carts to be sent to correct trailer for loading
- Work Ethic, 18%
Promote positive attitude and work ethic to my team.
- Customer Service, 10%
Inventory Management System Associate- Backroom/warehouse environment, team unloading of freight from warehouse, stocking and customer service
- Electric Pallet Jack, 9%
Operated heavy machinery required to complete customer orders including electric pallet jack and forklift.
- Tractor Trailer, 6%
Unloaded tractor trailers and general warehouse work
- Safety Procedures, 4%
Practiced safety procedures following company guidelines and regulations.
Common skills that an unloader uses to do their job include "pallets," "work ethic," and "customer service." You can find details on the most important unloader responsibilities below.
Hand-eye coordination. One of the key soft skills for an unloader to have is hand-eye coordination. You can see how this relates to what unloaders do because "most hand laborers and material movers use their arms and hands to manipulate objects or move objects into specific positions." Additionally, an unloader resume shows how unloaders use hand-eye coordination: "worked in coordination with customers and fts delivery to provide prompt quality service. "
Listening skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling unloader duties is listening skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "hand laborers and material movers follow instructions that a supervisor gives them." According to an unloader resume, here's how unloaders can utilize listening skills in their job responsibilities: "communicated with the drivers for paperwork organized the carpet from size unloaded semi trucks"
Physical strength. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of unloaders is physical strength. This skill is critical to many everyday unloader duties, as "some hand laborers and material movers must be able to lift and carry heavy objects." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "unload freight from inbound trailers using power equipment or by physically unloading it. "
Customer-service skills. For certain unloader responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "customer-service skills." The day-to-day duties of an unloader rely on this skill, as "hand laborers and material movers who work with the public, such as grocery baggers or carwash attendants, must be pleasant and courteous to customers." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what unloaders do: "unload and stock merchandise to be delivered to customers or home depot dept stores. "
The three companies that hire the most unloaders are:
- Capstone Logistics38 unloaders jobs
- Sysco25 unloaders jobs
- Staffmark16 unloaders jobs
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Compare different unloaders
Unloader vs. 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. They manage, organize, and retrieve supplies and others. These workers need to have skills in speed, accuracy, and prioritizing tasks on site. They should also be equipped with skills in forklift, loading, and general labor.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between unloaders and warehouseman. For instance, unloader responsibilities require skills such as "work ethic," "strong work ethic," "customer service," and "sales floor." Whereas a warehouseman is skilled in "basic math," "forklift operation," "logistics," and "customer orders." This is part of what separates the two careers.
Warehousemen tend to reach similar levels of education than unloaders. In fact, warehousemen are 1.2% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.1% more likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Unloader vs. Freight team associate
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. Forklift operators are responsible for loading and unloading cargo, operating the machine to ensure that the cargo reaches its destination, and complying with safety protocols. They are also in-charge of maintenance work on the machine and reporting any challenges or issues that may be encountered. Forklift operators must be physically fit and alert at all times.
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, unloader responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "pallets," "work ethic," "strong work ethic," and "tractor trailer." Meanwhile, a freight team associate has duties that require skills in areas such as "store shelves," "store merchandise," "forklifts," and "customer demand." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
In general, freight team associates achieve similar levels of education than unloaders. They're 0.6% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Unloader vs. Fork truck operator
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from unloader resumes include skills like "work ethic," "strong work ethic," "customer service," and "electric pallet jack," whereas a fork truck operator is more likely to list skills in "load trailers," "pallet jack," "fork trucks," and "fifo. "
Fork truck operators make a very good living in the finance industry with an average annual salary of $37,114. On the other hand, unloaders are paid the highest salary in the transportation industry, with average annual pay of $37,212.When it comes to education, fork truck operators tend to earn similar degree levels compared to unloaders. In fact, they're 0.1% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.0% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Unloader vs. Forklift operator
Types of unloader
Updated January 8, 2025
