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How to hire a warehouse helper

Warehouse helper hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring warehouse helpers in the United States:

  • The median cost to hire a warehouse helper is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • HR departments typically allocate 15% of their budget towards recruitment efforts.
  • Small businesses spend $1,105 per warehouse helper on training each year, while large companies spend $658.
  • It takes approximately 12 weeks for a new employee to reach full productivity levels.
  • There are a total of 652,023 warehouse helpers in the US, and there are currently 135,870 job openings in this field.
  • Baytown, TX, has the highest demand for warehouse helpers, with 5 job openings.

How to hire a warehouse helper, step by step

To hire a warehouse helper, you should create an ideal candidate profile, determine a budget, and post and promote your job. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire a warehouse helper:

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

    Before you start hiring a warehouse helper, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    Hiring the perfect warehouse 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.

    This list shows salaries for various types of warehouse helpers.

    Type of Warehouse HelperDescriptionHourly rate
    Warehouse HelperHand 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.$12-17
    Loader/UnloaderA 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
    StackerA stacker operates machines to fit lumber stacks. These machines include conveyer chains, mechanical hands, and rollers... Show more$10-18
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Pallets
    • Pallet Jack
    • Safety Rules
    • Delivery Truck
    • Warehouse Environment
    • Filling Orders
    • Delivery Vehicle
    • CDL
    • Inventory Control
    • Purchase Orders
    • Electric Marking Tools
    • Clean Warehouse
    • Hand Trucks
    • Customer Orders
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Reconfigure WMS to manage company's new multi-brand strategy.
    • Prepare pallets by following prescribe stacking arrangement and properly tagging pallets.
    • Work distribution in association with several delivery companies including FedEx.
    More warehouse helper duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your warehouse helper job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A warehouse helper 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 warehouse helper in Kentucky may be lower than in Alaska, and an entry-level warehouse helper usually earns less than a senior-level warehouse helper. Additionally, a warehouse helper 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 warehouse helper salary

    $15.17hourly

    $31,560 yearly

    Entry-level warehouse helper salary
    $26,000 yearly salary
    Updated January 30, 2026

    Average warehouse helper salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1Alaska$39,013$19
    2Washington$38,989$19
    3Colorado$37,471$18
    4California$34,218$16
    5Minnesota$33,505$16
    6Ohio$33,111$16
    7Rhode Island$32,920$16
    8New Mexico$32,913$16
    9New Hampshire$32,879$16
    10Wisconsin$32,867$16
    11Utah$31,973$15
    12Idaho$31,522$15
    13Tennessee$30,484$15
    14Texas$29,963$14
    15South Carolina$29,745$14
    16New York$29,677$14
    17North Carolina$29,445$14
    18Florida$28,697$14
    19Indiana$28,026$13
    20Georgia$26,085$13

    Average warehouse helper salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1Quality Aluminum Products$36,065$17.341
    2Comfort Systems USA$34,829$16.746
    3Orange County$33,296$16.011
    4Wanzek Construction$33,248$15.98
    5Chase Brass and Copper$33,044$15.895
    6Royal Manufacturing$32,726$15.73
    7Carter Lumber$32,673$15.7132
    8Ziegler CAT$32,618$15.687
    9ABB$32,429$15.5911
    10Bechtel Corporation$32,309$15.5345
    11Trane$32,271$15.5139
    12Black & Veatch$32,138$15.454
    13Conway$32,044$15.41
    14Zachry Group$32,020$15.3910
    15Performance Contracting$32,002$15.39
    16CentiMark$31,944$15.3649
    17MasTec$31,866$15.3226
    18Jordan's Furniture$31,779$15.284
    19Builder Specialties$31,739$15.26
    20LKQ$31,620$15.2070
  4. Writing a warehouse helper job description

    A warehouse helper 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. Below, you can find an example of a warehouse helper job description:

    Warehouse helper job description example

    Quality Parts Supply- Bruceville, Texas 76630

    HIRING Warehouse Help IMMEDIATELY

    The ability to loading and unloading delivery vehicles, by hand or with a forklift truck. · Checking for damaged or missing items and then sorting with minimal supervision.

    Responsibilities & Requirements :

    · Weighing out metal ingots and scrap metal, loading metal and removing metal, using controls to regulate fuel and airflow, tending to other duties as needed

    · Prepares and maintains records and reports accurately.

    · Performs other related duties as required.

    · High school education or equivalent preferred.

    · Must possess the ability to work in a fast-paced environment.

    · Must be knowledgeable of safety practices and procedures.

    · Must work independently and as a member of team

    Mental and Physical Requirements :

    • Able to work under stressful conditions at times.
    • Strong work ethics of integrity and honesty striving for excellence in all activities employing accompanying communication.
    • Dependability, reliability, fulfilling responsibilities.
    • Able to pass background checks, drug tests, and medical screens including physical and other job-related screens such as ability to lift heavy objects.

    Starting pay is $15-25.00 hour with great benefits including health, dental, life and 401(K).

    Send resume to HR

    @qualitypartssupply.com

    Company DescriptionWe have been in business for over forty years, our company has grown to almost 100 employees with over 500,000 square feet of building space on 40 acres. We are a full-line core supplier and carry quality rebuildable auto parts shipping regularly to companies all across the United States and to ten different countries. With our professional and courteous staff, our products and your satisfaction are guaranteed.

    Our newest division, Quality Recycling, provides an outlet for companies, large and small, to process recyclable materials, both ferrous and non-ferrous, preventing waste of potentially useful materials and benefitting the environment.
  5. Post your job

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

    Your first interview with warehouse helper candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

    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 warehouse helper

    Once you have selected a candidate for the warehouse 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 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 employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is 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.)
    Sign up to download full list

How much does it cost to hire a warehouse helper?

Before you start to hire warehouse helpers, it pays to consider both the one-off costs like recruitment, job promotion, and onboarding, as well as the ongoing costs of an employee's salary and benefits. While most companies that hire warehouse helpers pay close attention to the initial cost of hiring, ongoing costs are much more significant in the long run.

You can expect to pay around $31,560 per year for a warehouse helper, as this is the median yearly salary nationally. This can vary depending on what state or city you're hiring in. If you're hiring for contract work or on a per-project basis, hourly rates for warehouse helpers in the US typically range between $12 and $17 an hour.

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