How to hire a warehouse receiving

How to hire a warehouse receiving, step by step

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

What does a warehouse receiving do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your warehouse receiving 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 a warehouse receiving 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 a warehouse receiving 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 a warehouse receiving that fits the bill.

   This list presents warehouse receiving salaries for various positions.

   Type of Warehouse Receiving	Description	Hourly rate
   Warehouse Receiving	Material recording clerks track product information in order to keep businesses and supply chains on schedule. They ensure proper scheduling, recordkeeping, and inventory control.	$12-18
   Shipping And Receiving Coordinator	A Shipping and Receiving Coordinator oversees the shipment and deliveries of products in a warehouse or organization. One must have an efficient organization, and communication skills as most of the duties include shipping and receiving merchandise and maintain accurate and proactive control of inventory... Show more	$12-18
   Shipping And Receiving Clerk	Shipping and receiving clerks manage all incoming and outgoing packages in a warehouse or logistics facility. They ensure that all outgoing packages are packed accurately based on the order form and secured properly based on company standards... Show more	$13-18

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Pallets
   • Warehouse Receiver
   • Purchase Orders
   • Shipping Receiving
   • Load Trucks
   • Warehouse Environment
   • Basic Math
   • Computer System
   • Math
   • Work Ethic
   • Electric Pallet Jack
   • Safety Regulations
   • OSHA
   • Inventory Control

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Rotate stock base on FIFO.
   • Input product inventory in WMS system.
   • Enter locations of stock into WMS.
   • Receive and organize merchandise ensuring pallets are safely accessible.
   • Maintain clean and sanitary operating environment; responsible for maintaining cleanliness of receiving area including loading dock and trash areas.
   • Follow procedures for damage merchandise and UPC problems

   More warehouse receiving duties

3. Make a budget

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

   $15.78hourly

   $32,814 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level warehouse receiving salary

   $27,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average warehouse receiving salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Minnesota	$35,497	$17
   2	New York	$35,214	$17
   3	California	$35,100	$17
   4	Washington	$34,988	$17
   5	New Jersey	$34,892	$17
   6	Arizona	$34,105	$16
   7	Colorado	$33,502	$16
   8	Indiana	$33,470	$16
   9	Pennsylvania	$33,435	$16
   10	Oklahoma	$33,428	$16
   11	Virginia	$33,299	$16
   12	Missouri	$33,165	$16
   13	Oregon	$32,677	$16
   14	Kentucky	$32,436	$16
   15	Tennessee	$32,323	$16
   16	Kansas	$32,286	$16
   17	North Carolina	$32,134	$15
   18	Texas	$31,817	$15
   19	Florida	$31,816	$15
   20	Alabama	$31,687	$15

   Average warehouse receiving salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Daimler Trucks North America	$39,207	$18.85	4
   2	AKT	$39,066	$18.78
   3	United Natural Foods	$38,724	$18.62	18
   4	Clean Harbors	$38,411	$18.47	27
   5	Henkel	$37,456	$18.01	22
   6	Agilent Technologies	$37,123	$17.85	2
   7	Johns Manville	$36,746	$17.67	4
   8	Staples	$36,574	$17.58	90
   9	UPS	$36,267	$17.44	90
   10	Sysco	$35,931	$17.27	101
   11	MOI	$35,930	$17.27
   12	Medline	$35,839	$17.23	74
   13	Optimum Nutrition	$35,831	$17.23	14
   14	TPI	$35,745	$17.19	18
   15	VisionCorp Rep	$35,397	$17.02	4
   16	Shoppers Food	$35,340	$16.99
   17	Huttig Building Products	$35,242	$16.94	8
   18	McLane	$35,216	$16.93	67
   19	OrePac Building Products	$35,143	$16.90
   20	HPS Partners	$34,972	$16.81

4. Writing a warehouse receiving job description

   A job description for a warehouse receiving role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a warehouse receiving job description:

   Warehouse receiving job description example

   Pet Food Experts is the leading distributor of pet food and supplies to independent retailers in the US. We are looking for full time Warehouse Receiver to join our Distribution Center in Cumberland, RI!
   
   By creating a supportive culture that embraces teamwork and individuality, Pet Food Experts isn't just a team - we are a family of pet lovers passionate about supporting our customers coast-to-coast!
   
   Full Time Employee Benefits & Perks:
   No scheduled weekends and 4 day work week! Employee Referral Bonus $500.00 Full benefits package (medical, dental and vision), PTO, 401(k) Safety Footwear Reimbursement Overtime pay for hours worked in excess of 40 hours/week Paid Holidays Employee discount on pet food & supplies Sign-on Bonus $500.00 (after 30 days initial payment of $250.00, at 90 days final payment of $250.00)
   Compensation: $17/hr.
   
   Schedule: 4 Day Work Week-exact schedule will be determined during interview process
   
   1st shift, 4 am - 2 pm flexibility required.
   
   RECEIVERS
   
   Our Warehouse Teams accurately replenish product or fulfill customer orders by selecting, moving and loading products (e.g. bags of dog/cat food, cases of cans, litter) from warehousing racks and storage areas onto pallets both manually and operating warehouse equipment.
   
   Essential Functions/Requirements:
   Safely and solely bend, lift, move materials up to 50 lbs. repetitively and continuously throughout shift, manually and by operating warehousing equipment Build pallets accurately, properly, and efficiently to ensure product is not damaged upon delivery to our customers Candidate must be able to read, write and understand English, including identifying numbers Perform functions, accountabilities and supporting activities while complying with safety procedures, rules and regulations Candidate must have reliable transportation, flexible schedule, solid attendance and a positive, professional attitude Some positions may require the candidate be assigned to the walk-in freezer. This requires the ability to work in temperatures at or below -5 degrees F for long periods of time while wearing required personal protective equipment provided by the company
   Skills/Knowledge:
   Experience in safely operating warehouse equipment (e.g. forklift, pallet jack, high reach truck), preferred High degree of skill and dexterity in operation and safe control of warehouse equipment Strong attention to detail and accuracy required Experience and certification for an electric pallet jack, a plus Experience with Infor WMS, a plus
   *Any offers of employment are contingent upon passing a required background check
   
   If you are qualified and excited about our opportunities, please apply by clicking on "Start Your Application" below or visit our website www.petfoodexperts.com and click on our Careers page to complete an application. We are not able to speak to all applicants personally, however, if we would like to reach you, we will contact you directly. Thank you for your interest!
   
   Pet Food Experts is an equal opportunity employer. Pet Food Experts does not discriminate in employment on account of race, color, religion, national origin, citizenship status, ancestry, age, sex (including sexual harassment), sexual orientation, marital status, physical or mental disability, military status or unfavorable discharge from military service.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right warehouse receiving for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your warehouse receiving job on Zippia to find and recruit warehouse receiving 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 warehouse receivings, 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.

   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 warehouse receiving

   Once you have selected a candidate for the warehouse receiving 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 good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new warehouse receiving. 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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How much does it cost to hire a warehouse receiving?