How to hire a warehouseman

How to hire a warehouseman, step by step

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

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your warehouseman 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 warehouseman 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

   Hiring the perfect warehouseman 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.

   The following list breaks down different types of warehousemen and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Warehouseman	Description	Hourly rate
   Warehouseman	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.	$14-20
   Material Handler/Forklift Operator	A material handler and forklift operator is responsible for transporting and storing various kinds of goods, even including fragile or hazardous shipments. The duties and location will vary depending on the line of work or industry involved... Show more	$13-21
   Material Handler	Material handlers are responsible for moving products, storing items, and managing supplies to proper shelf categories. A material handler also documents deliveries and ensures that all items for shipment are correct and free of any damage... Show more	$12-19

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Pallets
   • Safety Regulations
   • Electric Pallet Jack
   • Basic Math
   • Forklift Operation
   • Inventory Control
   • Safety Rules
   • Load Trucks
   • Logistics
   • Delivery Truck
   • Customer Orders
   • RF
   • Warehouse Equipment
   • Cycle Counts

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Load and unload hazardous materials for shipment to/from various states and countries verifying proper HAZMAT documents.
   • Follow all safety precautions during driving and work with GPS system for mapping.
   • Conduct all operations to diminish unfavorable environmental impacts for HAZMAT as outlined by OSHA.
   • Certify to operate different types of forklifts, RF scanner skills, cycle counting, shipping receiving ,
   • Scan outboard shipments using an RF scanner to calculate product count; assure proper shipment quantity and destination.
   • Warehouse position/delivery driver with CDL.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, warehousemen' average salary in louisiana is 36% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level warehousemen earn 29% less than senior-level warehousemen.
   • Certifications. A warehouseman 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 a warehouseman's salary.

   Average warehouseman salary

   $36,022yearly

   $17.32 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level warehouseman salary

   $30,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 24, 2026

4. Writing a warehouseman job description

   A good warehouseman 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 warehouseman job description:

   Warehouseman job description example

   Shift Schedule: Monday – Friday 6 am – 2 pm

   Pay rate: start at $22.00

   PLUS: $2500 Retention Bonus paid after 90 days on assignment

   Main responsibilities as a Warehouseman:

   · Responsible for loading bulk/package trucks, unloading tank cars, bulk trucks/ISO bins & package trucks.

   · Sample testing and all lab procedures.

   · Maintaining the production area, bulk, and package inventories.

   · Work with supervisory and administrative personnel to meet Safety, Health & Environmental requirements.

   · Maintain accurate book inventories, a high level of customer service, and efficient movement of finished products.

   This job might be an outstanding fit if you have :

   · Demonstrated Concern/Attention to Safety and adherence to safety procedures

   · Flexibility/Adaptability - Willingness to Learn

   · Ability to take initiative

   · Attention to detail (work accuracy)

   · Effective Communication Skills

   · Dependability (critical role - demonstrated ability to maintain acceptable attendance)

   Why you should apply to be a Warehouseman :

   • Join an environment of inclusion, diversity and integrity

   · Get great pay fast with Kelly (paid weekly) and access to outstanding Kelly perks and benefits (visit mykelly.us to learn more)

   · Unlimited career advancement opportunities

   What happens next
   Once you apply, you’ll proceed to next steps if your skills and experience look like a good fit. But don’t worry—even if this position doesn’t work out, you’re still part of our network. That means our recruiters will have access to your profile, expanding your opportunities even more.

   Helping you discover what’s next in your career is what we’re all about, so let’s get to work. Apply to be a Warehouseman today!

   
   

   Company DescriptionA career in motion is how you'll thrive and prosper. We work with tons of companies across the nation, and with our strong connections, we'll help take your career forward. At Kelly, we've been transforming ourselves for a while now - constantly striving to reach our full potential, so we can help you maximize yours. We'll help you find what's next.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right warehouseman 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 warehouseman job on Zippia to find and recruit warehouseman candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with warehouseman 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.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to 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 warehouseman

   Once you've selected the best warehouseman 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 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 warehouseman 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.)

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