How to hire a watchman

How to hire a watchman, step by step

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

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The watchman hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   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 watchman 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 watchman that fits the bill.

   This list shows salaries for various types of watchmen.

   Type of Watchman	Description	Hourly rate
   Watchman	Security guards and gaming surveillance officers patrol and protect property against theft, vandalism, terrorism, and illegal activity.	$12-22
   Non-Commissioned Officer	A non-commissioned officer (NCO) is responsible for maintaining peace and order during military operations and training. Non-commissioned officers' duties include leading soldiers' training for military operations, responding to the soldiers' concerns that involve their physical and mental well-being, and utilizing military equipment and tools properly while following strict regulatory procedures... Show more	$37-68
   Security Supervisor	A security supervisor is in charge of coordinating and overseeing the security staff in a building or within a designated area. Their responsibilities focus on devising strategies, appointing personnel, and implementing protocols that would ensure the safety of an establishment, goods, and the people inside... Show more	$13-28

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Patrol
   • Security Rounds
   • Emergency Situations
   • Property Damage
   • Fire Hazards
   • Security Checks
   • Fire Alarms
   • Incident Reports
   • Security Cameras
   • Local Law Enforcement
   • Telephone Calls
   • General Maintenance
   • Water Pipes
   • CPR

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Patrol hallways making sure all exits are secure throughout the night while the main security system are being repair.
   • Provide temporary elevator and patrol security to assist in client maintenance outage at local power plant facility.
   • Maintain a standard of punctuality and dependability of attendance and retain myself cleanliness, tidiness, neatness and appropriately attire.
   • Station as the VIP host, make sure all high end clients are exceptionally service.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your watchman job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A watchman can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, watchmen' average salary in mississippi is 49% less than in alaska.
   • Seniority. Entry-level watchmen 45% less than senior-level watchmen.
   • Certifications. A watchman with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a watchman's salary.

   Average watchman salary

   $35,290yearly

   $16.97 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level watchman salary

   $26,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 21, 2025

4. Writing a watchman job description

   A watchman 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. To help get you started, here's an example of a watchman job description:

   Watchman job description example

   • Be on duty and patrol the feedyard from 5:30pm until 6:00am.
   • Prevent illegal entry and oversee who comes and goes from a building or the premises
   • Provide customer service as necessary as loads enter and exit the yard
   • Receive incoming cattle and commodities as needed
   • Move cattle into pens
   • Make ear tags for upcoming processing
   • Maintain proper pen environments, feed levels, and water conditions
   • Perform Night time feed checks
   • Check water systems and wells
   • Verify safe working conditions throughout the facility
   • Watch for nuisance wildlife
   • Be alert to and aware of any impending severe weather
   • Report all emergency situations immediately
   • Notify the appropriate facility staff and supervisor immediately upon observation of anything out of the ordinary, and carry out all instructions given by the staff and/or supervisor.

   The Employer retains the right to change or assign other duties to this position.

   Profile / Professional Competencies

   Specific Knowledge:

   • Use security and safety equipment, such as video cameras, phones and other surveillance tools.
   • Must be willing to work nights, weekends and holidays
   • Must be able to sit, stand or walk for long periods of time
   • Strong attention to detail
   • Good communication skills
   • This position also does general housekeeping duties
   • Mechanical ability

   Minimum Experience Required:

   • Experience with livestock

   Position Requirements

   Special Conditions / Requirements:

   • Livestock handling, trespassers, and vehicular traffic
   • Some exposure to weather
   • Operation of Heavy Equipment

   Tools Utilized:

   It is our policy to provide equal employment opportunities and we will not unlawfully consider any factors of race, religion, age, creed, national origin, gender, disability veteran status or any and all other unlawful biases regarding federal, state or local laws with regard to workers or applicants.

   Friona Industries participates in E-Verify. We will provide the U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) and, if necessary, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) with information from each new employer’s Form I-9 to confirm work authorization.

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5. Post your job

   To find watchmen for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any watchmen they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level watchmen with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your watchman job on Zippia to find and recruit watchman candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit watchmen, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates 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 watchman

   Once you've selected the best watchman 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 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.

   To prepare for the new watchman 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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