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How to hire a yardman

Yardman hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring yardmen in the United States:

  • HR departments typically spend 15% of their expenses on recruitment.
  • It usually takes about 12 weeks for a new employee to reach full productivity levels.
  • It typically takes 36-42 days to fill a job opening.
  • The median cost to hire a yardman is $1,633.
  • Small businesses spend an average of $1,105 per yardman on training each year, while large companies spend $658.
  • There are currently 14,653 yardmen in the US and 918 job openings.
  • Kansas City, MO, has the highest demand for yardmen, with 4 job openings.
  • New York, NY has the highest concentration of yardmen.

How to hire a yardman, step by step

To hire a yardman, 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 yardman:

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

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

    First, determine the employments status of the yardman you need to hire. Certain yardman roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

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

    Hiring the perfect yardman 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.

    Here's a comparison of yardman salaries for various roles:

    Type of YardmanDescriptionHourly rate
    YardmanHand 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.$11-26
    Dock WorkerPeople working in the docks are collectively called dock workers. Their primary job is to load and unload ships... Show more$13-20
    MoverMovers help people take or move things from one place to another through their physical strength. They work manually to help customers in their businesses or homes... Show more$12-20
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • CDL
    • Pallets
    • Basic Math
    • Cranes
    • Safety Procedures
    • Customer Service
    • Delivery Truck
    • Building Materials
    • Rakes
    • Customer Vehicles
    • Load Trucks
    • Rental Equipment
    • DOT
    • Front End Loader
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Maintain residential yards by weekly mowing and edge yard.
    • General lawn care including mowing, mulching, weeding, tree and bush trimming and landscaping.
    • Used sweepers and buckets on the bobcat to sweep and clean the yard and parking lots.
    • Clean stockyard, shop and masonry plant snow removal with bobcat in yard and around g rounds.
    • Load orders into trailers for shipment; coordinate cross-dock operations and load consolidations.
    • Work in TDR - check landing gear of trailers and make sure its safe for associates.
    More yardman duties
  3. Make a budget

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

    $36,927yearly

    $17.75 hourly rate

    Entry-level yardman salary
    $24,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 23, 2025

    Average yardman salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1New York$49,761$24
    2Rhode Island$45,979$22
    3Wisconsin$43,860$21
    4Pennsylvania$40,652$20
    5Michigan$38,278$18
    6Montana$36,403$18
    7Oregon$33,285$16
    8Missouri$32,461$16
    9California$29,237$14
    10Florida$26,481$13
    11New Mexico$22,435$11

    Average yardman salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1Riverhead Building Supply$49,115$23.6115
    2Steel Dynamics$45,087$21.68
    3CRST International$42,850$20.6010
    4Smithfield Foods$39,818$19.14
    5Roland Machinery Co$38,229$18.38
    6Gypsum Management and Supply$36,507$17.55
    7MasTec$34,414$16.55
    8Cemex$34,089$16.391
    9S.T. Wooten$33,931$16.31
    10PeopleReady$32,534$15.64
    11POOL$32,104$15.43
    12Albuquerque Academy$24,081$11.589
  4. Writing a yardman job description

    A good yardman 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 yardman job description:

    Yardman job description example

    1. Successfully operate the 750, HD, and 500 cranes and other yard equipment to properly load and unload trucks and move equipment as necessary.
    2. Safely rigging material with finished products.
    3. Maintain a clean and organized yard.
    4. Visually inspect equipment prior to shipment.
    5. Inspecting equipment on all returns, noting any lost and/or damaged equipment on the return paperwork not previously noted.
    6. Returning equipment to the proper yard location (i.e. maintenance, damaged, rent ready, etc).
    7. Successfully completed, understood and daily practice of all required safety and training.
    8. Perform daily inspection and maintenance on yard equipment and tools.
    9. Ensure compliance in all safety, health, and environmental regulations, policies and procedures for a goal of zero incidents and injuries; Assist in delivering required training to ensure that all coworkers have the necessary skills to perform their jobs properly and safely.
    10. Communicate consistently on all activities to appropriate individuals (internal & external).
    11. Maintain ongoing communication and adhere to all Companywide policies to eliminate and/or reduce exposure to liability.
    12. Special projects or work as assigned.

    Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

    Additional Responsibilities:

    1. General housekeeping of warehouse and exterior premises on a daily basis.
    2. Reporting of any unsafe acts.
    3. Attend all required safety meetings and training required.
    4. Perform other duties as assigned by the manager.

    Qualifications Guidelines

    Experience/Training/Education:

    Required: High School graduate, or equivalent, plus minimum 3-5 years of related experience, ability to read and understand parts and service manuals,

    Desired: College degree or Vocational training in mechanical, hydraulic and / or electronic assembly. Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) experience a plus. Knowledge of different cranes and material handling equipment. Crane operator certification. Knowledge of rigging.

    Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

    Requires knowledge of mechanical, hydraulic and electrical assemblies and testing experience; Requires an eye for detail. Ability to recognize all colors in a normal spectrum; basic knowledge of SPC fundamentals; thorough knowledge and understanding of applicable operating and documentation procedures and material flow. Skilled in the use of Microsoft Office products and other data systems; Ability to meet deadlines; to understand and follow written and verbal instructions; Ability to understand and follow posted work rules and procedures; ability to accept constructive criticism; ability to prioritize, organize, solve problems, and complete tasks independently; ability to lead, supervise and train others; ability to communicate effectively and work cooperatively with subordinates, members of management, vendors, and other employees.

    Physical and Environmental Elements:

    This is a production classification and employees work in a factory environment with exposure to noise and machinery. Accurate hand/eye coordination is required. Finger dexterity is required, as well as hand strength, with the ability to grasp, lift, push and pull. Work involves considerable standing, stooping, bending, or sitting for long periods of time. May lift parts weighing up to 50 pounds. ability to work in all elements including heat and cold.

    Lanco is an equal opportunity employer. All employment-related decisions, including but not limited to hiring, compensation, promotion, discipline (including termination), evaluation, training and development opportunities, etc., are made without discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender-related identity, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, religion, age, military status, protected disability, citizenship, genetic information or any other category protected by applicable law.

  5. Post your job

    To find yardmen 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 yardmen they would recommend.
    • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level yardmen 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 yardman job on Zippia to find and recruit yardman candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    Recruiting yardmen requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

    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 yardman

    Once you've selected the best yardman 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.

    You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

    To prepare for the new yardman 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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How much does it cost to hire a yardman?

Before you start to hire yardmen, 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 yardmen pay close attention to the initial cost of hiring, ongoing costs are much more significant in the long run.

The median annual salary for yardmen is $36,927 in the US. However, the cost of yardman hiring can vary a lot depending on location. Additionally, hiring a yardman for contract work or on a per-project basis typically costs between $11 and $26 an hour.

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