How to hire a Baker

How to hire a baker, step by step

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

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

What does a Baker do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your baker 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 baker 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

   A baker's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, bakers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of bakers.

   Type Of Baker	Description	Hourly Rate
   Baker	Bakers mix ingredients according to recipes to make breads, pastries, and other baked goods.	$10-19
   Deli/Bakery Clerk	A deli/bakery clerk assists customers by taking and preparing orders, ensuring efficiency and customer satisfaction. They may also help customers by answering inquiries, accepting requests, offering other products and services, processing payments, and handling issues and concerns efficiently and professionally... Show More	$12-18
   Bakery Clerk	A bakery clerk is an employee who is responsible for running the bakery department of supermarkets, boutique bakeries, or baking facilities. Bakery clerks are usually tasked to manage the bakery's cash register, bagging baked goods and then taking customers' payments... Show More	$11-16

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common Skills:

   • Excellent Organizational
   • Cleanliness
   • Food Preparation
   • Quality Standards
   • Food Handling
   • Safety Regulations
   • Basic Math
   • Culinary
   • Customer Orders
   • Math
   • Bagels
   • Kitchen Equipment
   • Customer Service
   • Spoons

   Check All Skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage inventory of ingredients and culinary supplies.
   • Prepare foods for cafeteria and patients, operate cash register in cafeteria, sanitize food preparation and service areas.
   • Operate industrial ovens and stoves.
   • Help selling merchandise and run the store.
   • Gain valuable experience in servicing VIP requests.
   • Assist customers, run register, stock goods.

   More Baker duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, bakers' average salary in mississippi is 46% less than in new hampshire.
   • Seniority. Entry-level bakers 49% less than senior-level bakers.
   • Certifications. A baker 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 baker's salary.

   Average baker salary

   $14.25hourly

   $29,640 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level baker salary

   $21,000 yearly salary

   Updated March 27, 2025

   Average baker salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. Salary	Hourly Rate
   1	New Hampshire	$36,888	$18
   2	Massachusetts	$36,274	$17
   3	Maine	$35,085	$17
   4	District of Columbia	$34,889	$17
   5	New York	$34,864	$17
   6	Washington	$31,936	$15
   7	California	$31,452	$15
   8	Delaware	$30,571	$15
   9	Minnesota	$29,898	$14
   10	Oregon	$29,565	$14
   11	Virginia	$28,919	$14
   12	Wisconsin	$28,815	$14
   13	Illinois	$28,331	$14
   14	Colorado	$28,110	$14
   15	Arizona	$27,093	$13
   16	Tennessee	$26,717	$13
   17	Ohio	$26,594	$13
   18	Florida	$26,095	$13
   19	Nevada	$25,197	$12
   20	Utah	$24,902	$12

   Average baker salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average Salary	Hourly Rate	Job Openings
   1	University of Massachusetts Boston	$50,214	$24.14
   2	University of California-Berkeley	$41,308	$19.86
   3	Massachusetts General Hospital	$38,589	$18.55
   4	UMass Lowell	$37,667	$18.11
   5	Costco Wholesale	$37,541	$18.05	14
   6	Target	$36,521	$17.56	52
   7	Bank of America	$36,305	$17.45
   8	Global Partners	$36,103	$17.36	1
   9	University of California	$36,042	$17.33
   10	P&R Enterprises	$34,978	$16.82
   11	University of Wisconsin System	$34,896	$16.78
   12	Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts	$34,713	$16.69	4
   13	The N&D Group	$34,655	$16.66
   14	PCC Community Markets	$34,579	$16.62	2
   15	United Natural Foods	$34,576	$16.62	4
   16	McMenamins Pubs & Breweries	$34,359	$16.52
   17	Arden Group	$34,313	$16.50
   18	Vallarta Supermarkets	$34,310	$16.50	9
   19	Bristol Farms	$34,270	$16.48	1
   20	Hyatt Hotels	$34,251	$16.47	1

4. Writing a Baker Job Description

   A good baker 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 baker job description:

   Baker job description example

   Gelson’s Markets is recognized as one of the nations’ premiere supermarket chains, founded in 1951 as an
   
   extraordinary grocery shopping experience for discerning consumers. Each location is singularly recognized as the area’s best market for superior products and exceptional service. Exceptional customer service skills are important to ensure our ability to fulfill our mission statement: “To make shopping anywhere else unacceptable for consumers who value quality products, cleanliness, convenience, and personal service.” Gelson’s is always looking for friendly, outgoing individuals who enjoy serving the public in a retail setting.
   
   The Gelson’s Markets Baker must have experience working in a retail bakery environment. Our Bakers must show good artistic ability, appreciate the necessity for speed and accuracy and have experience with frying, glazing and filling donuts, icing sweet rolls, sweet breads and cookies. Our Bakers are responsible for preparing all dough and scratch baking mixtures, operating mixers, loading and unloading ovens and are expected to know proper temperatures and duration to bake all varieties of products. The Gelson’s Market Baker must be thoroughly knowledgeable and familiar with the methods and procedures for performing all baking tasks. The position may also require lifting up to 70 pounds by carrying bulk containers of flour, sugar, lard and other materials and frequently exert or lift moderate amounts of weight. Keeping all bakery ingredients or merchandise rotated in accordance with store policy and product code dates is crucial.
   
   As a Gelson’s Markets Baker you will come in direct contact with our customers. Excellent customer service,
   
   attentive listening and resourceful assistance are crucial. The ability to interact and communicate effectively with
   
   customers and all levels of staff within Gelson’s markets is mandatory. The Gelson’s Baker must possess
   strong teamwork and interpersonal skills.
   All bakery department positions start at part time. Pay rate will be dependent on experience. Physical requirements: Walking, Standing, Bending, Climbing and Twisting. Hand manipulation required such as, simple grasping, power grasping, pushing and pulling and fine manipulation. Reaching above the shoulder Reaching below the shoulder Lifting 10 to 50 lbs. Working near hazardous equipment (Ovens and mixers) Exposure to noise and extremes in temperature (Ovens and walk-in freezers)

   Copy This Example

   

5. Post your job

   To find bakers 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 bakers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level bakers 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 baker job on Zippia to find and recruit baker 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 bakers, 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.

   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 baker

   Once you've decided on a perfect baker candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your 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.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new baker. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

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 baker?