How to hire a Production Worker

How to hire a production worker, step by step

Here's a step-by-step production worker hiring guide:

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

What does a Production Worker do?

Post A Production Worker Job For Free, Promote It For A Fee

Post Free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a production worker, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or 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 production worker 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 production worker that fits the bill.

   This list shows salaries for various types of production workers.

   Type Of Production Worker	Description	Hourly Rate
   Production Worker	A Production Worker operates and maintains equipment in a factory or warehouse. They assemble finished products, inspect products to meet quality standards, ensure that all machinery runs smoothly, and help with the shipment of items.	$11-18
   Pack Out Operator	A pack out operator is a manufacturing or packaging operation employee responsible for the final packaging of goods prior to shipping. Pack out operators come in at the last stage of the manufacturing process to ensure readiness... Show More	$12-20
   Stacker	A stacker operates machines to fit lumber stacks. These machines include conveyer chains, mechanical hands, and rollers... Show More	$10-18

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common Skills:

   • Production Process
   • Safety Procedures
   • Assembly Line
   • Basic Math
   • Quality Standards
   • Pallet Jack
   • Safety Rules
   • Quality Checks
   • Safety Policies
   • Machine Operators
   • Production Equipment
   • Steel-Toed Boots
   • GMP
   • Safety Regulations

   Check All Skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage and instruct workers in the art of food preparation as culinary team leader.
   • Require to know safe food practices like HACCP, and knowing USDA and FDA guidelines when handling and storing foods.
   • Use scribers, dividers, and squares to mark dimensions on material.
   • Produce glace, demi-glace and elite culinary sauces.
   • Handle parts that run off conveyors and are send for painting.
   • Operate large grinders, run high heat ovens, inspect and paint parts, packaging.

   More Production Worker duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, production workers' average salary in florida is 34% less than in washington.
   • Seniority. Entry-level production workers 37% less than senior-level production workers.
   • Certifications. A production worker 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 production worker's salary.

   Average production worker salary

   $14.83hourly

   $30,847 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level production worker salary

   $24,000 yearly salary

   Updated March 14, 2025

   Average production worker salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. Salary	Hourly Rate
   1	Washington	$36,503	$18
   2	New York	$33,966	$16
   3	Oregon	$33,722	$16
   4	New Hampshire	$33,508	$16
   5	Maine	$33,408	$16
   6	Minnesota	$33,241	$16
   7	Maryland	$33,060	$16
   8	Ohio	$32,698	$16
   9	Missouri	$32,693	$16
   10	Colorado	$32,690	$16
   11	Illinois	$32,310	$16
   12	Wisconsin	$31,623	$15
   13	Indiana	$31,165	$15
   14	Iowa	$31,017	$15
   15	Arizona	$30,910	$15
   16	South Dakota	$30,272	$15
   17	Nebraska	$30,242	$15
   18	Pennsylvania	$30,026	$14
   19	Michigan	$29,182	$14
   20	South Carolina	$28,887	$14

   Average production worker salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average Salary	Hourly Rate	Job Openings
   1	BD	$41,598	$20.00	13
   2	United Natural Foods	$40,504	$19.47	7
   3	Anomatic	$40,453	$19.45	4
   4	Dairy Farmers of America	$39,695	$19.08	57
   5	The Clorox Company	$39,197	$18.84	8
   6	Novelis	$39,134	$18.81	8
   7	PPG	$38,984	$18.74	13
   8	Vista Outdoor	$38,839	$18.67	1
   9	Owens Corning	$38,793	$18.65	23
   10	Rich Products	$38,777	$18.64	8
   11	Schneider Electric Industrial Services	$38,683	$18.60	25
   12	Amcor	$38,660	$18.59	51
   13	Siemens	$38,656	$18.58	18
   14	Igloo Coolers	$38,646	$18.58
   15	Raytheon Technologies	$38,366	$18.45	7
   16	McCormick & Company	$38,354	$18.44	4
   17	West Liberty Foods	$38,253	$18.39
   18	PepsiCo	$38,209	$18.37	25
   19	K&N	$38,174	$18.35	1
   20	Seneca Foods	$38,158	$18.35	4

4. Writing a Production Worker Job Description

   A job description for a production worker 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 production worker job description:

   Production Worker job description example

   HELLO FRESH - Warehouse Production Associate - $17.00 - $19.50/hr (Full-time and Part-time openings)
   Manpower has proudly partnered with Hello Fresh in (Aurora, CO) and they are looking for hardworking, motivated talent to join their team. With their brand new, state of the art facility, it is a great environment to work in! Don't wait… apply today!
   
   What's in it for you?
   
   $17.00 - $19.50/hour Morning, Day and Evening shifts available, including weekend shifts with pay differential Full-time and Part-time positions available Clean and safe work environment What will you be doing? As a Production Associate at Hello Fresh, you'll: Follow guidelines for proper assembly and production of food kit boxes on the assembly line; Respectfully support and follow direction from all managers and supervisors about line performance Report defective materials or questionable conditions to the Quality Assurance or Supervisor
   What do you bring?
   
   Positive, can-do attitude Follow guidelines for proper assembly and production of food kit boxes on the assembly line Respectfully support and follow direction from all managers and supervisors about line performance Report defective materials or questionable conditions to the Quality Assurance or Supervisor Why should you choose Manpower? Free training to upgrade your skills, including a free college tuition program Medical, dental, vision, 401k Weekly pay with direct deposit 24/7 Manpower customer care support Dedicated Career Partner to help you achieve your career goals Voted #1 best places to work by Glassdoor 2021
   Are you Interested?
   Stop your job search and apply today! A recruiter will be in touch within 24 hours.
   Share this job with friends and family and earn dollars with every successful hire.
   ManpowerGroup recognizes the importance of providing an accessible and barrier-free environment. We are committed to creating a welcoming, fair and inclusive environment by offering equal opportunity to access our services. At ManpowerGroup, we are committed to providing accommodations, and will work with you to meet your needs.

   Copy This Example

   

5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting production workers 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.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete 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 production worker

   Once you've selected the best production worker 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.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new production worker. 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.)

   Sign Up To Download Full List

   Sign Up

How much does it cost to hire a production worker?