How to hire a Forklift Operator

How to hire a forklift operator, step by step

Here's a step-by-step forklift operator hiring guide:

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

What does a Forklift Operator do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The forklift operator 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

   A forklift operator's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, forklift operators 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 presents forklift operator salaries for various positions.

   Type Of Forklift Operator	Description	Hourly Rate
   Forklift Operator	Material moving machine operators use machinery to transport various objects. Some operators move construction materials around building sites or excavate earth from a mine... Show More	$12-20
   Warehouse Machine Operator	Warehouse machine operators perform various tasks for their employers. These include setting up, operating, monitoring, and troubleshooting machinery, inspecting parts for specifications and any potential damage, and reading and interpreting diagrams and blueprints to position and secure the machines... Show More	$12-19
   Handle Machine Operator	A handle machine operator is responsible for operating production machines, conducting preventive maintenance, and ensuring optimal performance to prevent delays in orders or project deliverables. Handle machine operators analyze schematics and blueprints, inspect components for inconsistencies, replace defective parts, and upgrade systems as needed for higher operational efficiency... Show More	$11-17

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common Skills:

   • Pallets
   • Basic Math
   • Electric Pallet Jack
   • OSHA
   • Safety Procedures
   • Load Trucks
   • Sit-Down Forklift
   • RF Scanner
   • Forklift Training
   • Forklift Operation
   • Orderly Fashion
   • Stand-Up Forklift
   • Forklift Equipment
   • Physical Inventories

   Check All Skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Use automate systems and RF units to pull, put away and load customer product, in addition to managing inventory
   • Position forks under, over, or around load pallets, boxes, products, and transports load to designate area.
   • Transport raw materials to storage or point of production base on FIFO.
   • Remove press parts from line and place into WIP locations by FIFO.
   • Perform safety checks on machines; and troubleshoot problems during machine operation.
   • Start working as an order selector picking orders and wrapping for shipment.

   More Forklift Operator duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the forklift operator job description is a good way to get more applicants. A forklift operator salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a forklift operator in Texas may be lower than in North Dakota, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level forklift operator. Additionally, a forklift operator with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average forklift operator salary

   $16.45hourly

   $34,213 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level forklift operator salary

   $27,000 yearly salary

   Updated June 13, 2025

   Average forklift operator salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. Salary	Hourly Rate
   1	Minnesota	$39,103	$19
   2	Washington	$37,524	$18
   3	Oregon	$36,752	$18
   4	Wisconsin	$36,730	$18
   5	Utah	$36,515	$18
   6	New York	$36,279	$17
   7	California	$36,103	$17
   8	Colorado	$36,093	$17
   9	Maine	$35,609	$17
   10	Pennsylvania	$35,208	$17
   11	Illinois	$35,075	$17
   12	Iowa	$35,033	$17
   13	New Jersey	$34,987	$17
   14	Indiana	$34,338	$17
   15	Ohio	$34,187	$16
   16	Kansas	$34,096	$16
   17	Missouri	$34,064	$16
   18	Nebraska	$33,534	$16
   19	Arizona	$33,069	$16
   20	Virginia	$32,974	$16

   Average forklift operator salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average Salary	Hourly Rate	Job Openings
   1	DeWitt LLP Law Firm	$47,352	$22.77	4
   2	BD	$46,866	$22.53	16
   3	Nabors Industries	$45,758	$22.00	4
   4	Ventura Foods	$44,670	$21.48	12
   5	Kemps	$43,764	$21.04	10
   6	Schnitzer Steel	$43,631	$20.98
   7	Teleflex	$43,527	$20.93	10
   8	Dairy Farmers of America	$43,437	$20.88	85
   9	Seneca Foods	$43,395	$20.86	11
   10	Darigold	$43,370	$20.85	16
   11	Sierra Pacific Industries	$43,338	$20.84	4
   12	Koch Foods	$43,290	$20.81	1
   13	Sunsweet	$42,951	$20.65	2
   14	Red Gold	$42,914	$20.63	5
   15	Nestlé	$42,911	$20.63	108
   16	Fresh Express	$42,821	$20.59	21
   17	Nation Pizza	$42,677	$20.52
   18	CTI Foods	$42,532	$20.45
   19	American Woodmark	$42,303	$20.34	7
   20	Schneider Electric Industrial Services	$42,182	$20.28	5

4. Writing a Forklift Operator Job Description

   A job description for a forklift operator 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 forklift operator job description:

   Forklift Operator job description example

   **DIRECT HIRE 3rd shift Forklift Operator **

   **GREAT PAY / BENEFITS**

   The Material Handler is responsible for the movement of raw material within the plant to support the operations process by utilizing various equipment (forklift trucks) and inventory control systems. This position operates in a manufacturing environment.

   This is a 3rd Shift job opening, 11:00pm-7:30am

   ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

   • Reads product processing form or follows verbal instructions to move the correct materials to the appropriate locations and machines.

   • Loads materials into vehicles and installs required strapping, bracing, or padding to prevent product from shifting or becoming damaged in transit.

   • Enters lot tracking data into computer.

   • Compares product identification information and counts against daily pull sheets.

   • Prints labels and affixes shipping and special labels on cartons as required by customer.

   • Records shortages.

   • Assembles customer orders on pallet to meet customer needs.

   • Drives a variety of forklift trucks to move and store cartons on racks in warehouse.

   • Verifies and examines shipments for accuracy using hand-held scanner.

   • Moves product in and out of warehouse using first-in-first-out (FIFO) method.

   • Complies with safety and quality rules and policies.

   • Support department efforts to maintain a clean work area, machines, and equipment.

   • Assist machine operators as needed.

   • Perform other duties as assigned.

   MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

   • 1-2+ years’ experience driving different types of forklifts required

   • Ability to work in a fast paced environment

   • Knowledge and basic computer operation ability

   • Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide all units of measure and compute ratios and percentages

   • Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating, and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals

   • Ability to complete routine production and quality reports

   • Ability to lift up to 25 pounds

   • Understanding and compliance with safety rules and regulations

   • Strong verbal and written communication skills

   Benefits:

   • 401(k)

   • 401(k) matching

   • Dental insurance

   • Employee assistance program

   • Employee discount

   • Flexible spending account

   • Health insurance

   • Health savings account

   • Life insurance

   • Paid time off

   • Parental leave

   • Professional development assistance

   • Referral program

   • Retirement plan

   • Tuition reimbursement

   • Vision insurance

   Company DescriptionITW is a global industrial company built around a differentiated and proprietary business model. The company’s seven industry-leading segments leverage the unique ITW Business Model to drive solid growth with best-in-class margins and returns in markets where highly innovative, customer-focused solutions are required.

   Copy This Example

   

5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with forklift operator 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. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   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 forklift operator

   Once you've found the forklift operator candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new forklift operator. 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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