Warehouse Worker Job Description: Duties, Pay And Forklift Roles

A warehouse worker handles products from the moment they arrive until they leave. That means checking shipments against paperwork, scanning items into the inventory system, storing them in the right location and later picking them for orders.

• Unload trucks and check shipments for damage and accuracy
• Scan, label and put away incoming stock
• Pick orders with a handheld scanner or pick list
• Pack and label orders for shipping
• Load outbound trucks in the right order
• Count inventory and report shortages
• Keep aisles clear and follow safety rules

A warehouse associate is an employee who does general warehouse tasks such as receiving, stocking, picking, packing and shipping. Some employers use associate for every hourly role in the building, while others use it only for entry-level positions.

Each title above can be searched on its own. Start with warehouse jobs and add your city or ZIP code.

Many warehouse roles train new hires on the job, which makes them a common first job. Show reliability through school, volunteer or other work, and see jobs near me with no experience and our guide to entry level jobs with no experience.

On a resume, name the tasks and equipment you used rather than general traits. These lines are easy for an employer to check against the job.

• Order picking and packing with scanner accuracy
• Shipping and receiving, including checking paperwork
• Inventory counts and stock rotation
• Pallet jack or forklift operation, naming the truck types you were trained on
• Following safety procedures and keeping work areas clear

Related warehouse titles can pay differently, so compare them side by side. Each figure comes from current postings and shows its source.

The employer sets the pay schedule within state law, so it can be weekly, every two weeks or twice a month. If a weekly paycheck matters to you, see jobs that pay weekly near me.

A forklift operator loads and unloads trucks, moves pallets between receiving, storage and shipping, and places loads in racking. The job also includes checking the truck before use and following the site's traffic rules.

Sit down forklifts, such as counterbalanced rider trucks, are common on loading docks and in yards. OSHA's forklift classes include electric rider trucks and internal combustion trucks, many of them sit-down counterbalanced models.

Stand up forklifts, reach trucks and order pickers are built for narrow aisles and tall racking. Cherry picker forklift jobs use an order picker that lifts the operator with the platform to pick items from upper shelves.

OSHA requires training on the type of truck you operate. Experience on a sit down model does not automatically qualify you for a stand up one.

Advertised forklift pay depends on the truck type, the shift and the location. The figures below come from current postings, with their source and date.

The length depends on the employer's program, the truck type and how soon you show you can operate safely. After that, OSHA requires an evaluation of your performance at least once every three years, plus refresher training after unsafe operation, an accident or near miss, or a move to a different type of truck.

Because the employer must train, evaluate and certify every operator, ask about on-site training before you pay for a course yourself. If you do take an outside course, your next employer still has to evaluate you before you operate.

Yes, some employers hire operators without experience, since OSHA allows trainees to operate a truck under direct supervision while they train. Look for forklift jobs with training in the posting when you search forklift operator jobs.

Full-time warehouse jobs often run 8 or 10 hour shifts, and part time and overnight shifts are also common. See part time jobs near me or overnight jobs near me, and check overtime with the time and a half calculator.

It is physically demanding but quick to learn. The hard parts are the pace, the lifting and long hours on foot, which usually get easier after the first few weeks.