Selecting a Career as an Order Picker; 5 Ways to Succeed

Mid-South Outlook:

• Growing demand!
• They earn about 35x more vs retail workers.
• Shift work means you have a built-in work/life balance.
• Millennium Search competes for market rate, often beating the rate by 10% or more.

As one of our Order Pickers, you would be responsible to ensure that all outgoing orders are securely and accurately packaged according to the instructions given.

Responsibilities:

• Receive and check all tickets for outgoing orders.
• Retrieve needed products according to order details (size, quantity, etc).
• Thoroughly inspect all products for quality control.
• Securely package outgoing orders using sufficient pallets, shrink wrap, etc.
• Accurately document all orders that are completed.
• Aid with the restocking of products and materials as needed.

Requirements:

• High school diploma or equivalent
• Dependable, reliable worker
• Able to closely follow directions, both written and verbal
• Close attention to detail
• Good organizational and time management skills
• Able to walk, stand, bend, lift, etc. for long periods of time
• Comfortable operating heavy equipment

Wages for Order Picker

Entry Level: $11.80 to $16.50+ per hour

Mid Career: $15 to $19.50 per hour, depending on experience.

Outlook on Pay rises over the next 30 years; above average inflation rates but also growing demand. This job is likely to be safe from inflation if you maintain skills and increase tenure with a staffing agency. It may be difficult in the near term to ‘jump-around’ to increase wages.

Pay Increases from Staffing Firms: Firms often raise rate annually, or quarterly, and additionally with new listed client opportunities. Make sure you are not burning a bridge by ghosting on your recruiter, bring up concerns to your recruiter if your work/life balance or pay are not satisfying. They can point you towards steps to increase your value.

How to start working as an Order Picker

1. With few requirements your first step is to apply. Many job posting are listed, but few are of high quality. You must be discerning in the pay and quality of the warehouse. It should make sense to work at this location to, for example what is commute distance like?
2. Interview with great communication and social skills. This proves you can communicate with a team across a large area like a warehouse. So, remember to speak clearly, and be professional but that doesn’t have to mean formal. Be yourself.
3. For skills sets, discuss perhaps physical fitness, or achievements – e.i. the time you helped lead your high school team to a win, or ran a personal best mile, or even the time you helped at a garage sale.
4. Decide if you want to work in shifts, and at which part(s) of the day. Often this comes down to if you  like working mornings, have some preferred day activity, or take care of family. Full time work can pay slightly more, but is rare for warehouse jobs.
5. Job Jumping Warning – These types of jobs are easy to pick up and drop, but it makes it very hard to increase personal pay. Try to work at least 2 years in a single company – like a staffing agency.

FAQs for Order Pickers

What does an Order Picker do?

In warehouses and in wholesale and retail operations, hand laborers and material movers work closely with material moving machine operators and material recording clerks. Some workers are employed in manufacturing industries, loading material onto conveyor belts or other machines.

What can I transition to with this experience?  

You may try getting a CDL and learning how to drive trucks or larger material moving machines. Our you might find yourself me leadership skills and becoming a shift manager for a warehouse, or supervisor. Typically this types of opportunities become possible by working for about 2 to 3 years in your first career step.

Who can become an order picker?

Anyone that has met the requirements of the business. Often, these include some basics: hand-eye coordination, physical stamina and strength. Picking up and moving objects of any size or shape will require specific movements and body use, which can lead to strain if you don’t learn the best way.

^{Sources: BLS.gov | careeronestop.org | Millennium Search LLC’s Job Market Research Department}