Warehouse Workers are In High Demand

Despite concerns about unemployment and the fact that is can be quite hard for people to find jobs, there is one area of the economy that is booming – warehouse jobs.

The United States is currently facing a severe shortage of warehouse workers, particularly among companies like Amazon that run large e-commerce businesses and need warehouse workers to pack and ship their products. A larger number of Americans are choosing to buy products online and this means that more people are needed to fill warehouse jobs so that those deliveries are made on time.

In fact, Amazon is looking to hire over 100,000 new warehouse workers to meet the demands of their e-commerce customers. This presents an appealing opportunity for anyone who is looking for work or might have temporarily lost their job.

Warehouse Workers are Earning More

Due to the shortage of warehouse workers, wages are increasing for jobs in this industry. It was only a few years ago that the typical warehouse worker would earn between $10-12 per hour. In 2020, warehouse workers can expect to earn $15-18 per hour for their time. This is the wage that Amazon is paying its new hires and it is quickly becoming the warehouse industry standard.

During busy times of the year like the Christmas holidays, it’s also possible to pick up a lot of overtime shifts that pay extra such as time and a half. When you are earning bonus to work overtime, it’s possible to see your hourly wage go as high as $25 per hour.

In addition to getting paid a good salary, getting into the warehouse industry can offer you a lot of long-term job security. Since this is one of the fastest growing industries in the United States, you don’t have to worry about future lay offs or reductions in employees. Companies are desperate to hire more warehouse workers, so it is unlikely that these jobs will be going away any time in the near future.

What Benefits are Available?

As a warehouse worker you can expect to earn more than just a good salary. Most of these jobs come with benefits such as medical, prescription, drug, dental and vision coverage. A quick scan of Amazon’s employee benefits page shows that all of these benefits are offered to employees working in their warehouse.

Another major benefit of warehouse work is a 401K savings plan that you are eligible to receive. Not only will you earn a good salary today, but a 401K retirement savings plan will help you put aside money now so that you will have access to it during your retirement. It is becoming harder and harder to find jobs with 401K plans, which makes the current jobs available in the warehouse industry even more attractive.

Some warehouse jobs also offer generous maternity and parental leave benefits. Amazon offers a range of fully paid maternity leave options for any employee that has been with the company for a full year prior to having a child. And when you are ready to return to work, you can participate in the “ramp back” program that allows you to return to the workforce at a pace that you can handle.

Holiday bonus pay is another great benefit that warehouse workers can take advantage of. Employees who work on any of the following holidays are eligible to earn time and a half according to Amazon’s website:

New Year’s Day
Memorial Day
Independence Day
Labor Day
Thanksgiving Day
Christmas Day

The final benefit worth mentioning is that Amazon offers all warehouse workers an employee discount on all products they purchase from Amazon.com. If you are already a frequent online shopper, than this perk can turn out to be quite valuable.

How to Get a Warehouse Job

The best way to get a warehouse job is to complete an online application. Websites like Indeed, LinkedIn and Monster are always updating themselves with the latest available warehouse jobs. If you are looking to get a job with Amazon, it is recommended that you browse their available warehouse and delivery jobs at this website.

Spruce up your resume before applying so that it covers all relevant experience and skills that you have. Make sure to present your application in a professional manner be removing any spelling errors. Finally, show persistence in the application process. If you haven’t heard back after a few weeks consider contacting the company directly or re-applying to the open position.