Production Worker Jobs Overview
Production worker jobs ensure that the products we use daily are correctly assembled. As a production worker in a manufacturing facility, your responsibilities could include everything from working an assembly line to monitoring automated machinery and cleaning the workspace. This is a great industry if you're good at following directions, working with hardware, and collaborating with coworkers.
Since most production worker jobs train on-site, managers usually don’t have stringent education requirements. You’ll learn production tasks like packaging products or operating industry-specific machinery while on the job. Another perk of this career is its flexibility, so you can choose between part-time and full-time shifts and scheduling options.
Production worker jobs are a crucial part of manufacturing, which is among the biggest industries in the United States. There are almost one million production worker openings each year.
Production Worker Salary
The median wage for a production worker is $16.44 per hour. However, keep in mind that your salary will vary depending on how specialized your tasks are. Production workers can make between $13.98 and $24.12 per hour.
Often, production workers can get a higher salary with specialized knowledge or skills. Production worker jobs that require food handling, working with hazardous materials, or dealing with electricity often pay more. Find out the salary you could get by exploring our Monster Salary Calculator.
The area you live in also plays a major role in determining your salary. Areas that pay particularly well for production workers include:
How to Find Your Ideal Job
The first step is to explore the available listings for production worker jobs. You’ll find production work in a variety of sub-industries, from food to tech to healthcare. The key is to narrow down the options to suit your strengths and goals.
Decide Whether You Can Do the Duties
This field contains a broad mix of tasks, so apply only for jobs you're comfortable performing. Check to see whether there are any physical requirements, like being able to lift 50 pounds, and see if there are any required skills, like forklift driving. You may find it helpful to decide if you would prefer a job that involves more physical labor or mental focus.
Pay Close Attention to the Schedule
Many production worker jobs involve shift work. Before applying, note whether you'll be required to work nights or weekends. Also, consider whether the job seems likely to fit your lifestyle.
Consider Your Future Career Goals
Production work offers many opportunities to get valuable training. See if the employer will pay for you to get helpful certifications like truck driving or teach you specialized tasks like operating machinery. Other jobs will give you a chance to be an assembly team leader, which could lead to a managerial role.
Research the Company
Some companies will fit your personality and skills more than others. Check to see what other workers say about working with the company. In addition to researching their pay and labor practices, look into the workplace culture.
Applying for Production Worker Jobs
Once you find a job listing that looks intriguing, you'll need to get ready for the application process. Don’t worry; production worker job applications are not as difficult as they seem.
Start With a Strong Resume
Review the job description carefully to see what skills the position requires. Design a resume that summarizes your background and highlights your top skills.
Upgrade your resume with relevant keywords that will help it stand out in an automated applicant tracking software system. Some popular keywords for production workers include forklift experience, communication skills, quality control, packing, detail-oriented, and assembly line.
Pay attention to the structure of your resume. This production line worker resume showcases the ideal format. Use our Professional Resume Writing Service to make the application process even easier.
Create a Personalized Cover Letter
Most production worker jobs do not require a cover letter, but if the employer asks for one, write a brief letter describing why you're interested in the job. Emphasize your familiarity with in-demand production skills like working with machines or working on assembly lines and how that makes you qualified for the position.
Apply for Your Production Worker Job
Make sure you sign up for a free Monster account. It's quick and easy. We’ll forward you the latest job openings in your field so you can be one of the first to apply. Additionally you’ll receive a free resume review ensuring you have a top-notch document to attach.
Go to your chosen job listing on Monster and start the application process. Fill out all requested forms and attach your resume to the application. Double-check your information for accuracy and submit it.
Following Up With an Employer
It's normal for hiring managers to take a little while when going over applications. However, if you don't hear back from anyone, it's worth reaching out. Sending a follow-up message is reasonable if you haven't had a response after a week.
Since the production industry is fairly casual, you don't need to send a formal letter. All you need to do is write a polite, professional email mentioning your interest in the position. As this follow-up example shows, you can also encourage them to reach out to you if they'd like more information about your qualifications.
Interview Tips for Production Worker Jobs
Production worker job interviews are usually held on-site at the manufacturing facility. You might speak with a hiring manager or the team lead for the department you'll be working in.
Most interviews are in-person questions, but some facilities might include a skill-based portion where you do tasks like packing a box or organizing materials. Here are some ways you can prepare for your interview.
Educate Yourself About the Company
While you may have researched the company before applying, consider doing a deeper dive into its production practices and history before the interview. You can then reference some info you’ve gathered when talking to the hiring manager. It’s all about showing the company that you’ve done your homework.
For example, when asked why you want to work for their manufacturing company, you could mention how impressed you were to see that they use artificial intelligence in their automation process. This helps show you are a motivated and thoughtful person who would be an asset to the company.
Go Over Interview Questions Beforehand
Production worker interviews often include classic interview questions, like asking you to tell them about yourself. Go over these questions and prepare basic answers ahead of time so that you aren't caught off-guard in the interview. You should also think of answers to common production worker questions, such as:
- Can you tell me about machinery you've worked with before?
- How long are you comfortable standing on your feet?
- What would you do if you saw a coworker ignoring OSHA guidelines?
- How do you handle a defective product?
Highlight Your Applicable Skills and Experience
Your interview is the time to showcase why you're fully prepared to do the production worker job. Hiring managers love hearing about past workplace experiences similar to the tasks you would do as a production worker. You don’t necessarily need to call out assembly or manufacturing work to impress the hiring manager.
For example, if asked how well you work with a team, describe a past time in the workplace where you collaborated with coworkers to get a job done on time. If they ask about running a specific piece of machinery, talk about a time you quickly learned how to operate a complicated device or program.
If you're not sure how to work these anecdotes into a conversation, try using the STAR method. This interview technique encourages you to describe a situation, a task, an action, and a result to clearly explain how past events gave you the skills you need for the new job.
Following Up After the Interview
Sending a message after the interview gives you a good opportunity to remind the hiring manager of your interest in the job. Find the email address of the person who interviewed you and send them a polite message thanking them for their time.
In your follow-up, be sure to mention how much you would enjoy the job. If you do not hear back within a week of your interview, you can also send a message asking if the position is still available and requesting feedback on your interview.
How to Handle a Production Worker Offer
The hiring manager will call or email you to tell you that they'd like to hire you for the production worker position. They'll send you a brief document detailing pay, benefits, and job responsibilities.
It might be tempting to accept right away, but it's worth taking the time to carefully analyze this offer. To give yourself a little time, thank the hiring manager, and ask if it's OK for you to take a day or two to think about the offer. During this time, ask yourself these questions:
- Is the salary fair compared to salaries for other production worker jobs in your area?
- Does the job have benefits like free certification classes or health insurance?
- Are you comfortable handling the full list of responsibilities mentioned in the offer?
- If you need any physical accommodations, such as a chair to sit in while you work on an assembly line, will the company provide them?
If you're not quite satisfied with the answer to any of these questions, don't be afraid to negotiate. Be sure to stress your interest in the position before asking if it's possible to adjust some details of the offer. During negotiation, always remain professional and polite, and back up your requests with research into points like average hourly wages for production workers.
Career Paths for Production Workers
Production worker jobs can lead to a variety of exciting opportunities. Many production workers get the experience they need to get a promotion to another job in the manufacturing field. Some common examples of manufacturing career opportunities include becoming a machinist or a plant manager.
If you're interested in getting more education, this job can lead to an even broader range of opportunities. Going to a trade school and learning the details of working with specific systems and machines can allow you to become a welder or other tradesperson. If you get a four-year degree, your production worker experience can help you become an engineer or an operations manager.
Similar Occupations
Here are a few other careers in production and manufacturing that might interest you: