10 strategies for employers hiring candidates who are early in their warehouse and logistics careers

There are important short- and long-term benefits for employers to hire students, recent graduates, and others early in their careers for warehouse and logistics roles. We reached out to 10 hiring experts to get their thoughts:

• Build Partnerships with Community Colleges
• Tap into Disability Service Organizations
• Host On-Site Open Houses
• Implement Competency-Based Assessments
• Transform Physical Locations into Recruiting Sites
• Leverage Employee Referral Programs
• Highlight Career Development Opportunities
• Partner with Vocational Training Programs
• Balance Quality and Quantity in Hiring
• Utilize Facebook for Lead Generation

Build Partnerships with Community Colleges

We’ve found that building genuine partnerships with community colleges and workforce development programs is, hands down, the most effective way to hire at scale for warehouse and logistics roles.

Instead of posting job ads and hoping the right people apply, we recommend working directly with career counselors and program coordinators who already know which students are reliable, motivated, and looking for stable employment. These partnerships provide access to a steady pipeline of candidates who’ve often completed relevant coursework in supply chain management, forklift operation, or basic logistics.

Here’s what makes this strategy so powerful: you’re not just recruiting — you’re building relationships. Visiting campuses regularly, speaking at career days, and even helping to design curricula that match what you, the employer, actually need are just some of the ways you can do this. When students see you as a partner in their education rather than just another company trying to fill positions, they’re much more likely to view warehouse work as a legitimate career path, not just a temporary job.

The key is being specific about growth opportunities from day one. Tell candidates exactly how they can advance from warehouse associate to team lead to supervisor within 18-24 months. Share real stories of people who’ve moved up, and be transparent about the skills they’ll need to develop.

Through our work, we’ve seen companies fill hundreds of positions in just a few months using this approach. The retention rates are incredible too — often 85% or higher in the first year — because these candidates understand the industry and have realistic expectations about the work.

The best part? Once you establish these relationships, recruiting becomes much easier. Career counselors start referring their best students to you first, and word spreads among students that your company actually invests in people’s futures.

Hanna Koval, Global Talent Acquisition Specialist | Employment Specialist, Haldren

Tap into Disability Service Organizations

I’ve seen what actually works for warehouse hiring at scale.

Partner with organizations serving people with disabilities. Based on industry data I’ve tracked, companies employing people with disabilities report 50% lower turnover, 33% fewer safety incidents, and 25% higher productivity. Chicago’s Aspire program provides pre-screened candidates with 10 weeks of warehouse training plus 8-week paid internships–all funded by grants, so it costs you nothing.

The retention numbers are incredible because these workers genuinely want these jobs and aren’t just passing through. Most employers completely miss this talent pool because they stick to traditional recruiting channels.

Set up partnerships with local disability service organizations. They handle the screening and training, you get “try-before-you-hire” candidates on their payroll, and you tap into workers who will actually stay and perform better than traditional hires.

Mike Erickson, Founder & CEO, AFMS

Host On-Site Open Houses

When you’re trying to hire a large number of early career candidates into warehouse and logistics roles, the key is making the roles visible, understandable, and attainable to people who may have never worked in the industry. 

One approach I’ve found effective is what I call “show before you sell.”

Now, instead of relying on a written job description alone, I bring the job to life. This can be done by hosting short on-site open houses or creating simple walk-through videos that show what a shift actually looks like, what equipment they’ll use, how teams interact, and what the work environment feels like. 

I also make it clear what success in the first 30 days looks like. For someone new to the workforce, knowing exactly how they’ll be trained and what’s expected makes the role less intimidating and increases commitment. Pairing the new hires with approachable mentors (people who remember what it’s like to start fresh) has also kept retention high and created a stronger team culture for us.

In my view, a lot of early career candidates hesitate because they can’t picture themselves in the role, and this approach takes that barrier away.

My advice:

If you want to fill dozens of roles quickly, let candidates experience the job before they commit. Why? Because it shortens the decision-making process for these candidates and brings in people who are genuinely ready to stay.

Ford Smith, Founder & CEO, A1 Xpress

Implement Competency-Based Assessments

When you need to hire dozens, or even hundreds, of early career candidates for warehouse and logistics roles, speed is important — but so is hiring people who will actually thrive in the work. That’s why I recommend using competency-based assessments right at the start of the process. Instead of relying on resumes that may not show much experience or higher education, these tools measure the skills and abilities that really predict success on the job. These include attention to detail, problem-solving, reliability, and teamwork. 

This approach means you can quickly identify candidates who have the potential to excel, even if they’ve never worked in a warehouse before. By filtering for fit from the beginning, you cut down on turnover, fill roles faster, and give opportunities to people who might otherwise be overlooked. The result is a hiring process that’s fairer, faster, and far more effective, especially when you’re scaling up.

Linda Scorzo, CEO, Hiring Indicators

Transform Physical Locations into Recruiting Sites

Most companies underutilize one of their most valuable assets: their real estate. For logistics and warehouse employers, your physical locations, distribution centers, parking lots, and maintenance yards can become high-traffic recruiting sites.

Install open job postings, QR codes that lead directly to brief applications, and referral incentives for anyone who brings in a new hire. If you operate or partner with truck parking facilities, take advantage of the foot traffic. Drivers, laborers, and mechanics frequent these areas and often know others looking for work.

Go beyond passive marketing. Host on-site hiring events, even walk-up interviews. Use temporary trailers or kiosks where interested candidates can apply or speak to a recruiter. The closer you bring the application process to the daily rhythm of working-class communities, the more candidates you’ll capture.

This approach also allows you to target individuals who are already familiar with the requirements of logistics and physical labor. You’re appealing to individuals in the proper frame of mind, at the proper location, and even at the proper time.

Volume hiring doesn’t need to depend on theoretical digital funnels. Your properties can do more than store inventory; they can attract your next wave of team members if used strategically.

Evan Shelley, Co-Founder & CEO, Truck Parking Club

Leverage Employee Referral Programs

Referral programs tend to work best in the warehouse setting. The transport and logistics industry is a closely-knit industry, so your current workforce often knows reliable and suitable candidates who are already familiar with the work and the company. Simple yet meaningful incentives like cash bonuses, paid time off (PTO), or gift cards are excellent motivators for employees to help you fill open job positions. 

This strategy is also ideal because referred employees are more likely to onboard faster, perform better, and remain with the company longer due to their familiarity with the job and understanding of the work environment. For better chances of success, make the program user-friendly with straightforward rules and prompt release of payouts.

Joe Giranda, Director of Sales & Marketing, CFR Classic

Highlight Career Development Opportunities

Stress the on-the-job training options and how you plan to provide tangible career development opportunities for early-career candidates, so they can see a long-term path at your company right from the outset.

Wendy Makinson, HR Manager, Joloda Hydraroll

Partner with Vocational Training Programs

One recruiting strategy I recommend for employers looking to hire dozens or even hundreds of early-career candidates into warehouse and logistics jobs is to partner with local vocational colleges, trade schools, and government-supported employment programs. We’ve had success building recruitment pipelines through training organizations that specialize in logistics, forklift operation, and warehouse safety certification.

This approach not only ensures a steady stream of job-ready candidates but also reduces onboarding time because the individuals already have foundational skills and certifications. We also run simplified application days where candidates can complete basic assessments and interviews on-site at the depot, speeding up the hiring process without compromising quality.

Focusing on accessibility, quick response times, and real-world training is key in this sector, especially when hiring at scale. Candidates are more likely to convert when they see a clear path from training to stable employment, and employers benefit from a workforce that understands the physical and procedural demands of the role from day one.

Aaron Shovlar, UK Marketing Manager, TITAN Containers

Balance Quality and Quantity in Hiring

The strong demand for skilled, qualified workers in the warehouse and logistics industry sometimes leads employers to pursue high-volume recruiting strategies in order to fill their ranks. However, quality of hire and culture fit should not be overlooked, as these can be decisive factors in employee satisfaction, retention, and performance, which ultimately drive company success.

Nick Fryer, Vice President Marketing, Sheer Logistics

Utilize Facebook for Lead Generation

One of the best ways to hire dozens or even hundreds of early-career candidates for warehouse and logistics roles is by meeting them where they already spend their time: Facebook. Many of these candidates aren’t on job boards or updating their LinkedIn profiles. They’re on social media, scrolling through posts and watching videos, which makes Facebook a smart place to connect with them.

By running simple lead form ads, you can collect just the basics — name, phone number, and email — without asking for a resume or full application right away. That small step is often enough to bring them into your system. From there, you can stay in touch through text, email, or future ads, guiding them toward applying, attending a hiring event, or scheduling an interview.

It’s a low-pressure, high-volume approach that helps you build a strong pipeline quickly.

Grant Smith, Global Recruitment Marketing Specialist