Skills
Warehouse Associate Skills & Tools
The technical skills, people skills and tools employers look for in warehouse associates, and how to build and show them.
What skills do warehouse associates need?
Warehouse Associates need technical skills such as receiving and putaway, order picking with rf scanners, and packing and labeling, plus people skills like reliability and accuracy. They also use tools such as RF and handheld scanners and Pallet jacks.
Technical (hard) skills
- Receiving and putaway
- Order picking with RF scanners
- Packing and labeling
- Inventory counts
- Safe lifting
- Basic warehouse systems
People (soft) skills
- Reliability
- Accuracy
- Teamwork
- Stamina
Tools, equipment and technology
- RF and handheld scanners
- Pallet jacks
- Warehouse management systems (WMS)
- Tape guns and stretch wrap
- Label printers
- Carts and conveyors
Skills in action: common tasks
These step-by-step guides show how warehouse associates put their skills to work:
- How to pick an order with an RF scanner
- How to receive a shipment against a purchase order
- How to build and wrap a stable pallet
How to show these skills on a resume
- Lead your skills section with the technical skills from the job posting, for example, “Receiving and putaway” and “Order picking with RF scanners.”
- Prove soft skills with results: instead of listing “reliability,” describe a situation where you used it.
- List credentials such as Forklift certification near the top, with the issuing organization and date.
- Use the employer’s vocabulary. Our warehouse associate glossary covers the terms hiring managers expect.
How to build these skills
Formal training, supervised practice and certification are the most direct routes. Our Warehouse Associate training introduces each of these skills with plain-language lessons, procedures and a final knowledge check: a strong foundation before hands-on training or your first day.