The Welding Business Hiring Guide
We have prepared this guide to make hiring for your Welding Business an easy and successful process. Learn about the different roles your business will need to fill and how much to budget for your employees' salaries. Our hiring tips will help you build your team exactly how you want it.
Most welding shops are small businesses staffed only by the owner who performs the welding. When you find yourself working as much as you can, you may hire additional welders to expand your capacity. Only the largest welding businesses require staff other than welders, and businesses of this size are rare.
Welder

A welder assesses a customer’s requirements and completes the required work. Their pay is highly variable depending on their experience.
Typical Salary: $16/hr
What Does This Role Entail?
- Repair and fabricate metal parts
- Utilize a variety of welding techniques and machines
Who to Look For:
- Licensed welder
- Experience with relevant welding techniques.
Receptionist

A receptionist can be a useful hire once your business hires a few employees.
Typical Salary: $9/hr
What Does This Role Entail?
- Answering phone calls
- Scheduling orders
- Office management
Who to Look For:
- Comfortable talking to customers
- Agreeable personality
- Strong multitasker
Hiring employees can seem like a nerve-wracking process, but it doesn't have to be. We break the process down into four basic steps: (1) Planning; (2) Recruiting; (3) Interviewing; and (4) Completing the Hire. Here are some tips for each phase of the process
Plan to Staff Your Business
When you (as the owner) start working more than 40 hours a week on your business, it’s time to bring in another welder to increase your capacity. As the business expands, keep hiring additional welders to ensure you don’t lose business because of capacity limits. Eventually, you may want to hire a delivery driver or receptionist to manage orders and keep track of jobs.
Most businesses hire welders that have certificates and/or licenses, very few businesses will hire a welder without one of these. Certificates are granted by organizations such as the American Welding Society (AWS) and verify that the recipient has demonstrated proficiency in particular types or methods of welding. Some states (and even some cities) also require welding licenses in addition to a certificate in order to work as a welder. These are granted by state or local governments, so ensure that your business complies with applicable laws wherever it is located.
Develop a Recruiting Strategy
When you’re looking to hire additional welders, contact local welding trade organizations to find experienced professionals who are looking for work. Additional recruitment channels are local trade schools and colleges with welding programs. Online job postings and community flyers are some other great recruiting methods. Regardless, ensure you recruit potential hires who have the certificates and licenses you require (see the section below on hiring laws for more information).
Interview with Confidence
If you take your time during the planning and recruiting phases of the process, you will likely end up with many qualified candidates.
Nonetheless, it is natural for a new business owner to be a bit anxious the first time hiring employees. Don’t forget that the interview is just a chance to get to know an applicant and to give them an opportunity to learn more about the role and the business. Also, it might help to remember that they are probably even more nervous than you are!
Throughout the interview process, it may help to keep in mind that most welding shops look for employees who are:
- Attentive and detail oriented
- Determined
- Resourceful
- Experienced in welding
Here are some sample interview questions that will help you learn more about the character of your interviewees:
- Tell me about a time you’ve disagreed with a coworker
- How do you handle working under pressure?
- Why should we hire you over another welder? What can you bring to this business?
Be Familiar with Hiring Laws
After selecting a job candidate, there are certain steps you will need to follow to complete the hiring process. Check out our Hiring Compliance Checklist for a step-by-step guide to the legal aspects of hiring employees.
One of the most important steps is to classify your new hire as an employee or an independent contractor. Become familiar with IRS guidelines on this matter, as there are serious consequences for misclassifying an employee as an independent contractor.
For more details, please refer to our guide on the topic, Contractors vs. Employees: What You Need to Know. We also provide templates for the essential hiring forms you will need.
Once you have a growing team of employees, it's time to set up your payroll. Using a payroll service provider saves you time for running your business, and also helps ensure that you comply with important federal requirements such as employee tax withholding.
To help our readers save money and grow their business, we negotiated a 20% discount for you with payroll provider ADP, the most popular small business provider in the country.
Try ADP and get 20% off payroll services for your business.
Next Steps
Find out more about what goes into starting and running a welding business.
Protect your personal assets from unexpected legal claims. Consider structuring your business as an LLC.
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