What is Pick and Pack? (Definition and Role Description)

You’ve seen the words “pick and pack” floating around on job boards or in work descriptions, but what exactly does that mean?

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At Veryable, we talk to companies that do pick and pack work every day, and many workers use our platform to find this type of work. So, we know what the role looks like inside and out. We’ve had this opportunity because we connect workers to businesses on demand for short-term work in manufacturing and logistics environments.

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In this article, you’ll learn the definition of pick and pack, what it’s like to do pick and pack work, and where you can find pick and pack work opportunities.

Pick and pack definition

Pick and pack is a term for warehouse work that involves picking the correct type and number of items from shelves and packing them efficiently for shipping. This fulfillment method fits especially well for eCommerce companies, which typically ship smaller orders that need specific items packed efficiently for delivery.

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To succeed with this type of order fulfillment, businesses need an organized warehouse, an efficient system for picking the right items, efficient packing systems, and talented workers. Avoiding errors is a key goal when picking and packing, so pick and pack systems must remove the opportunity for error as much as possible, and workers need to pay attention to detail when picking items and packing them.

What’s it like to work on pick and pack tasks?

When you work doing pick and pack tasks, you’ll be finding the items you’re assigned to pick and then packing them into the appropriate container. Sometimes, you might just do one of these tasks. In most companies, you will do both.

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There are different systems for conducting pick and pack tasks. The system a company uses will determine what the work you do is like, but for the most part, picking and packing consists of the same tasks in any system.

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For example, some companies use a zone picking system where you would be responsible for picking any items in your zone to partially fill an order before it’s sent to the next zone. Other companies use a piece picking system where you search for all the items in an order until you fill the order. The systems each have their advantages, but when it comes to the work you’ll be doing, they’re mostly similar.

Special requirements

Some pick and pack work will require special skills, such as driving an electric pallet jack or operating an order picker to reach goods that are on high shelves. These skills require training and should not be attempted by someone who hasn’t been trained.

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To manage orders and assist with picking and packing work, companies use systems from as simple as a paper ticket to as high-tech as a virtual reality headset. For example, some companies use headsets with an automated virtual assistant that can walk you through your order picking with audio instructions. Some of these virtual assistants even respond to voice commands.

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These types of tools make the work easier, but you might need training to get the most out of them.

What roles perform pick and pack tasks? (Common titles)

There are many different titles for workers doing pick and pack tasks. We’ll list some of the most common titles below:

• Pick and Pack Worker
• Picker/Packer
• Warehouse Associate
• Material Handler
• Fulfillment Associate
• Pick Specialist
• Operations Associate

Where can you find pick and pack work?

There are many places to find pick and pack work. Where you should look depends on what your goals are.

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Where to find full-time pick and pack roles

For full-time employment, online job boards are a good place to start. You can easily search websites like Indeed for pick and pack roles, and get plenty of results.

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There’s also the option of “pounding the pavement” as some would call it, which is going on foot to look for help wanted signs in the area and applying in person. This works for some people, but it takes a lot of work and can be hit or miss when you’re spending all day searching and can only get to so many places because of traffic, distance, and other limitations with searching in person.

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Where to find part-time pick and pack roles

For part-time employment in pick and pack roles, you can look on job boards for part-time positions, or you can sign up with a temp agency. A temp agency will place you at different businesses for short periods of time. This will give you a chance to experiment at different businesses to see which ones you like.

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However, you should know that if you’re looking for steady employment at one business, this is not the route for you. Temp agencies often charge businesses to hire temp workers, so many businesses don’t hire temps to avoid these fees.

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Where to find pick and pack work to fit your schedule

If you’re looking to make your own schedule, you can find work through a platform like Veryable. You can use Veryable to browse postings by businesses in your area who need workers for short-term work. There are single day opportunities, multiple day opportunities, and work where you can get paid based on how many tasks you complete.

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When you browse work opportunities on Veryable, you can see what they pay, the ratings of the business that posted them, what the work is like, and how far away the businesses are from you.

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The best part is, you can get paid the next day after you work.

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Work opportunities are posted all the time. You can earn high ratings from the businesses you work with over time to build your reputation, and you get to choose which businesses you want to work with. You can bid on opportunities and even negotiate pay.

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When you find work through Veryable, your actions determine your success. To get started making money your way, sign up today.