How to hire fence erectors

A job description you can copy, interview questions tied to the real work, and what to pay. Free.

$23.07U.S. median hourly pay
$40,400–$58,610Middle half, yearly
24,480People in this job in the U.S.

Job description template

Copy it, fill in the brackets, and remove anything that does not fit your job. Keep only must-haves you would really turn someone away for.

[Job title] at [Company name]
[City, State] · [Full-time / Part-time] · [Pay range]

About the role
[Two or three sentences about your team, the work and why it matters.]

What you will do
• Align posts, by lines or sighting, and verify vertical alignment of posts, using plumb bobs or spirit levels.
• Assemble gates, and fasten gates into position, using hand tools.
• Attach fence rail supports to posts, using hammers and pliers.
• Attach rails or tension wire along bottoms of posts to form fencing frames.
• Dig postholes, using spades, posthole diggers, or power-driven augers.
• Establish the location for a fence, and gather information needed to ensure that there are no electric cables or water lines in the area.
• Measure and lay out fence lines and mark posthole positions, following instructions, drawings, or specifications.
• Set metal or wooden posts in upright positions in postholes.

What you bring
• [Required license, certification or years of experience, if any]
• [Education, only if you truly need it. Typical to start in this job: No formal educational credential]
• Strong active listening, critical thinking, monitoring and speaking skills
• Working knowledge of customer and personal service, building and construction, transportation and administration and management
• [Anything else you would really turn someone away for]

Pay and benefits
[Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $23.07 an hour ($47,980 a year).
[Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.]

How to apply
[Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]

Check your finished job post

Interview questions for fence erectors

Ask every candidate the same questions, in the same order, and write down what they say. Questions about past work show what someone has actually done.

  1. Tell me about a time you had to align posts, by lines or sighting, and verify vertical alignment of posts, using plumb bobs or spirit levels. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
  2. Tell me about a time you had to assemble gates, and fasten gates into position, using hand tools. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
  3. Tell me about a time you had to attach fence rail supports to posts, using hammers and pliers. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
  4. Tell me about a time you had to attach rails or tension wire along bottoms of posts to form fencing frames. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
  5. Tell me about a time you had to understand a request or problem that was explained poorly. How did you make sure you got it right?
  6. Describe a decision at work where the obvious answer was wrong. How did you work out the better choice?
  7. How do you keep track of your own work quality during a busy shift or week? Give an example of catching a problem early.
  8. Why this job, and why now? What would make you stay here for the long term?

Good answers name a real situation, what the person did themselves and what happened. Avoid questions about age, family plans, religion, health, national origin or anything else unrelated to the job.

What fence erectors do

  • Align posts, by lines or sighting, and verify vertical alignment of posts, using plumb bobs or spirit levels.
  • Assemble gates, and fasten gates into position, using hand tools.
  • Attach fence rail supports to posts, using hammers and pliers.
  • Attach rails or tension wire along bottoms of posts to form fencing frames.
  • Dig postholes, using spades, posthole diggers, or power-driven augers.
  • Establish the location for a fence, and gather information needed to ensure that there are no electric cables or water lines in the area.
  • Measure and lay out fence lines and mark posthole positions, following instructions, drawings, or specifications.
  • Set metal or wooden posts in upright positions in postholes.

Skills that matter most

Active ListeningCritical ThinkingMonitoringSpeakingCustomer and Personal ServiceBuilding and ConstructionTransportationAdministration and Management

Education, experience and outlook for fence erectors

  • Typical education to start: No formal educational credential (BLS)
  • Related work experience most have: 3 to 6 months (O*NET)
  • Training on the job: Moderate-term on-the-job training (BLS)
  • Job outlook: +5.6% over ten years, faster than average · about 2,500 openings a year (BLS)

What to pay fence erectors

Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:

StateMedian yearly pay
Pennsylvania$58,600
New Jersey$56,690
California$56,060
Montana$55,720
Washington$51,860
North Carolina$39,100
Texas$37,270
Georgia$36,990

See fence erectors pay in every state

Related hiring guides

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Job duties and skills: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025. Interview questions and the job description template: JAI Bot, based on the duties and skills above.