How to hire pest control workers
A job description you can copy, interview questions tied to the real work, and what to pay. Free.
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 • Clean work site after completion of job. • Direct, or assist other workers in, treatment or extermination processes to eliminate or control rodents, insects, or weeds. • Drive truck equipped with power spraying equipment. • Inspect premises to identify infestation source and extent of damage to property, wall, or roof porosity and access to infested locations. • Measure area dimensions requiring treatment, calculate fumigant requirements, and estimate cost for service. • Recommend treatment and prevention methods for pest problems to clients. • Record work activities performed. • Spray or dust chemical solutions, powders, or gases into rooms, onto clothing, furnishings, or wood, or over marshlands, ditches, or catch basins. 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: High school diploma or equivalent] • Strong active listening, critical thinking, monitoring, speaking, writing and active learning skills • Working knowledge of customer and personal service and chemistry • [Anything else you would really turn someone away for] Pay and benefits [Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $21.75 an hour ($45,250 a year). [Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.] How to apply [Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]
Interview questions for pest control workers
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.
- Tell me about a time you had to clean work site after completion of job. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to direct, or assist other workers in, treatment or extermination processes to eliminate or control rodents, insects, or weeds. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to drive truck equipped with power spraying equipment. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to inspect premises to identify infestation source and extent of damage to property, wall, or roof porosity and access to infested locations. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- 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?
- Describe a decision at work where the obvious answer was wrong. How did you work out the better choice?
- How do you keep track of your own work quality during a busy shift or week? Give an example of catching a problem early.
- 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 pest control workers do
- Clean work site after completion of job.
- Direct, or assist other workers in, treatment or extermination processes to eliminate or control rodents, insects, or weeds.
- Drive truck equipped with power spraying equipment.
- Inspect premises to identify infestation source and extent of damage to property, wall, or roof porosity and access to infested locations.
- Measure area dimensions requiring treatment, calculate fumigant requirements, and estimate cost for service.
- Recommend treatment and prevention methods for pest problems to clients.
- Record work activities performed.
- Spray or dust chemical solutions, powders, or gases into rooms, onto clothing, furnishings, or wood, or over marshlands, ditches, or catch basins.
Skills that matter most
Education, experience and outlook for pest control workers
- Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent (BLS)
- Related work experience most have: None (O*NET)
- Training on the job: Moderate-term on-the-job training (BLS)
- Job outlook: +5.5% over ten years, faster than average · about 13,700 openings a year (BLS)
What to pay pest control workers
Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:
| State | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| Washington | $51,300 |
| Nevada | $49,240 |
| Connecticut | $49,010 |
| New Jersey | $48,780 |
| Colorado | $48,650 |
| Arkansas | $37,710 |
| Texas | $37,660 |
| Mississippi | $37,200 |
See pest control workers pay in every state
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- First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers
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- Agricultural Inspectors
Post this job on JAI Bot. Free to start: JAI Bot reads every applicant against your must-haves, shows the resume evidence behind each one, and helps you reply to everyone. People make every decision.
Post a job freePay by areaJob 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.