How to hire prepress technicians and 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 • Enter, position, and alter text size, using computers, to make up and arrange pages so that printed materials can be produced. • Enter, store, and retrieve information on computer-aided equipment. • Generate prepress proofs in digital or other format to approximate the appearance of the final printed piece. • Maintain, adjust, and clean equipment, and perform minor repairs. • Operate and maintain laser plate-making equipment that converts electronic data to plates without the use of film. • Perform "preflight" check of required font, graphic, text and image files to ensure completeness prior to delivery to printer. • Proofread and perform quality control of text and images. 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: Postsecondary nondegree award] • Strong active listening, critical thinking, monitoring, speaking and reading comprehension skills • Working knowledge of computers and electronics, English Language and design • [Anything else you would really turn someone away for] Pay and benefits [Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $23.41 an hour ($48,690 a year). [Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.] How to apply [Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]
Interview questions for prepress technicians and 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 enter, position, and alter text size, using computers, to make up and arrange pages so that printed materials can be produced. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to enter, store, and retrieve information on computer-aided equipment. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to generate prepress proofs in digital or other format to approximate the appearance of the final printed piece. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to maintain, adjust, and clean equipment, and perform minor repairs. 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 prepress technicians and workers do
- Enter, position, and alter text size, using computers, to make up and arrange pages so that printed materials can be produced.
- Enter, store, and retrieve information on computer-aided equipment.
- Generate prepress proofs in digital or other format to approximate the appearance of the final printed piece.
- Maintain, adjust, and clean equipment, and perform minor repairs.
- Operate and maintain laser plate-making equipment that converts electronic data to plates without the use of film.
- Perform "preflight" check of required font, graphic, text and image files to ensure completeness prior to delivery to printer.
- Proofread and perform quality control of text and images.
Skills that matter most
Education, experience and outlook for prepress technicians and workers
- Typical education to start: Postsecondary nondegree award (BLS)
- Related work experience most have: 2 to 4 years (O*NET)
- Job outlook: -15.3% over ten years, declining · about 2,100 openings a year (BLS)
What to pay prepress technicians and workers
Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:
| State | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| New Jersey | $56,840 |
| California | $53,860 |
| New York | $52,420 |
| North Carolina | $49,760 |
| Illinois | $49,450 |
| Florida | $45,660 |
| Kansas | $45,290 |
| Texas | $38,410 |
See prepress technicians and workers pay in every state
Related hiring guides
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- Printing Press Operators
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- Office Machine Operators, Except Computer
- Print Binding and Finishing Workers
- Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic
- Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
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- Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers
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.