Hiring a shipper/receiver in Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge or Guelph comes down to three things. Write a posting that follows Ontario's 2026 rules and is honest about the work. Screen for accuracy, not just experience. Then test the candidate on a real receiving task before you offer. This guide gives you a job posting template, a screening checklist, 15 interview questions with what good answers sound like, and the questions Ontario law says you cannot ask.

Before you write the posting: decide what the job really is

"Shipper/receiver" covers very different jobs. Write down which of these duties are part of yours. They come from the national job description for shippers and receivers (NOC 14400):

  • Prepare shipping documents such as bills of lading, invoices and customs forms
  • Pack, label and crate goods, and build pallets
  • Oversee loading and unloading of trucks
  • Check incoming goods against paperwork, record shortages and reject damaged items
  • Unpack, code and route goods to storage
  • Keep manual or computerized records
  • Operate forklifts or hand trucks

Then split your list in two. Essential duties are the ones the person must do on day one. Nice to have covers what you can train. A secondary school diploma is usually expected. A forklift certificate or driver's licence should only be required if the job truly needs it. Ontario's Human Rights Code limits requirements that screen people out without a real job reason.

Be specific about the physical side, because it is what candidates most want to know: the heaviest regular lift, whether the dock is heated, and how much of the shift is spent standing.

Ontario's job posting rules for 2026

Since January 1, 2026, employers with 25 or more employees must follow these rules for publicly advertised jobs in Ontario:

Rule What it means for your posting
Show the pay State the expected pay or a range. A range can be no wider than $50,000.
Disclose AI screening Say whether you use artificial intelligence to screen, assess or select applicants.
Say if the job is open now State whether the posting is for an existing vacancy.
No Canadian experience requirement You cannot require Canadian experience in the posting or the application form.
Answer interviewed candidates Tell everyone you interviewed whether a decision has been made, within 45 days of their last interview.
Keep records Keep copies of what you told interviewees for three years.

The rules do not apply to internal-only postings. Smaller employers are not bound by them, but following them anyway makes your posting easier to trust and compare.

Good to know The pay you post matters more than anything else in the ad. Our shipper/receiver salary guide for Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge and Guelph shows the regional median is $22.00 an hour.

Shipper/receiver job posting template

Copy it, replace everything in square brackets, and delete any line that does not apply.

Shipper/Receiver, [Company name], [Kitchener / Waterloo / Cambridge / Guelph]

Pay: $[20.00] to $[24.00] per hour, based on experience
Schedule: [Monday to Friday, 7:00 am to 3:30 pm], full time, [permanent]
This posting is for an existing vacancy.
[We do not use artificial intelligence to screen, assess or select applicants.]

About us
[One or two sentences: what you make or sell, and who receives your shipments.]

What you will do
- Receive deliveries, check them against packing slips and purchase orders, and record any shortage or damage
- Pick, pack and label orders, and build and wrap pallets for freight carriers
- Prepare shipping paperwork, including bills of lading [and commercial invoices for US shipments]
- Book pickups with couriers and carriers, and keep the dock organized
- Enter receipts and shipments in [system name]
- [Operate a counterbalance forklift]

What you need
- Experience in shipping, receiving or warehouse work, or a strong record of accurate, detail-heavy work
- Comfort with basic computer entry and counting
- Ability to lift up to [23 kg / 50 lb] regularly, with or without accommodation
- [A forklift certificate for a counterbalance truck, or willingness to be trained and evaluated by us]

Nice to have
- [Inventory or warehouse software experience]
- [TDG training, if you ship dangerous goods]

What we offer
- [Benefits, paid training, safety boots allowance, parking, shift premium]

How to apply
[Where to apply.] We will contact everyone we interview within 45 days.
Accommodation is available on request at any stage of hiring.

Where to post in Waterloo Region and Guelph

  • Job Bank is the federal government's free job board.
  • Region of Waterloo Employment Services works with local employers who have urgent hiring needs. It can connect you with job seekers, and eligible employers who hire unemployed people may qualify for job placement incentives and wage subsidies.
  • Staffing agencies fill many warehouse roles in the region. They are faster, but ask about the cost of converting a temp to a permanent hire.
  • Your own drivers and carriers know who is good on other docks. Ask them.

How to screen applications

Shipper/receiver résumés are often short, so read them for evidence of accuracy and reliability, not polish.

Move forward if the résumé shows:

  • Work where mistakes were counted: receiving, inventory, order picking, cash handling, data entry
  • Equipment they actually ran, named by type, such as counterbalance, reach truck or pallet jack
  • Systems they used, even simple ones like spreadsheets or a handheld scanner
  • Steady work in any field, or a clear reason for changes

Look closer if:

  • They list forklift experience but not which truck class
  • Every role is described in general terms with no task named

Do not screen out gaps, age signals, names or addresses. Those are not evidence of how someone works, and several connect to grounds protected by the Human Rights Code.

15 interview questions for a shipper/receiver

Ask every candidate the same questions in the same order, and score each answer from 1 to 3. That makes it easier to compare people fairly, and easier to explain your decision.

Receiving and accuracy

  1. "A delivery arrives with 12 cartons. The bill of lading says 14. What do you do?" A good answer: count again before signing, note the shortage on the delivery receipt with the driver there, take photos, and tell whoever handles claims.
  2. "How do you check a delivery against a purchase order?" A good answer names a sequence: match the supplier and PO number, count by line, check part numbers or SKUs, inspect for damage, then record the receipt.
  3. "Tell me about a mistake you caught before it went out." Listen for a specific example and what they changed afterward.
  4. "A carton looks fine outside but rattles. What do you do?" A good answer: open or inspect it before signing for it as received in good order, or sign it as "subject to inspection" and note the concern.

Shipping and paperwork

  1. "Walk me through preparing a pallet for an LTL freight pickup." Listen for stacking heavy items low, no overhang, corner boards or wrap, labels on more than one side, and a bill of lading that matches the piece count.
  2. "What goes on a bill of lading?" Shipper, consignee, piece count, weight, a description of the goods, and the carrier and service. Freight class is a bonus answer for US-bound freight.
  3. "Have you shipped anything to the US? What paperwork did it need?" Only important if you ship cross-border. A strong answer mentions a commercial invoice, product codes and country of origin.

Equipment and safety

  1. "Which forklifts or lifts have you operated, and when were you last evaluated?" A good answer names the truck class and a date. Remember there is no government forklift licence in Ontario, so you still have to confirm competence on your own truck.
  2. "What do you check on a forklift before your shift?" Listen for forks, chains, tires, brakes, horn, lights, fluid leaks and the data plate, and for reporting a problem instead of driving around it.
  3. "Someone on the dock is doing something unsafe. What do you do?" A good answer: stop it if it is dangerous right now, then tell a supervisor. In Ontario, workers have the right to refuse unsafe work.

Systems and organization

  1. "What inventory or shipping systems have you used?" Any named system is a plus. What matters more is whether they can describe receiving a shipment in it, step by step.
  2. "Your dock has three trucks due, one late order and a courier waiting. What do you do first?" Listen for calm prioritizing: what is time-sensitive, who needs to be told, and what can wait.

Reliability and fit

  1. "This job starts at [7:00 am], Monday to Friday. Can you work that schedule?" Ask it exactly like this. Ask whether they can work the schedule, never why they might not be able to.
  2. "Tell me about a time a driver or co-worker was difficult to deal with." Listen for staying polite while still protecting the paperwork.
  3. "What would your last supervisor say you were best at?" Then ask for permission to call that supervisor.

Add a 20 minute practical test

Interviews show who talks well. A short test shows who checks well. Keep it to a short exercise with mock paperwork, not real production work.

  1. Give the candidate a packing slip and a box or tote with three planted problems: one item short, one wrong item, and one damaged item.
  2. Ask them to receive it and write down what they found.
  3. Ask them to fill in a simple bill of lading for one pallet.
  4. If the job includes a forklift, have a competent person watch a pre-shift check and a basic lift on your own truck.

Score it on what they caught, not how fast they went.

Questions you cannot ask, and what to ask instead

Under Ontario's Human Rights Code, asking certain questions can itself be a violation, whether or not you hire the person.

Do not ask Ask instead
"Where are you from?" or "Were you born in Canada?" "Are you legally entitled to work in Canada?"
"What year did you graduate?" Ask about relevant experience and training, wherever it was gained.
"Do you have kids?" or "Who looks after your children?" "Can you work the required schedule?"
"Will you need time off for religious holidays?" "Can you work the required schedule?"
"Have you had any health problems?" "Can you perform the essential duties of this job, with or without accommodation?"
"Have you ever been arrested?" If the job justifies it, ask about convictions relevant to the job, and get advice first.
"Do you have Canadian experience?" Ask about relevant experience, wherever it was gained.

References and background checks

  • Call the last direct supervisor. Ask about accuracy, attendance and how they handled a busy day. Ask "Would you hire them again?" and listen to how quickly they answer.
  • Police record checks: only ask for one if the job justifies it, for example handling high-value goods or driving. A record of offences is a protected ground in Ontario employment. It covers convictions only, not charges. You must look at whether the offence actually relates to the job before refusing to hire. Get advice before you set a policy.
  • Driver's licence: only require one if driving is an essential duty.

After the interview

  • Tell every candidate the outcome. If you have 25 or more employees, you must tell interviewed candidates within 45 days whether a decision has been made.
  • Keep your records. Keep the posting, your interview notes and scores, and what you told candidates. Large employers must keep the information given to interviewees for three years.
  • Plan the first week. New workers need health and safety awareness training in their first days, plus WHMIS and your own forklift evaluation before they use a truck. Our shipper/receiver training directory lists where to get each one locally.

Sources

  1. Norton Rose Fulbright, Ontario updates rules on job postings and more
  2. HR Reporter, Are you ready for Ontario's new hiring transparency requirements?
  3. Workforce Planning Board, Shippers and receivers (NOC 14400)
  4. Achkar Law, Job interview questions you cannot ask in Ontario
  5. Ontario Human Rights Commission, Record of offences
  6. Ontario Human Rights Commission, Code provisions on requiring a driver's licence
  7. Ontario, Guideline for the safe operation of powered lift trucks: competency
  8. Region of Waterloo, Employment supports
  9. Ontario, Worker health and safety awareness in four steps