Employers

Moving companies may be local, regional, or national employers. Some retail furniture and department stores hire movers to deliver furniture, televisions, appliances, and other large objects to purchasers. In addition to working on household moves, workers are sometimes hired on a temporary assignment basis to help move and set up businesses.

Starting Out

To find a job as a household mover, contact moving companies directly. You also can look for job openings through online employment sites such as Indeed.com and Monster.com, newspaper classified ads, or the local offices of your states employment service. Moving companies usually provide beginning moving assistants with detailed instructions on packing procedures and filling out inventory lists before they start work.

Experienced furniture movers may advance into various related jobs. Moving assistants may be promoted to van drivers. Movers may also become dispatchers, who work in the main office of the moving company and stay in constant contact with moving crews out on assignments. Another possibility is becoming an estimator. An estimator calculates the cost involved in a proposed move and quotes a price to the prospective customer.

Workers who have seniority and proven abilities may be able to move into supervisory positions where they coordinate the activities of drivers and help plan and direct other company operations. Some movers with enough knowledge, experience, and finances might go into business for themselves.

Find a summer job working for a moving company to gain experience in this type of work.

Talk to your high school career counselor about jobs in household moving or check job sites on the Internet.

Stay in good physical shape and study the different ways to prevent common injuries that movers experience while on the job.

If friends or family members are moving, volunteer to help them pack and move household items.