Salary, Job Description, How To Become One, and Quiz
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Hand Cutters And Trimmers
Hand Cutters And Trimmers use hand tools or hand-held power tools to cut and trim a variety of manufactured items, such as carpet, fabric, stone, glass, or rubber.
Table of contents
What they do
Hand Cutters And Trimmers use hand tools or hand-held power tools to cut and trim a variety of manufactured items, such as carpet, fabric, stone, glass, or rubber.
- Mark or discard items with defects such as spots, stains, scars, snags, chips, scratches, or unacceptable shapes or finishes.
- Trim excess material or cut threads off finished products, such as cutting loose ends of plastic off a manufactured toy for a smoother finish.
- Cut, shape, and trim materials, such as textiles, food, glass, stone, and metal, using knives, scissors, and other hand tools, portable power tools, or bench-mounted tools.
- Position templates or measure materials to locate specified points of cuts or to obtain maximum yields, using rules, scales, or patterns.
Typical day
On a daily basis, Hand Cutters and Trimmers mark or discard items with defects such as spots, stains, scars, snags, chips, scratches, or unacceptable shapes or finishes. They lower table-mounted cutters such as knife blades, cutting wheels, or saws to cut items to specified sizes.
A typical day for a Hand Cutter and Trimmer will also include:
- Trim excess material or cut threads off finished products, such as cutting loose ends of plastic off a manufactured toy for a smoother finish.
- Unroll, layout, attach, or mount materials or items on cutting tables or machines.
- Mark identification numbers, trademarks, grades, marketing data, sizes, or model numbers on products.
- Read work orders to determine dimensions, cutting locations, and quantities to cut.
- Separate materials or products according to size, weight, type, condition, color, or shade.
Other responsibilities
Besides their typical day, Hand Cutters and Trimmers also replace or sharpen dulled cutting tools such as saws. They may also route items to provide cutouts for parts, using portable routers, grinders, and hand tools.
On a weekly to monthly basis, Hand Cutters and Trimmers clean, treat, buff, or polish finished items, using grinders, brushes, chisels, and cleaning solutions, and polishing materials. They might also cut, shape, and trim materials, such as textiles, food, glass, stone, and metal, using knives, scissors, and other hand tools, portable power tools, or bench-mounted tools.
In addition, they stack cut items and load them on racks or conveyors or onto trucks.
Although specific duties may vary, many of them lower table-mounted cutters such as knife blades, cutting wheels, or saws to cut items to specified sizes.
To some Hand Cutters and Trimmers, it is also their responsibility to mark cutting lines around patterns or templates, or follow layout points, using squares, rules, and straightedges, and chalk, pencils, or scribes.
What is the job like
Job satisfaction
Is this job meaningful
61% said they were satisfied with their job and 46% said they found their job meaningful.
Pros
Suitable for people who like practical and hands-on work.
Suitable for people who want to work in a supportive work environment.
This career is perfect for people who love to work indoors.
It is easy to get into this career. Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for this career.
Cons
Not suitable for people who like to help and teach others.
One of the lowest paying jobs.
Demand for this career is declining.
How much do they make
Average salary
Average hourly wage
Entry-level Hand Cutters And Trimmers with little to no experience can expect to make anywhere between $22,880 to $26,770 per year or $11 to $13 per hour.
| Salary by experience | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Highest (Top 10%) | $50,800 | $24 |
| Senior (Top 25%) | $39,150 | $19 |
| Median | $31,630 | $15 |
| Junior (Bottom 25%) | $26,770 | $13 |
| No experience (Bottom 10%) | $22,880 | $11 |
This table shows the top 10 highest paying industries for Hand Cutters And Trimmers based on their average annual salary.
| Salary by industry | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | $65360 | $31.42 |
| Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions Merchant Wholesalers | $46060 | $22.14 |
| Building Finishing Contractors | $41600 | $20.00 |
| Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing | $40690 | $19.56 |
| Other Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing | $40400 | $19.42 |
| Home Furnishings Stores | $39250 | $18.87 |
| Printing and Related Support Activities | $38490 | $18.50 |
| Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | $37260 | $17.91 |
| Other Support Services | $34500 | $16.59 |
| Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing | $33560 | $16.13 |
View more salary by industries here.
Where can they work
Where can Hand Cutters And Trimmers work? Here is a table showing the top 10 largest employers of Hand Cutters And Trimmers including the average salary in that industry.
| Employers | Total Employed | Annual Salary | Hourly Wages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cut and Sew Apparel Manufacturing | 1360 | $30700 | $14.76 |
| Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing | 1340 | $40690 | $19.56 |
| Plastics Product Manufacturing | 1070 | $31440 | $15.12 |
| Printing and Related Support Activities | 410 | $38490 | $18.50 |
| Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | 380 | $37260 | $17.91 |
| Rubber Product Manufacturing | 360 | $31900 | $15.33 |
| Other Textile Product Mills | 350 | $29270 | $14.07 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods | 330 | $31300 | $15.05 |
| Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 240 | $33560 | $16.13 |
| Employment Services | 150 | $29300 | $14.09 |
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What is the work day like
Working hours
Working schedule
How often do you use email in this job?
Telephone
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
Group discussions
How often do you have group discussions in this job?
Public speaking
How often does this job require you to do public speaking?
Level of competition
How much competitive pressure is in this job?
What is the work environment like
Office-style environment
Indoors in an environmentally controlled condition
Warehouse-style environment
Indoors in a non-controlled environmental condition such as a warehouse
Outdoors
Outdoors exposed to all weather conditions
Outdoors – Under Cover
Outdoors but under cover (e.g. structure with roof but no walls)
How to become one
Difficulty to become one
Required level of education
What level of education do you need to perform the job?
Relevant majors
Relevant work experience
How much related work experience do you need to get hired for the job?
On The Job Training
How much on the job training do you need to perform the job?
Should you become one
Best personality type for this career
People with this personality type likes practical and hands-on work. They prefer working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
People with The Builder personality type likes practical and hands-on work. They prefer working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
People with The Thinker personality likes to work with ideas that require an extensive amount of thinking. They prefer work that requires them to solve problems mentally.
People with The Artist personality likes to work with designs and patterns. They prefer activities that require self-expression and prefer work that can be done without following a clear set of rules.
People with The Helper personality type likes to work with people and in teams. They prefer work that allows them to build relationships with others.
People with The Leader personality likes to start and work on projects. They also like leading people and making many decisions.
People with The Organizer personality type likes to follow set procedures and routines. They prefer working with data and details more than with ideas.
You can read more about these career personality types here.
People who are suitable for this job tend to like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
They also like following set procedures and routines. They like working with data and details more than with ideas.
Take this quiz to see if this is the right career for you.
Work Values
Which values are the most important to a person’s satisfaction for this job?
You are someone who is results oriented. You prefer work that allows you to utilize your skills and abilities while at the same time giving you a sense of accomplishment.
You are someone who values job security, steady employment, and good working conditions. You also prefer work that keeps you busy all the time with something different to do every day.
You are someone who values job advancement and leadership roles. You prefer work that receives recognition for the work you do and jobs that are looked up to by others in the company and your community.
You are someone who likes to provide a service to others. You prefer a work environment where you can work with your co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment.
You are someone who values a company that stands behind their employees. You prefer a work environment where everyone is treated fairly and is being supported by the company.
You are someone who likes to work on your own and make your own decisions. You prefer work that requires little supervision and are allowed to try out your own ideas.
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