Summary
A painter prepares surfaces and applies paint and coatings to the inside and outside of homes and buildings. The result is judged by how clean the lines are and how well it lasts.
Say whether you paint interiors, exteriors or both, and whether the work is residential or commercial.
Duties and responsibilities
- Move and cover furniture and floors, and tape and protect areas that should not be painted.
- Prepare surfaces by cleaning, sanding, scraping, filling and priming.
- Apply paint and coatings with brushes, rollers and sprayers for a smooth, even finish.
- Match colors and finishes to the customer’s choices.
- Set up and use ladders and scaffolds safely.
- Clean tools, remove tape and leave the space spotless.
- Check the finished work with the customer and fix any touch-ups.
Skills and qualities
- Steady hands and a good eye for clean lines.
- Patience with preparation, which decides how the finish turns out.
- Comfortable with ladders and heights if exterior work is included.
- Careful with customers’ homes and belongings.
- Able to work neatly and to a schedule.
- Friendly, honest communication with customers.
Typical requirements
- Experience that matches the painting you offer, or willingness to train as a helper.
- Ability to stand, bend, kneel and climb for long periods.
- Awareness of the safety steps for older buildings, fumes and dust. Provide the training your area requires.
- A valid driver’s license if the job involves driving between sites.
Requirements differ by state, city and employer. Check the licensing, age, safety and pay rules that apply to your business before you post. This page is a starting point, not legal advice.
Schedule and conditions
Painting is often done during weekday daytime hours. Exterior work depends on weather, and some seasons are slower. Say how you handle both.
State the usual start time and the service area.
Nice to have
- Experience with spray equipment.
- Experience with cabinets, trim or specialty finishes.
- Experience in occupied homes or businesses.
- A second language, if your customers need it.
Tips for posting this job
- Say whether the work is interior, exterior or both.
- Name what the company provides: tools, sprayers, ladders, uniform.
- Describe a typical job and crew size.
- Explain how you train for preparation and finish quality.
- Give the service area and start time.
Put your real pay, schedule and location in the posting. Candidates skip posts that leave them out.
Sample job post
Copy this, then change the words in brackets to match your business.
Painter: [interior / exterior / residential / commercial] in [city or service area]
[Company name] is hiring a painter for [interior and exterior work on homes / commercial projects] in [service area]. You will work on a crew of [crew size] and take pride in clean lines and careful preparation.
Pay: [pay rate or range]. Schedule: [days and start time], with [how weather and slow seasons are handled]. Start: [start date].
- Protect floors, furniture and areas that should not be painted.
- Prepare surfaces by cleaning, sanding, scraping, filling and priming.
- Apply paint and coatings with brushes, rollers and sprayers for a smooth, even finish.
- Set up and use ladders and scaffolds safely.
- Clean tools, remove tape and check the finished work with the customer.
- Requirements: [painting experience, or helper welcome], the ability to stand, bend and climb for long periods, and a valid driver’s license if you drive between sites.
- We provide: [tools, sprayers, ladders, uniform, training, other benefits].
Interview questions for a painter
- Walk me through how you prepare a room before you open a can of paint.
- How do you get a clean line where a wall meets the ceiling?
- Have you used a sprayer? On what kinds of jobs?
- How do you protect a customer’s home and belongings while you work?
- Tell me about a job where the customer was not happy with the finish. What did you do?
- How comfortable are you on ladders and scaffolds for exterior work?
- What safety steps do you follow in older homes where paint may contain lead?
Ask every candidate the same questions so you can compare answers fairly. HRGP keeps your questions, notes and scores with each applicant.
Questions and answers
What does a painter do?
A painter prepares surfaces and applies paint and coatings to the inside and outside of homes and buildings. Most of the work is preparation: protecting floors and furniture, cleaning, sanding, filling and priming. Then the painter applies the finish, cleans up and checks the result with the customer.
Does a painter need a license or special training?
Many painters learn on the job, and a license is not always required for employees. Some states and cities license painting contractors. In the United States, work that disturbs paint in many homes built before 1978 has lead-safe training and certification rules. Rules differ by place, so check locally.
What should a painter job description include?
Say whether the work is interior, exterior or both, residential or commercial, and describe a typical job and crew size. Include the pay, schedule, service area, what the company provides, and how you train for preparation and finish quality. Clear details help the right painters apply.
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