This time of year is always a busy one for our teams, with many companies requiring more staff as the busy Easter period approaches, especially those in manufacturing and supply chain.
The past 12 months have been challenging for many businesses, with the uncertainty caused by the pandemic resulting in many having to make redundancies or placing staff on furlough. However, the warehouse and logistics industry has remained busy throughout and has played an essential part in keeping the nation fed and supplied with essentials throughout the past year. The huge boom in online shopping has meant that many of our clients have needed to employ more staff to meet the demand.
A career in this industry has so many benefits, such as flexible hours and overtime and working independently, and opens up a wide range of opportunities. In this blog, we’ll be taking a closer look at these opportunities and why a job in Warehousing and Logistics might be the right move for you.
An Introduction to the Warehouse & Logistics Sector
Warehouses are essential in the supply chain of production and manufacturing businesses. These large commercial units are where raw materials, parts or finished goods are received, stored and distributed – ready for internal movement or the fulfilment of orders for customers.
Teams who work in Warehouses ensure that the goods or materials are safe and organised, before being packed, moved or exported efficiently and accurately.
Logistics is the blanket term that covers the flow of goods and materials, both inbound and outbound. It therefore both incorporates and supports the warehouse function, with logistics teams ensuring the smooth end-to-end fulfilment of customer requirements. This includes any transportation of materials/goods, inventory, internal movement and organisation and the final delivery of goods to the customer.
Job Title Examples
The warehouse & logistics sector is covered by all our departments and over the years, our consultants have dealt with a wide variety of vacancies, from entry-level jobs through to the most senior roles. Examples of job-titles within this sector include (but are not limited to):
- Warehouse Operative
- Order Picker
- Packing Operative
- FLT Driver (Reach, Counter Balance)
- Warehouse Supervisor
- Warehouse Managers
- Purchasing Analysts
- Senior Buyers
- Purchasing & Procurement Managers
- Warehouse Administrators
- Purchasing & Procurement Administrators
- Supply Chain Coordinators
- Warehousing Shift Manager
- Van Delivery Drivers
- HGV Class 1 & 2 Drivers
- Couriers
Required Skills and Experience
As the warehouse & logistics sector covers such a wide range of roles, the list of required skills could go on forever. Some warehouse operative roles may require little-to-no previous experience- while if you apply for more senior roles, there will be extensive criteria for the required experience, skillset and qualifications.
But many skills cover all areas of working in Warehouse & Logistics, including:
Organisation & Attention to Detail: Meticulous organisational skills and a keen eye for detail are important in all roles within this environment. Whether you’re ensuring orders are picked correctly or that the numbers are crunched accurately – your employer needs to have the confidence in you that mistakes won’t be made.
Forklift Licence: Having a forklift licence is highly desirable to warehouse employers. Whatever your role within a warehouse, being able to operate a forklift will be a great asset to add to your CV.
Ability to work in a fast-paced environment: Warehouse and logistics environment are always busy and rely on their team to keep everything running smoothly. This often requires staff to think on their feet and often work under pressure. Deadlines must be met and accuracy must be maintained at all times – so this is a skill employers will always be looking for when recruiting.
Not Afraid of Technology: Technology plays a huge part in within any modern company, especially within a warehouse or logistics department. You may be required to use databases, equipment and specialist software – so the ability to understand and use these with confidence is a must in any role.
Find Your Next Warehouse/Logistics Job
We hope this has been a helpful introduction to this exciting industry. If you are already working in a warehouse or logistics role and looking to take your next step on the career ladder, our dedicated teams would be delighted to help you find that new opportunity.
If you’re considering a change in career, we can help you make those first steps within this varied sector. To start your search, get in touch with your local branch today or search our vacancies on our website.