What Does it Take to Be a Shipping, Receiving, or Traffic Clerk?
Job Description: Verify and maintain records on incoming and outgoing shipments. Prepare items for shipment. Duties include assembling, addressing, stamping, and shipping merchandise or material; receiving, unpacking, verifying and recording incoming merchandise or material; and arranging for the transportation of products.
What Do Shipping, Receiving, and Traffic Clerks Do On a Daily Basis?
- Confer or correspond with establishment representatives to rectify problems, such as damages, shortages, or nonconformance to specifications.
- Contact carrier representatives to make arrangements or to issue instructions for shipping and delivery of materials.
- Determine shipping methods, routes, or rates for materials to be shipped.
- Deliver or route materials to departments using handtruck, conveyor, or sorting bins.
- Record shipment data, such as weight, charges, space availability, damages, or discrepancies, for reporting, accounting, or recordkeeping purposes.
- Pack, seal, label, or affix postage to prepare materials for shipping, using hand tools, power tools, or postage meter.
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Things a Shipping, Receiving, or Traffic Clerk Should Know How to Do
Below is a list of the skills most Shipping, Receiving, and Traffic Clerks say are important on the job.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Time Management: Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Other Shipping, Receiving, or Traffic Clerk Job Titles
- Bulk Receiver
- Vault Person
- Information Coordinator
- Print Traffic Manager
- Receiving Clerk
Is There Going to be Demand for Shipping, Receiving, and Traffic Clerks?
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 681,400 jobs in the United States for Shipping, Receiving, or Traffic Clerk. There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Shipping, Receiving, or Traffic Clerk. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 67,200 job openings in this field each year.
The states with the most job growth for Shipping, Receiving, or Traffic Clerk are Utah, Nevada, and Arizona. Watch out if you plan on working in Maine, New Mexico, or Delaware. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Shipping, Receiving, or Traffic Clerk Salary
The salary for Shipping, Receiving, and Traffic Clerks ranges between about $22,900 and $50,380 a year.
Shipping, Receiving, and Traffic Clerks who work in District of Columbia, Alaska, or Massachusetts, make the highest salaries.
How much do Shipping, Receiving, and Traffic Clerks make in different U.S. states?
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $32,930 |
| Alaska | $43,540 |
| Arizona | $34,230 |
| Arkansas | $33,090 |
| California | $36,320 |
| Colorado | $34,990 |
| Connecticut | $37,900 |
| Delaware | $31,330 |
| District of Columbia | $49,550 |
| Florida | $32,660 |
| Georgia | $33,830 |
| Hawaii | $39,160 |
| Idaho | $33,700 |
| Illinois | $35,950 |
| Indiana | $33,480 |
| Iowa | $35,980 |
| Kansas | $33,960 |
| Kentucky | $34,870 |
| Louisiana | $33,660 |
| Maine | $34,590 |
| Maryland | $36,420 |
| Massachusetts | $39,840 |
| Michigan | $35,110 |
| Minnesota | $37,500 |
| Mississippi | $30,130 |
| Missouri | $34,700 |
| Montana | $33,920 |
| Nebraska | $34,740 |
| Nevada | $35,720 |
| New Hampshire | $34,280 |
| New Jersey | $36,480 |
| New Mexico | $32,360 |
| New York | $37,480 |
| North Carolina | $32,930 |
| North Dakota | $35,870 |
| Ohio | $34,020 |
| Oklahoma | $33,790 |
| Oregon | $36,220 |
| Pennsylvania | $35,670 |
| Rhode Island | $38,000 |
| South Carolina | $34,240 |
| South Dakota | $33,140 |
| Tennessee | $32,530 |
| Texas | $32,750 |
| Utah | $32,250 |
| Vermont | $34,320 |
| Virginia | $35,070 |
| Washington | $40,120 |
| West Virginia | $36,030 |
| Wisconsin | $36,840 |
| Wyoming | $34,770 |
What Tools & Technology do Shipping, Receiving, and Traffic Clerks Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Shipping, Receiving, and Traffic Clerks may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Web browser software
- SAP
- IBM Notes
- FileMaker Pro
- Oracle JD Edwards EnterpriseOne
- Inventory tracking software
- Microsoft Dynamics GP
- Sage 50 Accounting
- Citrix
- Warehouse management system WMS
- Exact MAX
- Aestiva Purchase Order
- Bill of lading software
- DM2 Bills of Lading Software
- Electronic Data Interchange EDI systems
- ADi SmartBOL
How do I Become a Shipping, Receiving, or Traffic Clerk?
Individuals working as a Shipping, Receiving, or Traffic Clerk have obtained the following education levels:
How Long Does it Take to Become a Shipping, Receiving, or Traffic Clerk?
Shipping, Receiving, and Traffic Clerks Sector
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Related Careers
Are you already one of the many Shipping, Receiving, or Traffic Clerk in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:
References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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