Cargo and Freight Agents
Overview
Salary
Demand
Core Tasks
Technology Skills
Tools Used
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Top 10 Skills
Top 10 Abilities
Top 10 Work Activities
Detailed Work Activities
Work Context
Education
Majors
Interests
Top 10 Work Styles
Work Values
Related Careers
Overview
Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed
Experience
Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.
Education
These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
Job Training
Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Examples
These occupations often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include orderlies, counter and rental clerks, customer service representatives, security guards, upholsterers, and tellers.
Expedite and route movement of incoming and outgoing cargo and freight shipments in airline, train, and trucking terminals and shipping docks. Take orders from customers and arrange pickup of freight and cargo for delivery to loading platform. Prepare and examine bills of lading to determine shipping charges and tariffs.
Salary Salary
Salary at 10th Percentile: $27K
Salary at 25th Percentile: $34K
Median Salary: $43K
Salary at 75th Percentile: $56K
Salary at 90th Percentile: $69K
Demand
Core Tasks
Negotiate and arrange transport of goods with shipping or freight companies.
Determine method of shipment and prepare bills of lading, invoices, and other shipping documents.
Track delivery progress of shipments.
Prepare manifests showing numbers of airplane passengers and baggage, mail, and freight weights, transmitting data to destinations.
Advise clients on transportation and payment methods.
Arrange insurance coverage for goods.
Estimate freight or postal rates and record shipment costs and weights.
Install straps, braces, and padding to loads to prevent shifting or damage during shipment.
Keep records of all goods shipped, received, and stored.
Check import or export documentation to determine cargo contents and use tariff coding system to classify goods according to fee or tariff group.
Notify consignees, passengers, or customers of freight or baggage arrival and arrange for delivery.
Contact vendors or claims adjustment departments to resolve shipment problems or contact service depots to arrange for repairs.
Coordinate and supervise activities of workers engaged in packing and shipping merchandise.
Inspect and count items received and check them against invoices or other documents, recording shortages and rejecting damaged goods.
Route received goods to first available flight or to appropriate storage areas or departments, using forklifts, hand trucks, or other equipment.
Retrieve stored items and trace lost shipments as necessary.
Enter shipping information into a computer by hand or by a hand-held scanner that reads bar codes on goods.
Assemble containers and crates used to transport items, such as machines or vehicles.
Direct delivery trucks to shipping doors or designated marshaling areas and help load and unload goods safely.
Direct or participate in cargo loading to ensure completeness of load and even distribution of weight.
Maintain a supply of packing materials.
Pack goods for shipping, using tools such as staplers, strapping machines, and hammers.
Attach address labels, identification codes, and shipping instructions to containers.
Open cargo containers and unwrap contents, using steel cutters, crowbars, or other hand tools.
Technology Skills
Technology
Example
Hot Technology
Tools Used
Tool
Example
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Transportation
92%
Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
Geography
90%
Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
Public Safety and Security
81%
Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
English Language
79%
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Administration and Management
78%
Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Education and Training
70%
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Law and Government
69%
Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
Telecommunications
69%
Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
Clerical
68%
Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
Customer and Personal Service
68%
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Top 10 Skills
Speaking
73%
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Active Listening
70%
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.
Critical Thinking
65%
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Reading Comprehension
65%
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Negotiation
63%
Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
Time Management
63%
Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Complex Problem Solving
60%
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Coordination
60%
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Monitoring
60%
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Service Orientation
60%
Actively looking for ways to help people.
Top 10 Abilities
Oral Comprehension
80%
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression
80%
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Written Comprehension
78%
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Near Vision
65%
The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Problem Sensitivity
63%
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Written Expression
63%
The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Category Flexibility
60%
The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
Deductive Reasoning
60%
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Inductive Reasoning
60%
The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Selective Attention
60%
The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
Top 10 Work Activities
Getting Information
83%
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Documenting/Recording Information
78%
Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems
78%
Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Handling and Moving Objects
72%
Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
Communicating with Persons Outside Organization
69%
Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
Controlling Machines and Processes
69%
Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
69%
Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People
69%
Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
69%
Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
68%
Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
Detailed Work Activities
Negotiate financial arrangements.
Coordinate operational activities.
Analyze shipping information to make routing decisions.
Track goods or materials.
Recommend packing or shipping methods.
Calculate shipping costs.
Record shipping information.
Provide notifications to customers or patrons.
Enter information into databases or software programs.
Maintain operational records.
Arrange insurance coverage.
Package objects for shipping.
Verify shipping documentation.
Supervise clerical or administrative personnel.
Coordinate shipping activities with external parties.
Inspect items for damage or defects.
Inspect shipments to ensure correct order fulfillment.
Operate vehicles or material-moving equipment.
Load materials or equipment.
Unload materials or equipment.
Assemble wood products.
Maintain inventories of materials, equipment, or products.
Manage clerical or administrative activities.
Attach identification information to products, items or containers.
Work Context
Telephone
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
Contact With Others
How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
Face-to-Face Discussions
How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
Structured versus Unstructured Work
To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?
Electronic Mail
How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
Spend Time Sitting
How much does this job require sitting?
Freedom to Make Decisions
How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
Deal With External Customers
How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job?
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
Work With Work Group or Team
How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
Education
Interests
Conventional
91%
Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Enterprising
81%
Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Realistic
53%
Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Social
34%
Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
Investigative
24%
Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Artistic
15%
Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
Top 10 Work Styles
Attention to Detail
96%
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Stress Tolerance
91%
Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Adaptability/Flexibility
87%
Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Dependability
86%
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Independence
82%
Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Achievement/Effort
81%
Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
Integrity
80%
Job requires being honest and ethical.
Persistence
79%
Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
Initiative
76%
Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Analytical Thinking
75%
Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Work Values
Relationships
62%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Support
62%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Independence
53%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Achievement
43%
Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Recognition
43%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
Working Conditions
43%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
