How to Keep an Open Mind When Hunting for Jobs in Logistics

How to Keep an Open Mind When Hunting for Jobs in Logistics

Your future career is something you’ve envisioned for yourself from a young age. You see yourself becoming a doctor, scientist, actress, engineer, businessman or woman. Although these career dreams serve as motivation for driving you to a great career, sometimes the most unexpected job opportunities can help someone realize a new career dream. For this reason, it’s important for job candidates to keep an open mind when hunting for jobs in logistics.

Don’t get us wrong; we’re not saying to take a complete 180 when conducting your job search and to apply to positions that aren’t in your realm, but having some flexibility in your plan can go a long way. Here CS Recruiting reviews some tips for how to keep an open mind when conducting a job search.

1. Don’t eliminate a job based on the job title alone: Sometimes you don’t know that a job may be the perfect fit for you until you learn more. Logistics titles and job descriptions aren’t always definitively telling of what the daily responsibilities of that position entail. Similarly, many people don’t apply to a position because they think the title is “beneath them.” If a potential job is within one to two levels below where you would like to be, consider applying regardless. Even if a job title isn’t negotiable, research and consider the promotion pathway for the position. Do employees at that logistics company typically get promoted quickly and based on performance, or is it more bureaucratic and a slower process? If the company you’re interested in works with a quicker promotion pathway, then you should consider applying for the position in hopes of soon being promoted based on your knowledge and performance.
2. Do consider that most salaries are negotiable: Many people stay away from certain job postings because they aren’t satisfied with the accompanying salary. In fact, most hiring managers know that salary negotiation is on the agenda for candidates. U.S. News & Work Report estimates that 84 percent of hiring managers expect job candidates to negotiate their salary. Because a salary negotiation is more typical for candidates to engage in nowadays, don’t let a job listing’s starting salary put you off from applying. In an average salary negotiation, an employee boosts their annual pay by $5,000, so expect to gain some traction on the offered salary regardless.
3. Don’t pigeonhole yourself in a specific industry – Within the logistics industry there are varying fields like 3PL, non-asset brokerage, trucking and intermodal, but many of these areas of operation have similar jobs and responsibilities. Most logistics employees have transferrable skills that would effectively transfer from one industry to another, and because of this job candidates should consider multiple sectors within logistics during their job search. Opening yourself to different sectors within the bigger sphere of logistics can, in effect, open yourself up to more job options.

Why Job Seeker Intentions Matter to Hiring Managers

Skilled logistics professionals are in high demand in today’s current economy. The U.S. Department of Labor estimates that one million new transportation, supply chain, and logistics jobs will be created between 2013 and 2016. Because of this, it may be difficult for job seekers to pinpoint each position that may be a good fit for them, causing them to stick to what they know, causing an individual to hinder their own job search. Today’s best careers build upon flexibility and willingness to try new positions and learn new skills, so job seekers should keep an open mind when conducting their job search.

Similarly, it’s important for hiring managers to understand this new job landscape, too. Understanding that prospective employees may go into their job search with these three pieces of advice in their mind can aid hiring managers in knowing what to expect from job candidates in the recruitment and interview process. Considering the needs of the individuals applying to jobs at a logistics company is crucial for coming to a mutual understanding among the job seeker and future employer.

Logistics recruiters at CS Recruiting are trained in the practice of finding the best job candidates for a specific job in logistics. For more information on how CS Recruiting can help your company hire the right people, contact us today.