43-5071.00 - Shipping, Receiving, and Traffic Clerks

Updated 2009

Summary Report for:
43-5071.00 - Shipping, Receiving, and Traffic Clerks

Verify and keep 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.

Sample of reported job titles: Receiving Clerk, Shipping Clerk, Shipping and Receiving Clerk, Receiver, Shipper, Shipping Coordinater, Traffic Manager, Warehouseman, Receiving Manager, Shipping/Receiving Clerk

View report: Summary Details Custom

Tasks

Examine contents and compare with records, such as manifests, invoices, or orders, to verify accuracy of incoming or outgoing shipment.
Prepare documents, such as work orders, bills of lading, and shipping orders to route materials.
Record shipment data, such as weight, charges, space availability, and damages and discrepancies, for reporting, accounting, and recordkeeping purposes.
Determine shipping method for materials, using knowledge of shipping procedures, routes, and rates.
Deliver or route materials to departments, using work devices, such as handtruck, conveyor, or sorting bins.
Pack, seal, label, and affix postage to prepare materials for shipping, using work devices such as hand tools, power tools, and postage meter.
Confer and correspond with establishment representatives to rectify problems, such as damages, shortages, and nonconformance to specifications.
Requisition and store shipping materials and supplies to maintain inventory of stock.
Contact carrier representative to make arrangements and to issue instructions for shipping and delivery of materials.
Compute amounts, such as space available, and shipping, storage, and demurrage charges, using calculator or price list.

Tools & Technology

Tools used in this occupation:

Bar code reader equipment — Handheld bar code scanning devices; High-speed/moving object scanning devices

Electronic toploading balances — Package scales

Forklifts

Packaging vacuum — Shrink wrap packaging vacuums

Radio frequency identification devices — Fixed radio frequency identification device RFID readers; Handheld scanners; Radio frequency identification RFID devices

Technology used in this occupation:

Document management software — MSR Visual Exporter Document Library

Label making software — Barcode labeling software; Endicia Internet Postage; Laser Substrates PostalXport

Materials requirements planning logistics and supply chain software — ADi SmartBOL; eLading Bill of Lading Software; Varsity ShipSoft Supply Chain Execution Suite; WindowBook Postal Package Partner

Optical character reader OCR or scanning software — Enterprise Systems RFID Data Management

Procurement software — Aestiva Purchase Order

Knowledge

Production and Processing — Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

Customer and Personal Service — 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.

Skills

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.

Speaking — Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Time Management — Managing one's own time and the time of others.

Writing — Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Mathematics — Using mathematics to solve problems.

Learning Strategies — Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.

Monitoring — Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Social Perceptiveness — Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Critical Thinking — Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Abilities

Information Ordering — The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

Near Vision — The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

Oral Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

Oral Comprehension — The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

Problem Sensitivity — 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 Comprehension — The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

Written Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

Category Flexibility — The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.

Deductive Reasoning — The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

Far Vision — The ability to see details at a distance.

Work Activities

Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Handling and Moving Objects — Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.

Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Performing General Physical Activities — Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.

Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events — Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.

Processing Information — Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.

Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information — Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.

Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work — Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.

Work Context

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?

Telephone — How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?

Face-to-Face Discussions — How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?

Importance of Being Exact or Accurate — How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing 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?

Freedom to Make Decisions — How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?

Work With Work Group or Team — How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?

Duration of Typical Work Week — Number of hours typically worked in one week.

Importance of Repeating Same Tasks — How important is repeating the same physical activities (e.g., key entry) or mental activities (e.g., checking entries in a ledger) over and over, without stopping, to performing this job?

Time Pressure — How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?

Job Zone

Title	Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed
Education	These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
Related 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.
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.
Job Zone Examples	These occupations often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include sheet metal workers, forest fire fighters, customer service representatives, physical therapist aides, salespersons (retail), and tellers.
SVP Range	(4.0 to < 6.0)

Interests

Interest code: CRE

Conventional — 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.

Realistic — 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.

Enterprising — 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.

Work Styles

Attention to Detail — Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.

Dependability — Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.

Independence — 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.

Cooperation — Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.

Integrity — Job requires being honest and ethical.

Self Control — Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.

Initiative — Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.

Adaptability/Flexibility — Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.

Stress Tolerance — Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.

Persistence — Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.

Work Values

Relationships — 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 — 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 — Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employs to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.

Related Occupations

43-3061.00	Procurement Clerks
43-5061.00	Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks
43-5081.03	Stock Clerks- Stockroom, Warehouse, or Storage Yard
43-5111.00	Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping
43-9051.00	Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service
49-9091.00	Coin, Vending, and Amusement Machine Servicers and Repairers
53-6051.08	Freight and Cargo Inspectors

Wages & Employment Trends

National

Median wages (2008)	$13.30 hourly, $27,660 annual
Employment (2006)	769,000 employees
Projected growth (2006-2016)	Slower than average (3% to 6%)
Projected need (2006-2016)	213,000 additional employees

State & National

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics 2008 wage data and 2006-2016 employment projections . "Projected growth" represents the estimated change in total employment over the projections period (2006-2016). "Projected need" represents job openings due to growth and net replacement.

Summary Report for: 43-5071.00 - Shipping, Receiving, and Traffic Clerks