Shipping & Receiving Clerk Jobs
Shipping and receiving clerks are essential to directing the flow of goods into and out of companies. In 2006, about 769,000 people worked as shipping, receiving or traffic clerks, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. These entry-level workers often move up in the company after some time, creating openings for new entry-level workers.
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Shipping Duties
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Shipping clerks oversee outgoing shipments. They may procure the items to be shipped from a warehouse, note their removal from inventory, then pack the items up with invoices and any other paperwork. They address the packages, assess shipment costs and get the goods out the door. Throughout, shipping clerks keep careful records of what they have sent out.
Receiving Duties
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Receiving clerks track what comes into a company. They check that the contents of received packages match the packing slips and arrange for corrections if items were omitted or were damaged during shipment. Receiving clerks often handle moving the received items to the correct company departments or parts of the warehouse as well.
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Traffic Duties
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Working with both incoming and outgoing shipments, traffic clerks check that shipment rates and charges are correct. When they find a discrepancy, traffic clerks request that shippers adjust their charges.
Training and Qualifications
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Most training for shipping and receiving clerks occurs on the job, with supervision from more experienced workers. Most clerks in these positions need no more than a high school diploma. They should be strong, however--able to withstand frequent bending and stooping as they move goods and shipped packages around. Since more and more shipping and receiving duties involve computers, scanners and other automated equipment, comfort with technology is important.
Earnings and Job Outlook
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In May 2006, the median annual salary for a shipping, receiving or traffic clerk was $26,070, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Job growth in the field between 2006 and 2016 is expected to be rather slow--4 percent--compared with average job growth in all occupations nationwide. The relatively slow rate of growth is partially attributable to an increasing amount of automation.
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