Distribution Job Description
Distribution workers handle a variety of tasks and perform many functions depending on industry. Some distribution workers are employed by warehouses, where they handle a company's shipping and receiving. Others are delivery drivers responsible for transporting items to their destination. But regardless of specific duties, distribution workers are crucial when it comes to keeping consumers happy.
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Shipping Clerks
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Shipping clerks handle a company's outgoing products, many of which are delivered to businesses to sell. Before shipping out a product, they must make sure it is packaged and labeled correctly, understanding their company's and carrier's shipping policies. Shipping clerks often prepare invoices and load delivery trucks when an order is ready.
Receiving Clerks
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Receiving clerks accept shipments from loading docks and, like shipping clerks, occasionally must operate heavy equipment to help unload products. They check to make sure shipments arrive as ordered and in good condition and that items are put in their proper places in the warehouse or storage room.
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Drivers
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Delivery drivers make sure items are taken from either one warehouse to another or from a warehouse to the customer. Some merely cover a region a delivery van or truck, while others drive tractor-trailers across the country. Either way, delivery drivers must make sure that items being shipped reach their destination, usually in a timely fashion and without incident.
Traffic Clerks
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Traffic clerks typically are the link between the shipping, receiving and delivery departments. Traffic clerks handle many of the office duties related to distribution, such as recording the weight of packages, as well as when products should arrive or be sent out. They also help manage invoices and damage claims.
Managers
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Distribution managers are in charge of overseeing the entire shipping and receiving process, hiring and scheduling employees and making sure all understand their roles. They see to it that each member of every department is working as a team and stays motivated, and that all operations run smoothly. Managers also are in charge of a financial budget and may sometimes negotiate with vendors on pricing.
Prospects
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Since almost all companies need people to send out their products in good condition, jobs for those who work in distribution departments are likely to be steady for years to come. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in the warehousing industry overall is expected to increase by 11 percent through 2018. Meanwhile, jobs for shipping, receiving and traffic clerks are projected to grow by 7 percent and those for drivers by 9 percent.
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References
- Photo Credit Semi image by Andrew Breeden from Fotolia.com
