What Does a Shipping and Receiving
Clerk Do?
Any company or facility that has products or supplies, incoming or outgoing, has to have a system in place to organize and facilitate these daily tasks. Scheduling complicated deliveries, registering and distributing goods, and organizing products safely and securely requires foresight and manpower.
Shipping and receiving clerks handle these tasks and more. Responsible for the cataloging and safekeeping of goods, planning and improving logistics, and file keeping, these experts help keep businesses running smoothly. Along with the administrative tasks associated with the job, they’re also responsible for getting the items to and from their intended destinations, either with equipment or heavy lifting.
These clerks are generally expected to be in good shape and have good timing and logistical management skills. Having strong customer service skills is a must, and possessing any certification or licensure, such as forklift operation, is a plus.
Are you a job seeker?
Browse zengig’s
comprehensive list
of job openings
and apply online
National Average Salary
Shipping and receiving clerk salaries vary by experience, industry, organization size, and geography. To explore salary ranges by local market, please visit our sister site zengig.com.
The average U.S. salary for a Shipping and Receiving Clerk is:
$35,590
Shipping and Receiving Clerk
Job Descriptions
The first step when hiring a great shipping and receiving clerk is a well-crafted job description. Below are real-world examples to help give you the best chance of success on your recruiting journey.
Example 1
[Your Company Name] is searching for a new shipping and receiving clerk to join our ranks. The ideal candidate for this position should have previous experience in the shipping field. Warehouse management experience is beneficial as well. As our shipping and receiving clerk, it will be your job to manage and organize incoming and outgoing packages at our facility. You will also be responsible for space management and must be able to input data and calculate space requirements to ensure that our facility has enough room for large shipments. This job is full-time and offers benefits. The ideal candidate for this position will have good organizational skills, communication skills, and skills in problem resolving. If this sounds like it fits you, please consider applying. We’re looking forward to having you on our team.
Typical duties and responsibilities
- Accurately process customer orders
- Review all orders for special requests and shipping information
- Insert items into containers and packaging
- Prioritize orders by pick-up and ship time
- Monitor inventory counts as necessary
- Maintain data and records related to shipping and receiving activities
Education and experience
This position requires a high school diploma or equivalent. Employers tend to prefer candidates with experience working in a warehouse or shipping setting.
Required skills and qualifications
- Ability to read and understand delivery orders, and work with minimal guidance
- Ability to operate computers and relevant software to fulfill orders
- Follow safe work practices and procedures
- Excellent teamwork skills
Preferred qualifications
- 2 years of relevant experience
- Detail-oriented, accuracy-driven, and proficient computer skills
- The ability to work efficiently and independently is important as well
- Must have familiarity with shipping and receiving procedures
Example 2
Summary:
Process Domestic and International shipments using various shipping software and systems such as UPS World Wide Ship software, FedEx online, and DHL. Prepares proper paperwork and documentation for International shipments.
Responsibilities:
- Picks, packs, and processes outgoing shipments in a proficient, safe and efficient manner
- Receives, inspects and processes incoming shipments
- Must be able to lift 50 pounds and work on feet for length of time
- Assemblies, label trims, cuts, and general maintenance work as needed
- Uses scales, counting equipment and printers
- Performs quality checks and inspection of items produced
- Data entry, processing and reporting with SAP B1 system
- Cycle counts and inspects inventory. Maintains accurate inventory levels of product and packaging material
- Organizes and priorities workload, working within tight deadlines
- Thinks creatively and suggests process improvements to management
- Prepares regular and periodic reports describing activity
Skills & requirements:
- One year experience in shipping and receiving, or equivalent work experience
- Basic computer skills. Working knowledge of Excel and Outlook
- Helps co-workers and assists in meeting department objectives and preparing all shipments on time
- Completes other projects as assigned by management
- Other projects as deemed necessary
- Basic math skills
- Good communication skills
- High level of professionalism and organized
- Attention to detail/visional oriented
- Ability to meet shipping deadlines
Example 3
Position summary:
Responsible for participating in all aspects of shipping and receiving. The successful candidate must have exceptional organizational skills, accuracy, and speed. Position reports to the Shipping Coordinator.
Job description:
- Shipping and receiving of small-to-medium sized items
- Coordinate with off-site warehouse personnel to receive/ship bulk quantities
- Coordinate air and sea freight
- Generate shipping documents including safety data sheets, airfreight declarations, and BOL’s
- Ensure on-time delivery of inbound and outbound shipments
- Shipment-related customer service, side projects, and any additional assistance to the Operations Department
Experience & qualifications:
- 1-4 yrs experience in shipping/receiving
- Experience with FedEx, UPS, DHL, Domestic, and INTL systems
- Experience with Air and Sea Freight logistics and customs clearance
- Dangerous Goods packaging/shipping experience required
- Able to lift objects 30-60 lbs.
- Attention to detail
- Quick learner, fast worker
- Able to juggle many different tasks/responsibilities with ease
Example 4
Position summary:
Responsible for the accurate completion of any and all shipping and receiving tasks including but not limited to: packaging, cleaning, and sorting parts, and material handling.
Essential duties & responsibilities:
- Must embrace and follow the vision and values of ABC Company
- Safety is our overriding priority. If an unsafe condition is found to exist, actions must be taken immediately to correct the situation to keep all team members safe and get manufacturing equipment operational as soon as possible
- Cleaning of parts, hand sorting of parts, and packing of parts prior to shipment
- Completion of all required quality inspection records
- Material handling of parts and containers including loading and unload trucks
- Completion of all required production reporting
- Cooperation and collaboration with supporting departments
- Must complete all required hazardous waste training and comply with all ABC Company hazardous waste and handling procedures
- The above list of responsibilities describes normal work, but the Supervisor may assign this person to duties not listed when production requirements dictate or when there is not enough work in the regular classification to fill out the workday
- Attend all Management meetings and training sessions, safety committee meetings, and all employee meetings as required by upper management
- Follow all IATF requirements including creating and maintaining IATF documents
- Other responsibilities as assigned to meet the needs of the business
Education & experience requirements:
- High school diploma or GED equivalent
- Good attendance and performance work history
- Motived self-starter that can productively work alone and in teams/groups to solve problems and get work done
- Must have proven leadership skills. Proficient in English (reading, writing, and verbal skills).
- Must have the ability and willingness to work overtime on an as needed/required basis in order to complete work in process and communicate with other shifts
- Must be eligible to work in the United States
Candidate Certifications to Look For
- International Accredited Business Accountant (IABA). Having a certification as an internationally accredited business accountant will benefit shipping and receiving clerks with their management and organizational skills. This certification is internationally recognized, so it can prove to be immensely beneficial for any shipping and receiving clerks in a large variety of positions.
- Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP). The Certified Supply Chain Professional certification allows a professional to understand supply chain and logistics operations. This certification ensures a quality level of customer service and problem resolution skills. Because of this, it can be beneficial for a shipping and receiving clerk.
Sample Interview Questions
- Are you confident in your ability to multitask and handle large influxes when necessary?
- What steps do you take to ensure accuracy when receiving and shipping goods?
- As a shipping and receiving clerk, are you able to concentrate on the task at hand to avoid any shipping confusion which may occur if you do not successfully perform your duty?
- If there was a package mixup, how would you resolve this issue?
- Have you had to deal with lost or damaged items? If so, how did you respond?
- Describe a time you encountered a challenging shipping-related request.
- How do you approach having multiple priorities at the same time?
- Do you have experience with customs and international shipping regulations? If so, please describe.
- Which inventory tracking systems have you used, and where?
- Which shipping software applications or systems have you used, and where?
- Have you previously had to resolve problems an unsatisfied customer may have? How did you approach those situations?
- How would you approach improving efficiency in this role?