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Role overview

Shipping, Receiving, and Traffic Clerks keep products moving into, through, and out of an organization. They verify incoming deliveries, inspect and log materials, prepare and pack outbound orders, generate labels and shipping documents, coordinate carriers, resolve discrepancies, and maintain accurate inventory records. You will find these roles in warehouses, manufacturing plants, hospitals, labs, retail distribution centers, e commerce fulfillment, third party logistics providers, and small business shipping rooms. Alternate titles include Shipping Clerk, Receiving Clerk, Logistics Clerk, Traffic Coordinator, Dock Clerk, and Inbound or Outbound Coordinator.

Your purpose is simple and critical: get the right goods to the right place at the right time, with complete paperwork, correct counts, and safe handling. If you like hands on work with clear standards, enjoy problem solving, and want pathways into inventory control, planning, transportation coordination, and operations leadership, this is a strong starting point.

What the role actually does

Daily work varies by site, but most activities fall into these buckets.

• Receiving and inbound control
  • Meet carriers at the dock, confirm appointments, and assign doors
  • Inspect shipments for damage, correct counts, and purchase order matches
  • Check packing slips, bills of lading, ASN data, and barcodes against the ERP receiving screen
  • Record overages, shortages, and damages, and initiate carrier exceptions or vendor claims
  • Apply item labels when required and stage goods to quality inspection or putaway
• Shipping and outbound execution
  • Pick up released orders or pick lists and confirm items, lots, and serials
  • Pack goods safely using appropriate materials, dunnage, and blocking and bracing
  • Weigh and measure cartons or pallets, generate carrier labels, and print bills of lading or commercial invoices
  • Consolidate parcels, build pallets, stretch wrap, and mark freight with piece counts and destination
  • Schedule carrier pickups and ensure cutoff times are met
• Traffic coordination and carrier management
  • Book parcel, LTL, FTL, air, or international shipments using web portals, TMS, or carrier systems
  • Compare service levels, transit times, and rates and choose the best option within policy
  • Prepare international customs documents, commercial invoices, packing lists, and certificates of origin with accurate HTS codes and values
  • Track pickups and deliveries, resolve missed scans, and communicate ETAs to customer service or planners
• Inventory accuracy and documentation
  • Process receipts and shipments in the ERP or WMS so inventory stays accurate
  • Record lot, batch, or serial numbers for traceability
  • Run cycle counts and reconcile variances
  • Keep paperwork, images, and signatures filed for audit trails
• Quality, safety, and compliance
  • Follow hazmat, cold chain, or sterile handling procedures as required
  • Use PPE, lock out tag out, and safe lifting techniques
  • Keep docks clear, weight limits respected, and equipment inspected
  • Apply labeling standards such as UCC 128, GS1, or customer specific label sets
• Customer service and problem solving
  • Answer status questions for internal teams and customers
  • Resolve address issues, packaging questions, and special delivery instructions
  • Coordinate re shipments, call tags, and returns
  • Escalate chronic vendor or carrier problems with evidence and suggestions
• Continuous improvement
  • Maintain 5S order in the shipping and receiving area
  • Suggest layout tweaks to reduce travel and touches
  • Build simple checklists that cut repeat errors and train new hires

Typical work environment

This is an on site role in a warehouse, plant, hospital dock, retail back room, or small business shipping room. Expect frequent walking, standing, bending, and lifting with equipment assistance. Hours vary by industry, with first shift common and second or weekend shifts where operations run extended hours. The pace is steady with spikes around carrier cutoffs, inbound appointment waves, and end of month or quarter shipping pushes. Culture is practical, safety focused, and metrics driven. Success comes from accuracy, on time performance, and clean communication.

Tools and technology

• ERP or WMS for receiving, shipping, inventory transactions, and ASNs
• Shipping systems such as UPS WorldShip, FedEx Ship Manager, USPS tools, or multi carrier platforms and TMS
• Scanners and printers for barcodes, labels, and bills of lading
• Material handling equipment pallet jacks, forklifts, hand trucks, conveyors
• Measuring tools calibrated scales, dimensioners, tape measures
• Packaging tools sealers, tape dispensers, strap and stretch wrap tools
• Office tools spreadsheets for logs and trackers, email for status and carrier communication

You do not need to code. You must navigate screens quickly, scan accurately, and keep identifiers, counts, and paperwork consistent.

Core skills that drive success

Accuracy. Counts, labels, and documents must match reality.
Time sense. Protect carrier cutoffs and inbound appointment times.
Organization. Maintain clean staging, first in first out, and clear lanes.
Communication. Give simple updates that others can act on.
Problem solving. Trace a missing case, fix a label, or re pack a damaged carton.
Safety discipline. Use equipment correctly and follow weight and stack rules.
Systems comfort. Move between WMS, TMS, and carrier portals without losing the thread.
Teamwork. Coordinate with warehouse, quality, purchasing, planning, and customer service.

Minimum requirements and preferred qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent
• Ability to lift moderate weights with safe technique and use material handling equipment after training
• Comfort with computers, scanners, and printers
• Reliable attendance and a steady pace under deadlines
• Basic math and reading for counts, weights, and instructions

Preferred additions include forklift certification, experience with WMS or carrier tools, knowledge of hazmat or international shipping, and prior warehouse or dock experience.

Education and certifications

Learning is mostly on the job, but targeted training accelerates growth.

• Forklift and powered industrial truck certifications for safe equipment operation
• OSHA safety basics and dock safety
• Hazmat awareness and limited quantity rules for shipping batteries, chemicals, or aerosols
• Export documentation introductions to commercial invoices, packing lists, and HTS codes
• 5S and lean basics for workspace organization and flow
• WMS and TMS system training tied to your employer’s stack

Community colleges and trade associations offer short courses in logistics, inventory control, and transportation.

Day in the life

7:00 a.m. Open the dock. Check inbound appointment board and outbound pick list. Power up printers and scanners, verify label stock, and do a quick 5S reset.
7:15 a.m. First inbound truck backs in. Verify PO numbers and piece counts. Note two damaged cartons, capture photos, and sign the bill of lading with exceptions. Receive the rest into the WMS and stage pallets to quality inspection.
8:30 a.m. Parcel wave. Pack ten e commerce orders. Use right sized cartons, add void fill, weigh and measure, print labels, and drop on the conveyor.
9:30 a.m. LTL build. Pick five orders for a regional customer. Palletize by purchase order, add corner boards, stretch wrap, weigh and measure, print bill of lading, and apply UCC 128 labels.
10:45 a.m. Vendor discrepancy. Count is short by three pieces. Email the supplier with photos and delivery receipt notes, and alert purchasing and AP.
11:15 a.m. International shipment. Prepare commercial invoice with correct HTS codes and values, confirm Incoterms, include packing list, and route for export pick up.
12:00 p.m. Lunch.
12:30 p.m. Cycle count. Scan aisle 3 locations. Reconcile two variances and correct one mislabeled carton.
1:30 p.m. Carrier pickup window approaches. Stage parcels and LTL in order of cutoff times. Notify customer service of a weather delay on a linehaul and provide a new ETA.
2:30 p.m. Safety check. Inspect dock plates and straps, move a stray pallet from a fire lane, and note a leaky shrink wrap roll for replacement.
3:00 p.m. Final outbound. Close manifests, print end of day reports, and hand paperwork to the driver for signature.
3:30 p.m. Clean up, back flush packing materials in the WMS, and prep tomorrow’s labels.
4:00 p.m. End of day.

Quarter end adds more LTL and expedited requests. The craft is hitting cutoffs with zero errors.

Performance metrics and goals

• On time shipments percent of orders shipped by cutoff
• Receiving accuracy correct quantities and documents on first pass
• Dock to stock time speed from receipt to putaway release
• Inventory accuracy cycle count results and variance rates
• Damage rate and packaging compliance
• Carrier compliance ready at planned pickup times, correct documents
• Safety metrics incident free days and equipment inspection completion
• Cost metrics mode mix, parcel surcharge avoidance, and right sizing packaging

Top performers show a blend of speed and precision with clean audit trails.

Earnings potential

Pay varies by region, industry, shift, and complexity.

Directional guidance across many U.S. markets:

• Entry level clerks often earn about 17 to 21 dollars per hour
• Experienced shipping or receiving clerks commonly earn about 21 to 26 dollars per hour
• Senior traffic coordinators or lead clerks may reach about 26 to 32 dollars per hour or salaried equivalents
• Shift differentials, overtime, and peak bonuses can add to total pay
• Benefits for full time roles often include health coverage, retirement plans, paid time off, tuition assistance, and boot or glove allowances

Industries like aerospace, medical devices, and pharmaceuticals tend to pay at the higher end due to compliance and documentation demands.

Growth stages and promotional path

Stage 1: Shipping or Receiving Clerk

• Master receiving and shipping transactions, label printing, and safe packing
• Maintain clean docks, accurate counts, and on time performance

Stage 2: Senior Clerk or Traffic Coordinator

• Book carriers and negotiate pickup windows within policy
• Handle international documents, hazmat compliance, and special customer labels
• Train new clerks and own KPI boards

Stage 3: Inventory Control or Logistics Coordinator

• Lead cycle counts, root cause variances, and improve location accuracy
• Build simple dashboards for OTIF, dock to stock time, and carrier performance
• Coordinate with planning and customer service on priorities

Stage 4: Supervisor, Transportation Planner, or Warehouse Lead

• Manage teams, schedules, and audits
• Own carrier relationships, rate reviews, and process improvements
• Move into operations manager or distribution center leadership over time

Alternative tracks

• Purchasing or procurement for vendor facing problem solvers
• Quality or regulatory for documentation oriented staff
• Customer operations for status focused communicators
• Field service logistics for hospital or lab deliveries and sterile supplies
• Industrial engineering support for layout and process improvements

How to enter the field

1. Leverage retail stockroom or warehouse experience. Receiving, counts, and packing translate well.
2. Show safety and equipment readiness. Forklift or pallet jack certification helps.
3. Practice paperwork accuracy. Bring a sample of a correctly completed bill of lading or pick ticket if allowed.
4. Learn basic shipping terms. Know parcel vs LTL, PRO number, accessorials, NMFC, HTS, Incoterms.
5. Demonstrate reliability. Attendance and hitting cutoffs are often the first hiring filters.
6. Be system curious. Ask which WMS, carrier tools, or TMS are in use and mention similar tools you have used.
7. Aim for cross training. Inbound, outbound, and inventory exposure accelerates advancement.

Sample interview questions

• How do you verify an inbound shipment against a purchase order and what do you do if quantities do not match
• Walk me through packing and labeling a pallet for an LTL pickup
• What documents are required for an international export shipment
• How would you handle a carrier that repeatedly misses pickup windows
• Describe a time you found and fixed an inventory discrepancy
• What steps do you take to make sure you hit parcel and LTL cutoffs daily

Common challenges and how to handle them

Missed cutoffs. Stage by carrier time, pre print labels where possible, and create a countdown board. Ask for earlier pick releases from planning.
Damage in transit. Improve packaging, add corner boards and blocking, and photograph pallets before loading. File claims with clear evidence.
Inventory inaccuracies. Stop and fix root causes. Standardize scans, train on lot and serial captures, and audit high variance items.
Carrier no shows. Maintain backups, escalate early, and communicate ETAs to customer service. Track and review carrier performance monthly.
Label compliance failures. Build a customer label library and a pre ship checklist. Test with the customer before the first shipment.
Hazmat errors. Train, post visual guides, and slow down. Never ship uncertain materials without correct classification.
Space constraints. Implement 5S, vertical racking where allowed, and pull forward putaway to free the dock.
Burnout. Rotate tasks, stretch, hydrate, and use lift aids. Keep the area tidy to reduce stress and errors.

Employment outlook

E commerce growth, nearshoring, and supply chain resilience keep shipping and receiving central to operations. Automation and scanners reduce keystrokes but do not eliminate the need for disciplined people who can reconcile counts, manage exceptions, and keep paperwork clean. Healthcare and regulated industries amplify demand for staff who can handle traceability and compliance. Employers face continual hiring needs due to growth, volume variability, and retirements. Clerks with cross training in inventory and transportation coordination will have steady opportunities and faster advancement.

Is this career a good fit for you

You will likely thrive as a Shipping, Receiving, and Traffic Clerk if you enjoy hands on work with visible results, like checklists and clear standards, and feel satisfied when the dock is clean, the paperwork is right, and trucks leave on time. The role suits people who are dependable, safety minded, and comfortable with both physical tasks and computer screens. If you prefer planning and data, target inventory control. If you enjoy vendor and carrier negotiations, grow toward transportation planning. If you want a practical path into operations with many directions to grow, this is a strong match.

To clarify your motivational fit and compare this path with adjacent logistics and operations roles, take the MAPP assessment at www.assessment.com. More than 9,000,000 people in over 165 countries have used MAPP to understand their core drives and align with roles where they can sustain energy and grow. Your profile can reveal whether structured, action oriented logistics work aligns with what energizes you most.

How to advance faster

• Track your OTIF, dock to stock time, and cycle count accuracy and share monthly improvements
• Build checklists for receiving exceptions, LTL builds, and export docs
• Create a simple visual staging map and label lanes and racks clearly
• Standardize photo logs for damage claims and first article outbound pallets
• Cross train in inventory control and carrier booking and document SOPs
• Join a safety committee and complete forklift trainer certification if available
• Learn the basics of a TMS and propose one small rate or mode optimization

Resume bullets you can borrow

• Achieved 99.5 percent on time shipment rate while reducing packing defects by 35 percent through standardized work and a pre ship checklist
• Improved dock to stock time from 24 hours to 6 hours by adding appointment scheduling and an ASN receiving lane
• Cut inventory variances by 40 percent by enforcing scan to pack and daily cycle counts on top drivers
• Built an export documentation kit that reduced commercial invoice errors to near zero and cut customs delays
• Negotiated carrier pickups and improved pickup reliability by 20 percent with better staging and communication
• Trained 12 new hires on WMS receiving and shipping workflows, reducing onboarding time by two weeks

Final thoughts

Shipping, Receiving, and Traffic Clerks are the heartbeat of physical operations. You translate orders and deliveries into accurate inventory and timely movements. With steady habits, clean documentation, and safety first execution, you can build a respected, upwardly mobile career in logistics, inventory, and operations leadership.

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