As the online fashion industry grows, warehouse and logistics jobs are becoming more important than ever before. Businesses are in constant need of individuals who can keep their products organized, and get them going where they need to go.
While you might think that warehouse jobs are all about loading and unloading trucks, there’s a lot more to warehouse logistics than meets the eye. Here are some things that are good to know about the industry.
About Warehouse Jobs
According to the Washington Post, there are more than 1,000,000 warehouse workers in the U.S. While that may sound like a lot, Zebra’s Warehouse Vision Study showed that more warehouses are needed to accommodate the exponential growth of e-commerce. More warehouses mean a larger warehouse labor force, and workers will be required to fill those positions.
Warehouse jobs are often shrugged off as merely being entry-level positions that go nowhere. The truth is that it’s one of the most important roles in industry, especially the fashion industry.
When you think about it, billions of items are shipped each year. The majority of these items pass through warehouses in one form or another. Then once they’ve been sorted and stored, they need to be shipped to their final destination or, in many cases, another warehouse down the funnel.
Warehouses are a fast-paced environment where everything has to go smoothly to succeed. Warehouse workers are the ones that make it all possible. A company couldn’t thrive and be successful without warehouse associates performing difficult tasks with extreme attention to detail.
What are the different types of warehouse jobs?
Warehouse jobs run the gamut from entry-level positions to more advanced management roles. Here are a few:
- Warehouse Associate
- Picker
- Stocker
- Laborer
- Forklift Operator
- Shipping and Receiving Clerk
- Inspector/Packer
- Production Worker
- Material Handler
- Truck Loader
- Shift Manager
- Receiving Manager
- Shipping Supervisor
- Quality Assurance Manager
- Production Manager
For example, UA Brands is currently hiring for warehouse jobs in Lithia Springs GA. These jobs can include entry level picking/packing positions, as well as director level roles.
Some companies may have you performing multiple warehouse roles. This can often be a good thing because it means management trusts you to be able to handle a variety of tasks, and may be grooming you to take over more advanced position.
Warehouse workers can earn anywhere from $25,000 a year to $80,000 a year, depending on their position. Entry-level positions usually require no advanced education, but a college degree can improve the odds for managerial and supervisory positions.
Overall though, warehouse experience is valued over education to move up in most warehouse businesses, and many companies will promote you from within if you show promise.
What Do Hiring Managers Look for in Warehouse Workers?
It might surprise you to learn this, but warehouse jobs are often a stepping stone to other roles within the company. Therefore, hiring managers keep their eye on candidates who have the most potential.
It’s not unheard of for a warehouse worker to move on to supervisory roles or find themselves in charge of quality control or inventory management.
It all begins in the warehouse because that’s where workers learn about the business in general.
So, what will get you hired in the first place? Hiring managers will look for basic soft skills, such as a dedicated and self-motivated individual that will show up for work on time. They’ll want someone reliable and who can work independently without having to be micromanaged at every turn.
You’ll also need the following traits:
- Good organizational skills
- Good physical coordination and manual dexterity
- Excellent verbal and written communication
- Strong physical stamina
Companies often train for specific duties, like operating a forklift to move pallets or learning how to pack an order correctly. However, warehouse work is not only physical activities, and it’s the personal attributes that you can bring to the job that will win over management.
Fashion Industry Warehouse Jobs Often Promote From Within
The fashion industry can be a competitive one and companies want their warehouse operations to run as smoothly as possible. This means having a dedicated workforce that prides itself on excellence.
Warehouse companies usually prefer to promote from within their workforce whenever possible. Managers prefer someone who understands the company, its products, and its work culture.
Once a warehouse worker has been on the job for a year, it usually gives hiring managers a good idea of whether they’re capable of higher-level roles. The right person can be promoted rather quickly, and it doesn’t always take years on the job to advance.
Warehouse companies prefer a low turnover and want to hire people who will stay with the company for a long time and move up higher within the organization.
Warehouse workers are more essential than ever. Maybe you have what it takes to go from an entry-level warehouse position to an upper-level management position.
