BlissPoint Analytics

Occupation AtlasCargo and Freight Agents

O*NET · 43-5011.00

Cargo and Freight Agents

Expedite and route movement of incoming and outgoing cargo and freight shipments in airline, train, and trucking terminals and shipping docks. Take orders from customers and arrange pickup of freight and cargo for delivery to loading platform. Prepare and examine bills of lading to determine shipping charges and tariffs.

Also called Air Export Coordinator · Air Export Specialist · Air Freight Coordinator · Cargo Agent · Cargo CS Agent · Cargo Customer Service Agent (Cargo CS Agent) · Cargo Router · Cargo Warehouse Agent
44 more

Container Coordinator · Drop Shipment Clerk · Export Compliance Specialist · Export Coordinator · Export Specialist · Freight Agent · Freight Booker · Freight Broker · Freight Broker Agent · Freight Clerk · Freight Coordinator · Freight Forwarder · Freight Receiver · Freight Representative · Freight Router · Freight Shipping Agent · Freight Specialist · Import Coordinator · Import Customs Clearing Agent · Intermodal Dispatcher · International Coordinator · Load Planner · Logistics Assistant · Logistics Clerk · Logistics Coordinator · Logistics Service Representative · Logistics Technician · Ocean Export Coordinator · Ocean Import Agent · Ocean Import Coordinator · Ocean Import Specialist · Operations Clerk · Receiver · Route Agent · Route Clerk · Ship Broker · Shipping Agent · Shipping Coordinator · Shipping Processor · Shipping Specialist · Traffic and Documentation Clerk · Transportation Agent · Transportation Broker · Transportation Clerk

Job Zone 2 — Some Preparation NeededHolland code CER35 skills on file

Compare with another occupationCompare with Counter and Rental Clerks

Job Zone

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5

Zone 2: Some Preparation Needed

Some preparation. Usually a high school diploma, some previous work-related skill or experience, and a few months to a year of training with experienced workers.

Job Zone is O*NET's rating of how much education, experience and training an occupation typically needs — a property of the work, not of anyone doing it.

Occupational interest profile

CERConventional · Enterprising · Realistic — the three strongest interests, in order

  • C Conventional6.32
  • E Enterprising4.83
  • R Realistic3.15
  • S Social2.14
  • I Investigative1.52
  • A Artistic1.00

RIASEC (Holland) interests on O*NET's 0–7 scale: what the work draws on, not what any individual prefers. Hover a row for what each dimension means.

Education and experience

The education level respondents say the job requires, and the most common answer for experience and training.

  • Less than a High School Diploma2%
  • High School Diploma or the equivalent12%
  • Post-Secondary Certificate18%
  • Some College Courses19%
  • Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree18%
  • Bachelor's Degree31%
Related work experience
None (54%)
On-site or in-plant training
Over 1 month, up to and including 3 months (42%)
On-the-job training
Over 3 months, up to and including 6 months (35%)

Typically associated skills

All 35 O*NET skills, most important first. Importance (1–5) says how much a skill matters here; level (0–7) says how much of it the work calls for, with O*NET's example of a nearby level. Neither is a proficiency rating of a person.

  • Speakingbasic3.63.0Level 2 looks like: Greet tourists and explain tourist attractions
  • Active Listeningbasic3.53.0Level 2 looks like: Take a customer's order
  • Critical Thinkingbasic3.33.6Level 4 looks like: Evaluate customer complaints and determine appropriate responses
  • Reading Comprehensionbasic3.33.1Level 4 looks like: Understand an email from management describing new personnel policies
  • Negotiation3.13.1Level 4 looks like: Contract with a wholesaler to sell items at a given cost
  • Time Management3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Keep a monthly calendar of appointments
  • Monitoringbasic3.03.1Level 4 looks like: Monitor a meeting and revise the agenda to ensure important topics are discussed
  • Coordination3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Schedule appointments for a medical clinic
  • Service Orientation3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Ask customers if they would like a cup of coffee
  • Social Perceptiveness3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Notice that customers are angry because they have been waiting too long
  • Writingbasic3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Write down a guest's order at a restaurant
  • Complex Problem Solving3.02.9Level 2 looks like: Lay out tools to complete a job
Show the other 23
  • Persuasion2.92.9Level 2 looks like: Solicit donations for a charity
  • Active Learningbasic2.82.8Level 2 looks like: Think about the implications of a news article for job opportunities
  • Judgment and Decision Making2.82.8Level 2 looks like: Decide how scheduling a break will affect work flow
  • Instructing2.52.5Level 2 looks like: Instruct a new employee in the use of a timekeeping system
  • Operations Monitoring2.41.6Level 2 looks like: Monitor completion times while running a computer program
  • Mathematicsbasic2.32.5Level 2 looks like: Count the amount of change to be given to a customer
  • Systems Analysis2.32.1Level 2 looks like: Determine how loss of a team member will affect the completion of a job
  • Quality Control Analysis2.32.0Level 2 looks like: Inspect a draft email for errors (e.g., grammar, punctuation)
  • Management of Personnel Resources2.12.3Level 2 looks like: Encourage a coworker who is having difficulty finishing a project
  • Management of Material Resources2.11.4Level 2 looks like: Reserve a room for a management meeting
  • Systems Evaluation2.02.1Level 2 looks like: Determine why estimates for the time to complete a task are overly optimistic
  • Learning Strategiesbasic2.01.9Level 2 looks like: Learn a different method of completing a task from a coworker
  • Operations Analysis2.01.4Level 2 looks like: Select a printer for an office
  • Troubleshooting2.01.4Level 2 looks like: Identify the source of a leak by looking under a machine
  • Operation and Control1.61.3Level 2 looks like: Navigate the settings on an office printer to print on both sides of the paper
  • Equipment Selection1.60.8
  • Equipment Maintenance1.60.6
  • Repairing1.50.5
  • Management of Financial Resources1.40.4
  • Programming1.40.4
  • Technology Design1.40.4
  • Installation1.1—
  • Sciencebasic1.0—

Tasks

9 core · 15 supplemental

What people in this occupation do, as O*NET records it, core tasks first by importance (1–5).

  1. Negotiate and arrange transport of goods with shipping or freight companies.3.9
  2. Determine method of shipment and prepare bills of lading, invoices, and other shipping documents.3.7
  3. Track delivery progress of shipments.3.6
  4. Advise clients on transportation and payment methods.3.5
  5. Estimate freight or postal rates and record shipment costs and weights.3.4
  6. Keep records of all goods shipped, received, and stored.3.3
  7. Notify consignees, passengers, or customers of freight or baggage arrival and arrange for delivery.3.3
  8. Retrieve stored items and trace lost shipments as necessary.3.1
  9. Enter shipping information into a computer by hand or by a hand-held scanner that reads bar codes on goods.3.0
Show the other 15
  1. Arrange insurance coverage for goods.3.5
  2. Prepare manifests showing numbers of airplane passengers and baggage, mail, and freight weights, transmitting data to destinations.3.5
  3. Install straps, braces, and padding to loads to prevent shifting or damage during shipment.3.4
  4. Check import or export documentation to determine cargo contents and use tariff coding system to classify goods according to fee or tariff group.3.3
  5. Inspect and count items received and check them against invoices or other documents, recording shortages and rejecting damaged goods.3.2
  6. Coordinate and supervise activities of workers engaged in packing and shipping merchandise.3.2
  7. Contact vendors or claims adjustment departments to resolve shipment problems or contact service depots to arrange for repairs.3.2
  8. Route received goods to first available flight or to appropriate storage areas or departments, using forklifts, hand trucks, or other equipment.3.1
  9. Direct delivery trucks to shipping doors or designated marshaling areas and help load and unload goods safely.3.0
  10. Assemble containers and crates used to transport items, such as machines or vehicles.3.0
  11. Maintain a supply of packing materials.2.7
  12. Pack goods for shipping, using tools such as staplers, strapping machines, and hammers.2.6
  13. Direct or participate in cargo loading to ensure completeness of load and even distribution of weight.2.6
  14. Attach address labels, identification codes, and shipping instructions to containers.2.6
  15. Open cargo containers and unwrap contents, using steel cutters, crowbars, or other hand tools.2.5

Knowledge

Bodies of knowledge the work draws on.

  • Transportation4.64.6Level 4 looks like: Drive a semi-truck through a busy city
  • Geography4.54.4Level 4 looks like: Find a specific country on a world map
  • Public Safety and Security4.03.6Level 4 looks like: Inspect a building site for safety violations
  • Administration and Management3.94.2Level 4 looks like: Monitor progress of a project to ensure timely completion
  • English Language3.93.1Level 4 looks like: Edit an article for a news website
  • Education and Training3.53.4Level 4 looks like: Lead a quality improvement seminar
  • Law and Government3.53.6Level 4 looks like: Prepare documents and title papers for the purchase of a new house
  • Administrative3.43.8Level 4 looks like: Type 30 words per minute
Show all 33
  • Customer and Personal Service3.43.6Level 4 looks like: Be responsible for 10 children at daycare
  • Telecommunications3.42.0Level 1 looks like: Send an email
  • Communications and Media3.02.7
  • Production and Processing2.92.6
  • Economics and Accounting2.82.4Level 1 looks like: Answer billing questions from credit card customers
  • Sales and Marketing2.82.7
  • Mathematics2.73.1Level 4 looks like: Analyze data to determine areas with the highest sales
  • Mechanical2.62.7
  • Computers and Electronics2.52.9
  • Engineering and Technology2.42.3Level 1 looks like: Install a door lock
  • Personnel and Human Resources2.41.9Level 1 looks like: Fill out a medical claim form
  • Building and Construction2.01.6Level 1 looks like: Choose the proper type of wood for adding a deck onto a house
  • Psychology2.01.6Level 1 looks like: Monitor several children on a playground
  • Foreign Language1.91.8Level 1 looks like: Say "please" and "thank you" in a foreign language
  • Biology1.7—
  • Sociology and Anthropology1.71.5Level 1 looks like: Identify two cultures in a story as being different
  • Therapy and Counseling1.71.3Level 1 looks like: Put ice on a sprained ankle
  • Food Production1.61.1Level 1 looks like: Grow herbs in the kitchen
  • History and Archeology1.61.3Level 1 looks like: Take a class in US history
  • Chemistry1.41.0Level 1 looks like: Use a common household bug spray
  • Design1.41.1Level 1 looks like: Draw a straight line 4 3/16 inches long
  • Fine Arts1.3—
  • Medicine and Dentistry1.3—
  • Philosophy and Theology1.1—
  • Physics1.1—

Abilities

Enduring capacities the work calls for.

  • Oral Comprehension4.04.0Level 4 looks like: Understand a coach's oral instructions for a sport
  • Oral Expression4.04.0Level 4 looks like: Give instructions to a lost motorist
  • Written Comprehension3.93.8Level 4 looks like: Understand an apartment lease
  • Near Vision3.33.1Level 2 looks like: Read indicators on the dashboard of a car
  • Problem Sensitivity3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Recognize that an unplugged lamp won't work
  • Written Expression3.13.1Level 4 looks like: Write a job recommendation for a subordinate
  • Category Flexibility3.03.1Level 3 looks like: Classify flowers according to size, color, and smell
  • Deductive Reasoning3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Know that a stalled car can coast downhill
Show all 52
  • Inductive Reasoning3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Decide what to wear based on the weather report
  • Selective Attention3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Answer a business call with coworkers talking nearby
  • Speech Clarity3.03.0Level 4 looks like: Make stadium-wide announcements during a sporting event
  • Speech Recognition3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Recognize the voice of a coworker
  • Flexibility of Closure2.92.4Level 2 looks like: Detect that your phone is ringing while at a concert
  • Information Ordering2.93.0Level 2 looks like: Follow the correct steps to make change
  • Perceptual Speed2.92.8Level 2 looks like: Sort mail according to ZIP codes with no time pressure
  • Number Facility2.82.6Level 3 looks like: Calculate a discounted price
  • Time Sharing2.82.8Level 3 looks like: Watch street signs while driving at 30 miles an hour
  • Far Vision2.42.8Level 2 looks like: Read a roadside billboard
  • Fluency of Ideas2.42.5Level 2 looks like: Name four different uses for a screwdriver
  • Mathematical Reasoning2.42.5Level 1 looks like: Determine how much 20 oranges will cost when they are priced at 5 for 4 dollars
  • Auditory Attention2.32.1Level 2 looks like: Listen to a lecture while people nearby are talking
  • Originality2.32.3Level 2 looks like: Use a credit card to open a locked door
  • Visualization2.32.0Level 2 looks like: Imagine how to place paper in a printer so that the letterhead comes out on top
  • Finger Dexterity2.12.1Level 2 looks like: Put coins in a parking meter
  • Memorization2.12.1Level 1 looks like: Remember the number on your bus to be sure you get back on the right one
  • Speed of Closure2.12.0Level 3 looks like: Recognize a song after hearing only the first few notes
  • Visual Color Discrimination2.12.0Level 1 looks like: Separate laundry into colors and whites
  • Depth Perception2.01.3Level 2 looks like: Merge a car into traffic on a city street
  • Hearing Sensitivity2.01.8Level 2 looks like: Notice a doorbell ringing
  • Arm-Hand Steadiness1.91.3Level 2 looks like: Light a candle
  • Control Precision1.91.3Level 2 looks like: Adjust a room light with a dimmer switch
  • Manual Dexterity1.91.4Level 1 looks like: Screw a light bulb into a light socket
  • Multilimb Coordination1.81.1Level 2 looks like: Row a boat
  • Reaction Time1.81.0Level 2 looks like: Start to slow down the car when a traffic light turns yellow
  • Static Strength1.81.0Level 1 looks like: Push an empty shopping cart
  • Dynamic Strength1.60.9
  • Explosive Strength1.61.0Level 2 looks like: Hit a nail with a hammer
  • Extent Flexibility1.61.1Level 2 looks like: Reach to adjust the radio in a car
  • Gross Body Coordination1.60.6
  • Peripheral Vision1.60.8
  • Rate Control1.60.8Level 1 looks like: Ride a bicycle alongside a jogger
  • Response Orientation1.60.9
  • Spatial Orientation1.60.8
  • Stamina1.60.8Level 1 looks like: Walk 1/4 mile
  • Trunk Strength1.61.1Level 2 looks like: Sit up in an office chair
  • Wrist-Finger Speed1.60.8
  • Glare Sensitivity1.50.6
  • Gross Body Equilibrium1.50.5
  • Night Vision1.50.6
  • Sound Localization1.50.6
  • Dynamic Flexibility1.0—
  • Speed of Limb Movement1.0—

Work activities

Kinds of activity the work is made of.

  • Getting Information4.13.8Level 4 looks like: Review a budget
  • Documenting/Recording Information3.93.9Level 4 looks like: Document the results of a crime scene investigation
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems3.94.0Level 4 looks like: Select the location for a major retail store
  • Handling and Moving Objects3.64.4Level 4 looks like: Arrange books in a library
  • Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People3.53.3Level 4 looks like: Determine the value of property lost in a fire
  • Communicating with People Outside the Organization3.43.9Level 4 looks like: Present information to potential clients about available services
  • Controlling Machines and Processes3.43.3Level 4 looks like: Operate a drilling rig
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships3.44.4Level 4 looks like: Maintain good working relationships with almost all coworkers and clients
Show all 41
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards3.43.5Level 4 looks like: Evaluate a complicated insurance claim for compliance with policy terms
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events3.43.1Level 4 looks like: Judge the suitability of food products for an event
  • Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings3.43.4Level 4 looks like: Test electrical circuits
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates3.33.5Level 4 looks like: Report the results of a sales meeting to a supervisor
  • Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others3.33.3Level 4 looks like: Get two subordinates to agree about vacation schedules
  • Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information3.23.0Level 4 looks like: Estimate the time required to evacuate a city in the event of a major disaster
  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials3.22.7
  • Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment3.23.1Level 4 looks like: Drive an 18-wheel tractor-trailer
  • Performing General Physical Activities3.23.2Level 4 looks like: Paint the outside of a house
  • Processing Information3.13.2Level 4 looks like: Calculate the adjustments for insurance claims
  • Thinking Creatively3.13.2Level 4 looks like: Adapt popular music for a high school marching band
  • Working with Computers3.12.6
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work3.03.1Level 4 looks like: Plan and adjust a personal to-do list according to changing demands
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the Public3.03.1Level 4 looks like: Sell shoes in a crowded shoe store
  • Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment3.03.4Level 4 looks like: Change the oil on a tractor
  • Analyzing Data or Information2.92.3Level 1 looks like: Skim a short article to gather the main point
  • Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others2.92.8
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge2.83.1Level 4 looks like: Keep current on changes in maintenance procedures for repairing sports cars
  • Developing Objectives and Strategies2.72.4Level 1 looks like: Plan the holiday schedule for an airline workforce
  • Scheduling Work and Activities2.72.8
  • Selling or Influencing Others2.72.6
  • Performing Administrative Activities2.62.5Level 1 looks like: Complete routine paperwork
  • Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others2.52.9
  • Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment2.52.5Level 1 looks like: Specify the lighting for a work area
  • Providing Consultation and Advice to Others2.52.3Level 1 looks like: Work in a position that requires little advising of others
  • Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates2.32.3Level 1 looks like: Work occasionally as a backup supervisor
  • Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment2.32.2Level 1 looks like: Use display settings to adjust a television picture
  • Coaching and Developing Others2.22.4Level 1 looks like: Show a coworker how to operate a piece of equipment
  • Training and Teaching Others2.22.3Level 1 looks like: Give coworkers brief instructions on a simple procedural change
  • Assisting and Caring for Others2.11.8Level 1 looks like: Help a coworker complete an assignment
  • Monitoring and Controlling Resources2.02.0Level 1 looks like: Work as a server responsible for keeping track of utensils
  • Staffing Organizational Units2.01.2Level 1 looks like: Work in a position that has minimal staffing requirements
  • Developing and Building Teams1.91.3Level 1 looks like: Encourage two coworkers to stick with a tough assignment

Work context

The conditions most characteristic of the work, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale.

  • Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.6
  • Telephone Conversations4.6
  • Contact With Others4.5
  • Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals4.4
  • E-Mail4.2
  • Freedom to Make Decisions4.2
  • Spend Time Sitting4.2
  • Time Pressure4.0
  • Frequency of Decision Making3.9
  • Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team3.9

Technology

16 tools

Software used in this work. In demand: among the tools job postings for this occupation name most. Hot: often named in job postings across the economy.

In demand (2)

  • Microsoft Excelhot
  • Microsoft Office softwarehot

Hot (4; 2 more marked hot above)

  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft Word
  • SAP software
Other tools (10)
  • Brokerage software
  • Corel WordPerfect Office Suite
  • Database software
  • Email software
  • Microsoft OneNote
  • Posting software
  • Transportation management software
  • Transportation management system TMS software
  • Web browser software
  • Web-based dispatch software

Related occupations

O*NET's own list of the occupations most related to this one, closest first.

  1. Freight Forwarders
  2. Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks
  3. Customs Brokers
  4. Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors
  5. Postal Service Clerks
  6. Postal Service Mail Carriers
  7. Light Truck Drivers
  8. Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators
  9. Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance
  10. Order Clerks

ESCO equivalents

From the official ESCO–O*NET crosswalk, strongest match first. A broader occupation takes in this one; a narrower one is a part of it.

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. ESCO occupations and skills are from the European Commission's ESCO classification, and the occupation crosswalk is the official ESCO–O*NET mapping by the ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA. This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission. BlissPoint Analytics has modified all or some of this information: skill, task and descriptor ratings are rounded to one decimal, and ESCO occupations show Job Zone and interests copied from a crosswalked O*NET occupation. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.