As a freight forwarder working in international trade, there are several qualities that will help you build a successful career. Responsibilities involved in transporting goods and raw materials include a wide range of activities from monitoring supply chain operations to preparing customs documentation and calculating tariffs and duties. A career in freight forwarding even includes advising clients on those customs issues. When you are tasked with these responsibilities, you will have to take into consideration ethical business practices, environmental concerns for shipping, cost efficiency, and more to serve clients.

It sounds like a big job because it is, but with the right training you can tackle these responsibilities with confidence. Want to find out if you’re well suited to this challenging and rewarding career path? Here are some qualities that could point to yes!

1. Freight Forwarders Like Dealing with People

It is true that as a freight forwarder you are in the business of transporting goods, but you cannot transport goods without working with people. It’s likely you will learn this lesson quickly at international trade management school. Being a “people person” is another way of saying that you have excellent interpersonal and communication skills.

Your career will include reading complex documents, writing reports, and explaining options to clients. Client companies may also expect you to be able to negotiate different carrier service options. Being good at dealing with people will help you expand and maintain your network. In turn it will also ensure efficient and economical service for clients. People skills will also support your ability to answer questions and understand the needs of all parties involved, which can help make everything run smoothly.

2. Those Who Complete an International Trade Management Program Are Quick Thinkers

In order to coordinate, monitor, and effectively manage your time, you must be capable of thinking on the go. Freight forwarders may not always be able to predict what will happen in every situation, so they must be ready to adjust and process whatever issues they are faced with in a time-efficient way. This is a quality that may come naturally to some, but will grow over time and starts with the experience you get in an international trade management program.

When you are on the job, you will have to be able to take in information about coverage, safety, and other things to make a decision. Doing this quickly may take some practice, but it will be necessary to learn how to do this for your clients. If it’s something that you think you would enjoy, then you might like be an ideal fit for this career path.

3. A Love of Learning Will Take You Further

If you love being challenged and learning new things all the time, then a career in freight forwarding might be for you. Whether you are getting hands-on experience or you’re on the job, learning will be a significant element to success in your career. When you arrange the transport of goods on an international scale, it means picking up and applying new knowledge all the time. Freight forwarders must know about a region’s air, land, and water features as well as its customs laws and other things in order to do their jobs economically and ethically. Some of these aspects can change with time, so lifelong learning is an important part of this career path!

Want to know more about freight forwarding?

Find out about career options open to you after international trade management school!