Shipbroker to commodity broker
A shipbroker already meets 36% of what the commodity broker role asks for. The move turns on 10 required skills not yet in the profile.
61/ 100
1 How much of what a commodity broker is expected to do is already part of a shipbroker’s work. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs, because moving into a speciality is not the same problem as moving out of one. 2 Every skill the commodity broker role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
A commodity broker role treats 4 of its required skills as things a shipbroker already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- commercial law
- economics
- international trade
- negotiate with stakeholders
What stands in the way is 10 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.
Table 2 · What you already bring
Of the 14 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A commodity broker role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a shipbroker background worth leading with.
- already held negotiate price communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held international trade business, administration and law
- already held negotiate with stakeholders communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held provide financial product information communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held commercial law business, administration and law
- already held maintain records of financial transactions information skills
All 14 carried skills, including the 4 the commodity broker role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 20 missing skills fall into 5 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered in the order worth working in. Areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the optional ones. Nothing here is a verdict on you: it is a list of what this particular job asks for that your current one does not.
- still to learn analyse economic trends required
- still to learn analyse energy market trends required
- still to learn analyse financial risk required
- still to learn analyse market financial trends required
- still to learn perform financial risk management in international trade required
- optional, not held forecast economic trends optional
- still to learn negotiate sale of commodities required
- still to learn advise on financial matters required
- still to learn apply technical communication skills required
- still to learn review investment portfolios required
- optional, not held build business relationships optional
- optional, not held communicate with banking professionals optional
- still to learn financial markets required
- optional, not held financial forecasting optional
- optional, not held financial jurisdiction optional
- optional, not held financial products optional
- optional, not held modern portfolio theory optional
- optional, not held actuarial science optional
- optional, not held statistics optional
- optional, not held operate financial instruments optional
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries a commodity broker role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
- 01 negotiate sale of commodities practise this
- 02 advise on financial matters practise this
- 03 analyse economic trends practise this
Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.
Appendix · The rest of the record
All 14 skills that carry over
- already held commercial law knowledge
- already held economics knowledge
- already held international trade knowledge
- already held negotiate with stakeholders skill
- already held banking activities knowledge
- already held handle financial transactions skill
- already held international commercial transactions rules knowledge
- already held maintain records of financial transactions skill
- already held negotiate buying conditions skill
- already held negotiate price skill
- already held negotiate sales contracts skill
- already held protect client interests skill
- already held provide financial product information skill
- already held trace financial transactions skill
10 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held actuarial science optional
- optional, not held build business relationships optional
- optional, not held communicate with banking professionals optional
- optional, not held financial forecasting optional
- optional, not held financial jurisdiction optional
- optional, not held financial products optional
- optional, not held forecast economic trends optional
- optional, not held modern portfolio theory optional
- optional, not held operate financial instruments optional
- optional, not held statistics optional
16 held skills the commodity broker role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role advise on merchandise features skill
- not needed by the target role commodities in maritime transportation knowledge
- not needed by the target role consult shipping rates skill
- not needed by the target role demonstrate products' features skill
- not needed by the target role develop professional network skill
- not needed by the target role direct logistical functions skill
- not needed by the target role distinguish various types of ships skill
- not needed by the target role electronic communication knowledge
- not needed by the target role liaise with transportation services skill
- not needed by the target role manage contracts skill
- not needed by the target role maritime law knowledge
- not needed by the target role obtain financial information skill
- not needed by the target role oversee shipment routing skill
- not needed by the target role ship related legislative requirements knowledge
- not needed by the target role shipping industry knowledge
- not needed by the target role trade ships skill
7 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice
Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.
- still to learn financial markets required
- optional, not held actuarial science optional
- optional, not held financial forecasting optional
- optional, not held financial jurisdiction optional
- optional, not held financial products optional
- optional, not held modern portfolio theory optional
- optional, not held statistics optional
Common questions about this move
Can a shipbroker become a commodity broker?
Yes, and it is a substantial move. A shipbroker already covers 36% of what a commodity broker is expected to do: 14 skills carry over, 4 of which the commodity broker role treats as required.
What skills does a shipbroker need to become a commodity broker?
10 required skills are missing, plus 10 optional ones. They fall into 5 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by information skills. The single most important is negotiate sale of commodities.
How hard is the move from shipbroker to commodity broker?
Its learning distance is 61 out of 100, which is the substantial band. That accounts for both how much is missing and how specialised those skills are.
How this record was compiled
Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.