shipping agenttoforwarding manager
A shipping agent already meets 28% of what the forwarding manager role asks for. The move turns on 18 required skills not yet in the profile.
This move: 76.5 of 100 · career change
1 Share of the forwarding manager role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the shipping agent profile. Required skills count in full, supplementary skills at 0.35. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs. 2 Combines what is missing with how specialised it is, so a gap of general skills scores easier than the same number of narrow ones.
Table 2 · What you already bring
Of the 15 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A forwarding manager role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a shipping agent background worth leading with.
- already held book cargo communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held make bids in forward auctions communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held prepare bills of lading information skills
- already held provide advice to clients in terms of export restrictions communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held provide advice to clients in terms of import restrictions communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held keep up-to-date to current customs regulations information skills
All 15 carried skills, including the 6 the forwarding manager role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you would need to learn
The 33 missing skills fall into 6 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered below in the order worth working in: the areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the supplementary ones.
- required, not held assess carriers required
- required, not held develop efficiency plans for logistics operations required
- required, not held manage carriers required
- required, not held manage freight payment methods required
- required, not held oversee cargo storage requirements required
- required, not held plan transport operations required
- required, not held manage medium term objectives required
- required, not held oversee shipment routing required
- required, not held plan medium to long term objectives required
- optional, not held set import export strategies optional
- optional, not held create a work atmosphere of continuous improvement optional
- required, not held communicate with shipment forwarders required
- required, not held foster relationships with various types of carrier required
- required, not held implement short term objectives required
- optional, not held implement cost-effective cargo handling strategies on ships optional
- optional, not held negotiate logistics services optional
- optional, not held work in a logistics team optional
- optional, not held adapt to changing situations optional
- optional, not held communicate commercial and technical issues in foreign languages optional
- optional, not held manage contracts optional
- optional, not held negotiate price optional
- optional, not held negotiate service with providers optional
- optional, not held use different communication channels optional
- required, not held analyse supply chain trends required
- required, not held develop transportation cost metrics required
- required, not held prepare documentation for international shipping required
- optional, not held analyse work-related written reports optional
- required, not held inspect carrier documents required
- required, not held non vessel operating common carrier regulations required
- optional, not held ensure legal accreditation for forwarding agent operations optional
- required, not held supply chain management required
- optional, not held principles of cargo stowage optional
- optional, not held freight transport methods optional
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries a forwarding manager role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
- 01 inspect carrier documents skill · occupation specific
- 02 non vessel operating common carrier regulations skill · occupation specific
- 03 analyse supply chain trends skill · sector specific
Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.
Appendix · The rest of the record
All 15 skills that carry over
- already held analyse shipping rates skill
- already held book cargo skill
- already held coordinate export transportation activities skill
- already held coordinate import transportation activities skill
- already held make bids in forward auctions skill
- already held prepare bills of lading skill
- already held administer multi-modal logistics skill
- already held apply procedures to ensure cargo complies with customs regulations skill
- already held control trade commercial documentation skill
- already held create import-export commercial documentation skill
- already held handle shipment paperwork skill
- already held keep up-to-date to current customs regulations skill
- already held liaise with transportation services skill
- already held provide advice to clients in terms of export restrictions skill
- already held provide advice to clients in terms of import restrictions skill
15 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held ensure legal accreditation for forwarding agent operations optional
- optional, not held implement cost-effective cargo handling strategies on ships optional
- optional, not held negotiate logistics services optional
- optional, not held principles of cargo stowage optional
- optional, not held set import export strategies optional
- optional, not held work in a logistics team optional
- optional, not held adapt to changing situations optional
- optional, not held analyse work-related written reports optional
- optional, not held communicate commercial and technical issues in foreign languages optional
- optional, not held create a work atmosphere of continuous improvement optional
- optional, not held freight transport methods optional
- optional, not held manage contracts optional
- optional, not held negotiate price optional
- optional, not held negotiate service with providers optional
- optional, not held use different communication channels optional
10 held skills the forwarding manager role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role comply with regulations related to export in different countries skill
- not needed by the target role ensure compliance with port regulations skill
- not needed by the target role inspect freight skill
- not needed by the target role international import export regulations knowledge
- not needed by the target role keep written records of cargo skill
- not needed by the target role liaise with port users skill
- not needed by the target role manage import export licenses skill
- not needed by the target role observe freight shipment loaders skill
- not needed by the target role oversee arrival and departure of ships into port skill
- not needed by the target role port regulation knowledge
3 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice
Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.
- required, not held supply chain management required
- optional, not held principles of cargo stowage optional
- optional, not held freight transport methods optional
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.