Trade Schools
Becoming a freight broker requires multiple qualifications, starting with developing the fundamental skills necessary for the position.
Since you are dealing with various clients and other professionals, excellent critical thinking, communication, and interpersonal skills are required.
Running a successful business and having math knowledge are also paramount to success.
Given that these are strong traits to develop that can be used in other positions beyond freight broking, some look for career path changes within the freight broker field, and others leave the industry altogether.
Those seeking a career change may want to find more lucrative opportunities with better benefits, job growth, or simply want a change of pace and scenery.
Plenty of alternate careers are available for freight brokers, so keep reading to learn more!
List of Alternative Careers
One: Fleet Coordinator
Freight brokers may want to stay within the transportation industry, so becoming a fleet coordinator is another career path.
As a coordinator, you are responsible for managing vehicle activities through dispatching, planning driving schedules, and updating routes.
This position has a clear hierarchy, which means there is room for growth and advancement.
Transferrable skills from being a freight broker include understanding industry jargon and processes, attention to detail, and excellent planning and communication.
No additional certification or education is required to become a fleet coordinator, and since you are already in the industry, you have an advantage over other incoming candidates.
The benefits of becoming a fleet coordinator include a good foundation in the supply chain and excellent advancement opportunities with the ability to move around in the industry.
Two: Freight Dispatcher
A freight dispatcher schedules and coordinates the transportation of goods between shipping companies and carriers.
Dispatchers work with carriers to ensure shipments are delivered in good condition and on time.
Dispatchers manage routes, track shipments, and communicate with shippers and drivers to ensure seamless transportation.
This position is similar to fleet coordinator, except freight dispatchers may be dealing with various shippers, whereas a fleet coordinator is managing an entire single fleet of trucks.
Like a fleet coordinator, freight dispatchers benefit from transferring effective communication, attention to detail, and knowing industry processes and other professionals.
Other than in-house training, no additional educational requirements are necessary to make the transition.
Since freight dispatchers have a view of all transportation activities, this cross-section allows them to move into other logistics roles and also advance within the dispatching career path.
Three: Freight Broker Trainer
With countless freight broking schools, courses, and programs across the U.S., becoming a freight broker trainer allows you to help those with careers in the industry.
Many trainers are current or retired freight brokers who know the ropes of the position and industry.
For those who wish to pursue this full-time as an alternative to freight brokering, you can shape young minds using your industry experience and knowledge.
Skills that are transferred from freight brokering are extensive knowledge of industry processes, lingo, and specific difficult-to-manage situations.
Excellent oral and written communication are also essential to success.
While additional educational requirements are not necessary, it is always beneficial to take a few education courses to better refine your teaching skills in front of groups.
Depending on the type of education (trade school or community college), you would gain the benefits of that institution like summers off.
You also can create learning plans that integrate your experience and help the next generation of freight brokers be successful.
Four: Industry-Specific Sales
Since one major skill that’s part of freight brokering is sales, you can transfer to an industry-specific sales position.
Freight brokers move into all types of sales roles ranging from tires to software and insurance.
Freight brokering is a high-pressure career, so skills like effective communication, attention to detail, and multi-tasking are easily transferred into other industries.
While there are no additional training requirements to enter other industries, it may be beneficial to take a few classes related to your target industry before transitioning.
Skills can be applied across sectors, but specific lingo, products, and industry processes must be learned.
Having a few classes under your belt will make you more marketable and provide the foundational knowledge required to hit the ground running.
In sales, the financial benefits are endless.
You could find an industry or company with no sales cap, which can be highly lucrative.
You may also move into a corporate sales role where you gain the benefits of a large firm with extensive resources and growth.
On the other hand, you may work for a smaller company where you learn multiple positions beyond sales to expand your knowledge base.
Five: Logistics Operations Specialist
Logistics operations specialists support the management of outsourced distribution and warehousing, domestic transportation, and international shipment consolidation while collaborating directly with external suppliers and internal stakeholders.
Common activities include continuous improvement in logistics operations, customer order fulfillment, measuring and reporting performance metrics, and wing-to-wing processes.
Transferrable skills from freight brokering include attention to detail, effective written and oral communication, the ability to work simultaneously with teams, and planning.
Most logistics operations positions require a bachelor’s degree or higher in engineering, supply chain, or logistics.
Therefore, if you don’t have a degree, which is not required to become a freight broker, then this will need to be earned before pursuing the role.
The benefits or entering this position are immense, including excellent salary and career advancement.
Also, earning the required bachelor’s degree will open additional doors beyond the logistics operations specialist position.
Additionally, since you are working beyond transportation, the insight gained from seeing a larger piece of the supply chain is beneficial for future roles.
Six: Transportation Department Management
Large consumer product goods companies have transportation departments that manage shipments between suppliers, manufacturers, and internal sites.
These professionals are responsible for ensuring raw materials and finished goods are shipped on-time, with accurate counts, and excellent quality between two points.
If an issue arises, transportation department employees work cross-functionality with internal planning teams, customs agents, shippers, carriers, and suppliers to find a solution.
For this reason, team collaboration and interpersonal skills are excellent transferrable skills from freight brokerage.
Also, high attention to detail and planning skills make the transition into the role much easier.
No training requirements are necessary to move from freight brokerage to working in a transportation department at a large company.
The primary benefit of moving into this role is the extensive benefits offered by a large company, which could include a better salary, more vacation time, tuition reimbursement, better healthcare, and increased sick days.
Also, large companies have more room for growth, development, and career advancement.
Tips for Transitioning Careers
Conduct Extensive Research
Before starting to apply to jobs outside of your current career path as a freight broker, it’s important to become a mini expert in your target field and learn as much as possible to be more marketable to hiring managers.
This can be accomplished by talking to people who are already doing the job, conducting online research, attending conferences and seminars, and reading relevant trade publications.
Also, if you need to take a few classes to stay ahead of the competition, then enroll online or at night to further improve your foundational knowledge.
Consider Freelance Opportunities
Freelancing is an excellent opportunity to make money in your target field and gain experience.
You may need to start with smaller projects as you work concurrently as a freight broker and work towards larger, more complicated assignments.
You may need to take a few courses, so your work is appealing to potential clients, especially those with limited experience in a specific field.
Create an Action Plan
Developing an action plan is a great way to outline the necessary steps to reach your career goals.
By setting specific goals and then documenting each step, an action plan becomes your guidebook toward transitioning from a freight broker into another field.
Depending on how much of a career change is required, the action plan could be simple and straightforward or more complex with multiple steps.
Leverage Existing Skills
Always leverage existing developed skills from being a freight broker toward your new position, highlight them on your resume, and focus on them during interviews.
For instance, if you’re changing from being a freight broker to an outside sales representative for an electronics company, highlight attention to detail and excellent cross-functional communication, interpersonal, and planning skills.
Network with Other Professionals
Networking with other professionals through industry trade groups, seminars, trade shows, and other events allows you to meet colleagues in the field and learn about the industry.
These professionals’ relationships will help you find a job and work easier with others once in the field.
Seek Additional Training
Taking additional education or training courses is always an excellent idea, even if they aren’t required.
These courses will give you better foundational knowledge when entering a new field or brush up on your current skills if remaining in the same industry but with a different job title.
Courses are available for every type of position and also further develop soft skills like communication, collaboration, and working with technology.
Making the transition from freight broker to an entirely different career is not always the easiest path.
However, there are more resources available than ever to build foundational knowledge in a new industry and meet others to help further your career.
If you’re staying in the logistics and transportation industry, then taking classes is a great option to brush up on existing skills and make you more marketable for the next step in your career.
Freight brokering has many transferrable skills related to planning, attention to detail, interpersonal written and verbal communication, and overall logistics knowledge that can be utilized in multiple other industries, including those outside of logistics.
Finding the right career path to meet your goals takes some work, but creating an action plan can help you meet those objectives.
