FAQ’s about working in a warehouse

What does a typical day look like in a warehouse role?

This varies greatly depending on the role you find yourself in but let’s look at some of the most common roles found within a warehouse!

Warehouse Operative:

There are a great number of roles to be filled within a warehouse but one of the most common is the warehouse operative or picker packer, an entry level role in warehousing that can lead to various other roles in logistics with training and development. But what does the average day look like for a warehouse operative? Your main duties would involve picking and packing stock from storage and moving it into boxes or transport areas which will then be shipped to retail stores, customers or other warehouses depending on what a particular warehouse distributes. In addition to this, you will also be keeping track of stock levels and restocking warehouse shelves when needed as well as accepting deliveries into the warehouse or loading goods onto vehicles.

Warehouse Administrator:

Warehouse administration is another common role but rather than packing orders for transport you would be responsible for overseeing the management of the warehouse stock. This would include receiving, issuing, and dispatching stock, as well as handling the communication between warehouse customers and suppliers. Also, warehouse administrators would be responsible for organising staff inductions, and book times for incoming deliveries as well as sometimes being expected to help with general warehouse duties.

Warehouse Manager:

After working in a warehouse for a certain amount of time, one route for career progression would be a shift into warehouse management. The warehouse manager would supervise all activities of the facility including team performance, ensuring the receiving and shipping of goods is as efficient as it can be as well as keeping an organized storage. This detail-oriented team leader is there to help streamline all warehouse activities to help improve customer satisfaction as much as possible while also maintaining the rigorous health and safety regulations.

What can a career in Warehousing & Logistics offer me?

We’ve talked about the types of roles within a warehouse but what does this work environment offer you and why should you choose it over something else?

One of the great things about this industry as it seems to be ever growing and always in need of workers. While a lot of industries have taken a hit over the past year with COVID restrictions, warehouses seemed to have boomed with the increased use of e-commerce, bringing in more workers while maintaining the proper safety precautions related to COVID. In addition to this, there are warehouses throughout the country so wherever you are, you will likely be able to find this kind of work nearby to you. Also, if you happen to move, the experience you gain will absolutely help you in finding more of this work somewhere else, or even help you to find a higher up position.

Is warehouse work good for students?

Are you a student working around a timetable? Maybe you have a family that takes up a lot of your time. These things are not an issue with a lot of warehouse work because of how flexible it is. A lot of the workers in warehouses are temporary or working part time, and while you can work full time and even overtime if you like, the option to work a couple of shifts a week balanced around your other commitments is a viable one so don’t let a busy schedule put you off a valuable position within a warehouse! Speaking of overtime, warehouse work is also seasonal, meaning that in busy shopping periods there will be an abundance of overtime available making it easy for you to earn some extra cash in those holiday seasons!

Will warehouse work help my CV?

Even if you chose not to continue with a career in warehousing & logistics, there are a multitude of CV boosting, transferrable skills that you will pick up in a warehouse environment that can help you secure all kinds of work in the future. Examples of these skills are:

• Organisational & time management skills
• Ability to work well as part of a team
• Communication and listening
• Familiarity with health and safety regulations

As well as some warehouse specific skills that will allow you to progress to those roles we talked about earlier:

• Ability to use inventory software/databases
• Experience with hand-held scanners and tablets
• Familiarity of the warehouse environment and practices.

Interested in a career in warehousing & logistics? Sign up to one of the many positions we have available and get started on your warehouse journey!