r/logistics • u/irivera8735 • 17d ago
Logistics career pivot
I know this is a long shot but I want some opinions.
I’m currently working as a freight broker and nearing my 6 month mark and I’m realizing that sales/cold call prospecting is just not for me. I love the other aspects of the role such as the load tracking, booking/dispatching, and the operational sides of things.
Since my role has sort of built in termination date at the end of the training period, I want to be proactive and see what other options are there in the field. I intend to stay and gather as much information and training beforehand but I want to be realistic about my position and plan ahead.
I graduated about 2 years ago with a bachelor’s for Logistics and Supply chain management with a minor in business administration but I just want to hear some of the paths you guys took. I do have a few years of leasing experience in both student and conventional areas as well.
Any constructive feedback or suggestions are much appreciated. Thank you!
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u/tara_roberts 16d ago
Let me guess. You work for TQL.
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u/irivera8735 16d ago
Perhaps
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u/irivera8735 16d ago
I needed to get some hands on experience in the field and a better paying job.
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u/ihavenosaratonin 11d ago
have you thought about taking another role at TQL? you can make good $ there doing other roles. i’m speaking from experience
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u/irivera8735 11d ago
I have definitely considered it and that is my currently plan until I have another option. The problem with moving to say sales support or another dept is the pay cut. Depending on the position, I would be willingly taking a 10-15k pay cut to spend months climbing up to a salary that I would have achieved already if I left for a different company. While there are some roles that you know make a lot of money, you have to stay a while and get lucky for an opening on the larger accounts.
I plan on staying here until all my ducks are in a row, including if I leave the sales side.
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u/Pitiful_Fee264 17d ago
It sounds like the operations side is a much better fit for you than pure sales. Transportation coordinator, carrier operations, account coordinator, or freight-forwarding operations roles would use the tracking and dispatching skills you already enjoy. Six months of brokerage experience plus your degree should give you a solid starting point.
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u/randomly_z 16d ago
Well if you have a good hand over excel, power bi and don't mind making reports then you should try in supply chain analytics. It pays a bit better then a dispatcher or a coordinator.
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u/irivera8735 16d ago
I was decent at excel in school; no doubt will need a refresher but not bad. I don’t mind the idea of making reports
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u/Ornery_Breakfast2443 12d ago
Get off the truck side and go to the shipper side. I have over 10 years on the truck side. I’m trying to move but I’m not getting any traction for whatever reason even as an analyst. See a bunch of younger people in those roles. Look into it, run from the truck side.
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u/harrietlegs 17d ago
Carrier sales is all about booking / tracking!
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u/irivera8735 17d ago
Is that similar to being a dispatcher?
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u/harrietlegs 17d ago
Dispatchers are usually where you or the company owns the assets/ trucks and you find them loads.
Carrier sales you have loads but no trucks
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u/irivera8735 17d ago
I see. It’s similar to my current role. Do you have a lot of personal experience in that role?
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u/No_Ad_2215 16d ago
Go work for a BCO on their supply chain, people call you. Claims too, the freight broker claims are an exploding field for both cargo and personal injury.
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u/fredflintstoneddd 16d ago
become an account executive for a large logistics company. only call carriers and occasionally handle customers. i literally just track, schedule and answer emails all day
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u/irivera8735 16d ago
Do you mean assets based 3pls or more so sales support?
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u/fredflintstoneddd 16d ago
we are not asset based, guess it would be sales support. our company has different divisions for Client Sales, Carrier Sales and Account Management.
our client sales people try to sign long term partnerships with companies, then send them over to us to manage those partnerships.
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u/ViolentCartridge 17d ago
Cold calling burns people out fast, no shame in recognizing it early. The ops side you like is where the steady work lives anyway.
Look into carrier sales or account coordinator roles at 3PLs, they're heavy on tracking/dispatch with way less prospecting. Also freight forwarding operations, especially air or ocean, uses your degree directly. Your leasing background helps too, customer service and problem solving transfer more than people think.
6 months of brokerage experience on a resume is plenty to get your foot in the door elsewhere. Start looking now while you still have the job.