Standout Skills to Stand Out for Warehouse Jobs

The Skills Employers Seek in Warehouse Operatives

If you are searching for warehouse jobs, then you may already think you have the skills you need for the role. But do you really know what employers are looking for to fill their warehouse jobs vacancies?

With approximately 13.5 million Americans currently unemployed (August 2020), you certainly need to stand out from the crowd if you want to land your ideal warehouse role.

In this article, we examine the most important skills that employers are looking for in candidates for warehouse jobs to demonstrate.

Communication

Working in a warehouse, you’ll be working alongside various roles. You will need to communicate effectively with colleagues, customers, visitors, and managers. Communication is therefore a skill you must demonstrate daily.

Both verbal and written communication will be required, but will vary depending on your specific role.

Independent and reliable

There will be times when you will be expected to work independently. You must show that you are dependable and that you accept responsibility. Also, a good grasp of health and safety requirements combined with a common-sense approach will help to confirm that you can be trusted to work diligently when work dictates you need to ‘fly solo’.

Teamwork

To fulfil your role successfully you’ll also need to work as a team with your colleagues. You must demonstrate that you are:

  • A team player
  • Supportive and considerate of your teammates
  • Understanding that individual efforts impact how successful your team are as a whole

Do you remember a time when working as a team brought huge success and motivation to you and your colleagues? Note it down to mention this in your interview.

Flexibility

There may be times when you’ll be required to work in another part of the warehouse in a different role, or perhaps put in extra hours to meet a deadline on a customer order. Being flexible and adaptable will certainly serve you well in warehouse jobs.

Punctuality

Being on time is crucial in any job. There’s not a job in the world that can accommodate someone who is late for their shift.

Tardiness can cause huge problems to the company. It also creates negative vibes within your team. Your poor timekeeping affects the whole team, and they’ll have to compensate for your shortfalls.

Being punctual makes you reliable to your team and your employer. Good timekeeping is both expected and appreciated.

Organizational Skills

A warehouse worker will often need to organize products or goods in a certain way and to the standards of the business, and so a natural flair for doing so will make you hugely efficient. You’ll need to make good use of your time, organize your work, and ensure that what you do complements what others are doing.

Being organized will also mean that you can easily recognize when anything is out of line, and rectify the problem before it develops.

Fast and Efficient

It’s no good being one and not the other. If you’re fast but you’re not doing a good job and making mistakes, this can cause the warehouse to lose time and money because your mistakes must be corrected. If you’re accurate but take twice as long to complete a task as you should, again there is a financial impact to the business.

Being organized will help you work efficiently and at a good pace. This benefits the employer – and therefore benefits you.

Honesty

Honesty breeds trust. You should demonstrate that you own your mistakes, and that you learn from them.

Problem-Solving Skills

There will be times in a warehouse when things go slightly awry. If you’re a problem-solver who can figure out what’s gone wrong, and find a solution without using the time of a supervisor, that’s a huge plus for them and you. However, this skill must be balanced with a willingness to ask if you are in doubt.

Computer Literacy/Technology Skills

Don’t let this one scare you! You’re not expected to be a complete tech whizz. Your employer will show you exactly how to use a system. If you bring confidence in learning it, your employer will show you the rest.

If you are, however, particularly technology-minded, this will be a huge advantage and assist you in advancing your career. If you hold this skill, flaunt it!

A Mentality for Learning

As a warehouse worker, you’ll need to be able to follow instructions and be a keen learner to adapt and work across various roles within the warehouse. But remember, don’t be afraid. You will always be shown:

  • How to operate machinery
  • How to operate technology
  • Every process and procedure in your warehouse role

A treasured quality in any employee is their willingness to learn. That willingness will create many opportunities for you, and employers love people who are keen and enthusiastic about developing their skills.

(Read up on how to follow-up from an interview and learn how you can improve yourself even during the recruitment process, so that you get that warehouse job you want.)

Summing Up

So, there you have it. All these skills you know you have; you just need to apply them to your resume and demonstrate them in your interview to land the absolute best of warehouse jobs.

You’ve got the skills. We’ve got the jobs. Lined up and waiting for the right candidate. So get in touch with Coast Personnel today.