Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

labor pool

Survival strategies for logistics professionals

Worried about surviving the recession with your career intact? Here are some tips for holding onto your job (or finding a new one).

Mass layoffs, business closures, restructurings … the bad news from the employment front just keeps coming. And as we've learned by now, logistics/supply chain jobs are as vulnerable as any other in this recession.

All this turmoil may have you worried about keeping your job or, if you've already been laid off, stressed about your prospects of landing a new one. But there are steps you can take to survive the recession with your sanity, if not your career, intact. Here are some tips:


  • Volunteer. If you're lucky enough to be employed, volunteer to do something extra—whether it's staying late, coming in on a Saturday, or taking on the responsibilities of someone who was laid off. That's not to suggest that you should let your bosses walk all over you. This is about raising your profile with your own boss and perhaps your boss's boss. Managers like to surround themselves with people who are helpful, have a good attitude, and are team players—and that's especially true in difficult times.

    So when the call for volunteers comes, don't hesitate to raise your hand. Just don't ask what compensation you might get for your efforts. Right now, keeping your job is compensation enough.
     
  • Make sure your contributions don't go unnoticed. Any experienced salesperson will tell you that the way to close a sale in a tough economy is to convince the prospect that he or she can't afford not to buy the product. In this case, you are the product, and you need to make it evident to all concerned how absolutely necessary you are to the company.
     
  • Increase your value to the company. This is a great time to take classes to update your skills or learn to use that new inventory software that was shelved because of the economic downturn. And you might not have to spend any money. Look for seminars offered by professional organizations. Visit the software developer's Web site to see if it offers training programs. Or check out a book from the public library.

But what if you've already lost your job? In that case, keeping your sanity intact calls for slightly different tactics. Instead of looking to improve your position in the company, you'll be looking to improve your position in the marketplace. What follows are some suggestions:

  • Give back to the profession. In between sending out résumés and following up with potential employers, volunteer. Contact organizations like CSCMP, WERC, and APICS to find out what openings they have on their committees. For a few hours of your time and a few conference calls, you could see a big payoff. Not only will you be giving back to the profession, but you're boosting your visibility in the field. Plus, you can make great contacts that way.

    Beyond that, these volunteer projects can be valuable additions to your résumé and help fill those awkward time gaps. And keeping busy with meaningful work can help stave off the unemployment blues.
     
  • Polish up your skills. While you're waiting for the job market to pick up, why not go back to school? Colleges across the country have federal and state money for grants and student loans. And nowadays, you don't have to worry about being locked into a rigid course schedule. Online programs give you the flexibility to go on interviews and still keep up with your coursework.

Bottom line: It won't be easy to stay upbeat in a shaky job market. But a positive attitude and a few strategic maneuvers can make the difference between surviving and thriving in these uncertain times.

The Latest

More Stories

DHL graphic on online shopping marketplaces

DHL report shows seven factors about American online shoppers

Online merchants should consider seven key factors about American consumers in order to optimize their sales and operations this holiday season, according to a report from DHL eCommerce.

First, many of the most powerful sales platforms are marketplaces. With nearly universal appeal, 99% of U.S. shoppers buy from marketplaces, ranked in popularity from Amazon (92%) to Walmart (68%), eBay (47%), Temu (32%), Etsy (28%), and Shein (21%).

Keep ReadingShow less

Featured

schneider app screenshot for owner operators

Schneider seeks more business with owner-operators

Transportation and logistics service provider Schneider National Inc. is reaching out to owner-operators, encouraging them to do more business with the Wisconsin company using an updated digital platform.

Schneider says its FreightPower platform now offers owner-operators significantly more access to Schneider’s range of freight options. That can help drivers to generate revenue and strengthen their business through: increased access to freight, high drop and hook rates of over 95% of loads, and a trip planning feature that calculates road miles.

Keep ReadingShow less
Logistics economy grew in October

Logistics Managers' Index

Logistics economy grew in October

Economic activity in the logistics industry continued its expansion streak in October, growing for the 11th straight month and reaching its highest level in two years, according to the most recent Logistics Managers’ Index report (LMI), released this week.

The LMI registered 58.9, up from 58.6 in September, and continued a run of moderate growth that began late in 2023. The LMI is a monthly measure of business activity across warehousing and transportation markets. A reading above 50 indicates expansion, and a reading below 50 indicates contraction.

Keep ReadingShow less
port of vancouver

West coast dockworker strike could dent Canadian economy

The port worker strike that began yesterday on Canada’s west coast could cost that country $765 million a day in lost trade, according to the ALPS Marine analysis by Russell Group, a British data and analytics company.

Specifically, the labor strike at the ports of Vancouver, Prince Rupert, and Fraser-Surrey will hurt the commodities of furniture, metal products, meat products, aluminum, and clothing. But since the strike action is focused on stopping containers and general cargo, it will not slow operations in grain vessels or cruise ships, the firm said.

Keep ReadingShow less
trucks used by jillamy 3PL

Texas 3PL Mode Global acquires Jillamy’s freight brokerage arm

The Texas third-party logistics firm (3PL) Mode Global has acquired the freight brokerage business of supply chain service provider Jillamy, saying on Monday that the deal advances its strategy of expanding its national footprint.

Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed, but Mode Global said it will now assume Jillamy's comprehensive logistics and freight management solutions, while Jillamy's warehousing, packaging and fulfillment services remain unchanged. Under the agreement, Mode Global will gain more than 200 employees and add facilities in Pennsylvania, Arizona, Florida, Texas, Illinois, South Carolina, Maryland, and Ontario to its existing national footprint.

Keep ReadingShow less