Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks

What the job really is

Verify and maintain records on incoming and outgoing shipments involving inventory. Duties include verifying and recording incoming merchandise or material and arranging for the transportation of products. May prepare items for shipment.

At a glance

• Sector: Office & Administrative
• O*NET-SOC code: 43-5071
• O*NET job zone: 2 — some preparation
• Work sample tasks on file: 11
• Tools and technologies listed: 12

What you actually do

Work sample tasks recorded for this occupation:

• Examine shipment contents and compare with records, such as manifests, invoices, or orders, to verify accuracy.
• Requisition and store shipping materials and supplies to maintain inventory of stock.
• Prepare documents, such as work orders, bills of lading, or shipping orders, to route materials.
• Pack, seal, label, or affix postage to prepare materials for shipping, using hand tools, power tools, or postage meter.
• Record shipment data, such as weight, charges, space availability, damages, or discrepancies, for reporting, accounting, or recordkeeping purposes.
• Confer or correspond with establishment representatives to rectify problems, such as damages, shortages, or nonconformance to specifications.
• Deliver or route materials to departments using handtruck, conveyor, or sorting bins.
• Contact carrier representatives to make arrangements or to issue instructions for shipping and delivery of materials.
• Determine shipping methods, routes, or rates for materials to be shipped.
• Compute amounts, such as space available, shipping, storage, or demurrage charges, using computer or price list.
• Compare shipping routes or methods to determine which have the least environmental impact.

Tools and technology

Apple Safari, Inventory management systems, Microsoft Edge, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Word, Mozilla Firefox, SAP software, Warehouse management system WMS, ADi SmartBOL

What employers expect you to already be comfortable with.

Where this job leads

Related occupations — the usual moves up and sideways:

• Postal Service Clerks
• Stockers and Order Fillers
• Cargo and Freight Agents
• Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping
• Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators
• Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks
• Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service
• Freight Forwarders

Getting in

O*NET assigns this occupation job zone 2 (some preparation). The related occupations above are the realistic routes in and out.

Find openings

Browse the verified job sources directory, or explore more occupations.

Check this against the source

O*NET OnLine: Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks — the authoritative public-domain profile this page is derived from, including the full task list, reported skills and the wage estimates for your region.

Derived and rewritten from the public-domain O*NET database (U.S. Department of Labor / Employment and Training Administration). Figures are observations, not promises — always confirm salary, licensing and visa requirements with the employer and the relevant authority.