Speaking to logistics professionals over the years, a common thread emerges: they almost all ended up in this industry. In other words, they didn’t study supply chain or logistics in college or start their careers in this field, but they ended up in the industry, fell in love with it, and never looked back. Why did you choose a career in logistics? The best way to answer this question is to ask those who are currently on the front lines of logistics, which is why I discussed the topic with Danielle Shuey, VP of Service Delivery at Loadsmart, in a recent episode of Talking Logistics.
Addicted to logistics
Like many logistics professionals, Daniel didn’t start out in the field. He graduated from Clemson University in 2009 with a degree in sociology and political science, but job prospects were slim at the time. As Daniel shares in the short video below, he was fortunate to land a one-day contract job at CH Robinson that turned into a career opportunity.
“After learning about the opportunities available in this industry, I feel incredibly fortunate to have landed that one-day job nearly 14 years ago.”
Daniel has worked in truckload, less than truckload, and global forwarding, currently supporting Loadsmart’s managed transportation services. In his previous role, he also had the opportunity to work in China as a senior operations leader. “It was a life-changing experience,” says Daniel. Watch the short clip below to find out what Daniel learned while working in China.
“If you’re based in the U.S. and you run a global company and you’re trying to develop a global strategy for transportation management, it’s really important to think in terms of change management, to expect that there will be technical differences that need to be taken into account, and to have the right representatives from those countries at the table as you go through the implementation process,” Daniel advises.
Women in Logistics
Although there are more women working in logistics than in the past, it’s still not a career that many women can consider. We spoke to Danielle about the current situation and what can be done to attract more women into the profession.
“I see not only women, but other underrepresented groups starting to enter the field. The world is becoming more diverse and it’s important for companies to connect with all their stakeholders around the world and have diversity in their operations and leadership to understand and connect with all groups. Women bring a lot of strengths to the logistics world.”
“I think there are a few ways to achieve this. One is to make this a priority at every level. When young women consider companies to potentially join, they look at the leadership positions to see if there are women there and therefore see a career path for themselves.
“Secondly, it’s about investing in younger employees and making sure they have the mentorship and support to learn and succeed. Coaching helps them optimise their careers.”
“The third area is benefits programs. Young women may be focused on their careers, but they’re also thinking about having a family. There’s still a perception that it may be difficult to juggle both in a fast-paced, stressful industry like logistics. Corporate childcare and leave policies can help address these issues. Additionally, it’s important to ensure there’s a culture that supports working parents. All these measures help women feel welcome and supported, and comfortable that they can invest in their careers while focusing on their families.”
Rewards
I asked Danielle what she thought was the best reward she’d gotten from working in the logistics industry. In addition to her experience working in China, she mentioned the opportunity to lead a team and help her colleagues with their career development and dealing with the stress of the job. Watch her explain in the clip below:
“And of course, collaboration with our customers,” Daniel adds. “We really approach our customers as partners and find win-win solutions. The logistics industry is very chaotic, so when we can tackle challenges and find solutions together with our customers and teams, it’s very rewarding.”
Build your career
Daniel offered great advice on how people can build their careers and climb the leadership ladder. We encourage you to watch the entire episode to hear all of Daniel’s insights and advice, then feel free to post your questions and comments to keep the conversation going.