19 tasks, each one witnessed by the sources that watched the job — and behind every one, a prompt you can use tonight.
You start by checking your Transportation Management System (TMS) and email (Microsoft Outlook) for new bookings, customs updates, and client messages. Most mornings you determine methods of shipment (air, sea, truck), enter shipping information into the TMS and Excel, and prepare manifests and customs paperwork.
Afternoons often mean tracking shipments, logging costs and weights in Excel or SAP, coordinating loading doors and trucks, and calling customers about arrivals. You also inspect cargo condition, handle freight inspection equipment, and resolve delays or damage reports as they appear.
The basics are a Transportation Management System (TMS) for booking and tracking, Microsoft Excel for costs, weights, and reports, and Microsoft Outlook for client communication. Many places use SAP for financial posting and brokerage entries.
You may also use Microsoft Word and OneNote for documentation. Employers usually train you on their specific TMS and SAP modules, so focus on becoming fast and accurate in Excel and confident using email first.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there were about 97,670 employed in this occupation area. The median pay is $52,260 per year; the lowest tenth earn about $38,340, and the top tenth about $79,810.
Those are BLS numbers — they describe the middle and spread, not what any single employer will pay. Pay varies by company, city, experience, and whether you handle complex customs or dangerous goods.
Yes — AI can draft routine emails, summarize shipment logs, or extract data from documents to speed work. Feed AI exported TMS or Excel data and use it to generate draft manifests, checklists, or follow-up templates.
Risks: never let AI finalize customs forms, licensing checks, or compliance decisions. Always verify AI output against your TMS, SAP entries, and the original documents. Protect customer and shipment data — don’t paste sensitive numbers into public AI services.
Useful study includes courses in international trade, cargo handling, and customs procedures. Short certifications in freight forwarding, customs brokerage basics, or a TMS training course are practical and often accepted by employers.
Also get comfortable with Excel (pivot tables, VLOOKUP/INDEX), basic SAP posting concepts if possible, and learn common shipping terms. On-the-job training usually teaches company-specific TMS and local licensing needs.
A customs broker focuses on customs clearance and the classification/valuation needed for import/export duties and legal entry. A freight forwarder arranges transport and consolidation across carriers. An Export Import Executive often combines both roles internally: they prepare customs documentation, advise on transport and payment, and coordinate multi-modal logistics.
In short: brokers specialize in customs law and filings; forwarders manage movement; as an executive you'll do parts of both — handling TMS/SAP postings, manifests, client advice, and on-the-ground loading coordination.
Attention to detail. You’ll record shipment costs and weights, enter data into TMS and SAP, prepare manifests, and check cargo condition. One wrong number in a manifest or posting can cause delays, fines, or misrouted freight.
Develop clear checklists and double-check entries in Excel and the TMS. That reduces errors when you handle brokerage entries, customs documents, and client notifications.