Freight Broker Resume Guide
Freight brokers typically work with both trucking companies and shippers to negotiate contracts and rates for the shipping of freight. They also track shipments, keep records of delivery times and costs, and arrange for the payment of invoices.
You have a keen understanding of the freight industry and know how to get shipments from point A to point B quickly and efficiently. However, potential employers won’t know about your skills unless you write a top-notch resume.
This guide will walk you through the entire process of creating a top-notch resume. We first show you a complete example and then break down what each resume section should look like.
Table of Contents
The guide is divided into sections for your convenience. You can read it from beginning to end or use the table of contents below to jump to a specific part.
Freight Broker Resume Sample
Richie MacGyver
Freight Broker
[email protected]
823-949-2464
linkedin.com/in/richie-macgyver
Summary
Professional freight broker with 10+ years of experience in the shipping industry. Key strengths include a keen eye for detail, excellent organizational skills, and the ability to negotiate rates with carriers. In previous roles increased company profits by 17% through successful contract negotiations and route optimization. Seeking to join ABC Logistics as a freight broker to continue providing efficient and cost-effective solutions for clients’ shipping needs.
Experience
Freight Broker, Employer A
Escondido, Jan 2018 – Present
- Mentored new freight brokers on company procedures and the industry at large, resulting in a 50% reduction in training time.
- Delivered cost-effective shipping solutions to 100+ clients per month, ensuring that all deadlines were met while maximizing profits.
- Inspected cargo for signs of damage or tampering prior to shipment, catching errors that would have resulted in customer complaints and financial loss.
- Competently resolved conflicts with clients, carriers and other third parties; maintained positive relationships that led to repeat business.
- Facilitated the smooth flow of shipments by coordinating schedules between different parties and keeping track of changes using Transport Management Systems (TMS).
Freight Broker, Employer B
Hayward, Mar 2012 – Dec 2017
- Assessed clients’ shipping needs and presented them with the most efficient and cost-effective options for freight transportation.
- Presented proposals to clients, negotiated rates and terms, and closed deals to secure new business contracts.
- Consistently achieved high levels of customer satisfaction by providing personalized service and attention to detail.
- Developed strong relationships with clients and built a loyal client base through outstanding service delivery.
- Demonstrated excellent communication, interpersonal, negotiation and presentation skills when dealing with clients.
Skills
- Transportation
- Logistics
- Logistics Management
- Operations Management
- Transportation Management
- Freight
- Shipping
- Trucking
- LTL
Education
Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration
Educational Institution XYZ
Nov 2011
Certifications
Certified Freight Broker
Freight Broker Training Institute
May 2017
1. Summary / Objective
The summary or objective at the top of your freight broker resume is like a teaser – it outlines who you are and what makes you an excellent candidate for the job. Here, you can showcase your best qualities. For example, you could talk about your experience working with a wide variety of clients, the successful deals you’ve brokered in the past, and how your negotiation skills have saved companies money.
Below are some resume summary examples:
Talented freight broker with more than 10 years of experience in the logistics industry. Expertise in communicating and coordinating with shippers, trucking companies, and other freight brokers to efficiently move cargo from origin to destination. Able to work independently with little supervision while maintaining a high degree of accuracy. Proven ability to develop long-term relationships with clients, leading to repeat business.
Accomplished freight broker with 5 years of experience in the industry. I have a proven track record in developing relationships with clients and vendors, as well as negotiating favorable rates. In my previous role at XYZ, I increased sales by 20% through effective account management and upselling techniques. I am looking to join a company where I can utilize my skills to contribute to the bottom line.
Reliable freight broker with 5 years of experience arranging transportation for merchandise via land, air, and sea. In previous role at XYZ Inc., increased sales by $3 million through efficient management of supply chain logistics. At ABC Corporation, cut company expenses by 10% through expert negotiation with vendors and carriers. Consistently recognized as a go-to person for difficult shipments.
Proficient freight broker with 3 years of experience in logistics management. Negotiated prices with trucking companies and scheduled transportation for client shipments. Grew business by 30% through developing strong relationships with new clients. Reduced late deliveries by 10% by proactively communicating updates and collaborating with cross-functional teams.
Dependable and organized freight broker with more than 5 years of experience in the transportation industry. Proven ability to build relationships with clients and vendors while coordinating the logistics of shipments. Recognized as a top performer at XYZ, where I increased business by 14.5% through effective account management and customer service.
Diligent freight broker with 5+ years of experience in the industry. Skilled at negotiating contracts, scheduling shipments, and managing customer expectations. At XYZ Logistics, increased business by 23% through developing strong relationships with new clients. Seeking to leverage my experience and skills to help ABC Logistics grow its business.
Skilled freight broker with 6+ years of experience in the logistics industry. Proven ability to negotiate and coordinate transportation services while maintaining excellent relationships with clients and vendors. At ABC Logistics, increased business by 25% through developing new clientele and expanding existing accounts.
2. Experience / Employment
For the experience section, you’ll want to write about your employment history. This should be written in reverse chronological order, which means that your most recent job will be listed first.
When describing what you did in each role, use bullet points. This makes it easier for the reader to understand the information you’re trying to communicate. When writing the bullet points, make sure to include specific details about what you did and the results that were achieved.
For example, instead of saying “Worked with clients to ship their products,” you could say, “Successfully coordinated shipping logistics for 100+ clients per month, resulting in on-time delivery of goods 99% of the time.”
To write effective bullet points, begin with a strong verb or adverb. Industry specific verbs to use are:
- Negotiated
- Coordinated
- Arranged
- Shipped
- Delivered
- Imported
- Exported
- Loaded
- Unloaded
- Inspected
- Stored
- Retrieved
- Repaired
- Maintained
- Upgraded
Other general verbs you can use are:
- Achieved
- Advised
- Assessed
- Compiled
- Demonstrated
- Developed
- Expedited
- Facilitated
- Formulated
- Improved
- Introduced
- Mentored
- Optimized
- Participated
- Prepared
- Presented
- Reduced
- Reorganized
- Represented
- Revised
- Spearheaded
- Streamlined
- Structured
- Utilized
Below are some example bullet points:
- Successfully coordinated the transport of goods for over 100 clients, ensuring that all shipments arrived on time and within budget.
- Advised clients on the best shipping methods to use based on their needs and budget; helped them save an average of 20% on shipping costs.
- Coordinated with over 50 different carriers to ship client goods; built strong relationships with carrier representatives to get the best rates and services possible.
- Formulated creative shipping solutions for difficult or complex shipments; successfully shipped oversized, delicate, perishable and high-value items without incident.
- Negotiated discounts with carriers for volume business; saved clients an average of 10% on shipping costs compared to going rate quotes.
- Independently managed a stock of 200+ items, ensuring that all products were properly accounted for and regularly replenished.
- Streamlined the receiving process by reorganizing the storage area and implementing a new labeling system; reduced average unloading time per truck from 2 hours to 1.5 hours.
- Achieved a 98% accuracy rate when filling customer orders, resulting in fewer complaints and returns.
- Demonstrated excellent interpersonal skills when dealing with customers, vendors and other employees; often praised by management for being able to diffuse difficult situations calmly and efficiently.
- Resourcefully negotiated rates with trucking companies and coordinated transportation schedules to meet customer deadlines, reducing shipping costs by 8% on average.
- Represented the company at industry events and trade shows, building relationships with potential clients and generating new business opportunities.
- Utilized an in-depth knowledge of state and federal regulations governing the transport of freight to ensure compliance in all areas; developed a comprehensive training program for new employees which resulted in a 100% pass rate on DOT audits.
- Participated in weekly conference calls with upper management to provide updates on ongoing projects and offer suggestions for improvements; helped develop a new pricing structure that increased profits by 15%.
- Prepared detailed reports documenting all aspects of shipments including pickup/delivery times, route taken, any delays or incidents, and invoiced amounts; used this information to streamline operations and reduce transit times by 10%.
- Improved communication between trucking companies and clients, leading to a decrease in transportation delays by 15%.
- Compiled daily reports on freight shipments, detailing information such as mode of transport, estimated time of arrival and delivery location.
- Imported goods from overseas suppliers and distributed them to local businesses in a timely manner; successfully completed deliveries for 98% of shipments.
- Expedited the movement of cargo by coordinating with truck drivers, warehouse personnel and other relevant parties; was able to reduce transit time by 2 days on average.
- Efficiently managed all aspects of the shipping process, from booking transport to ensuring that customs documentation was in order; helped save the company an average of $500 per shipment.
- Structured transportation plans for freight of all sizes, ensuring that items arrived at their destination safely and on time.
- Proficiently communicated with clients, shippers and carriers to coordinate the pick-up, transport and delivery of goods.
- Spearheaded the development of new shipping routes to reduce transit times by an average of 2 days.
- Upgraded software systems used to track freight movement and schedule deliveries, improving efficiency by 15%.
- Maintained accurate records of all shipments made, including dates, times, locations and contact information for all parties involved.
- Revised the company’s freight shipping process, resulting in a $5,000 reduction in monthly expenses.
- Reduced the average delivery time of shipments by 0.5 days through improved coordination with trucking companies.
- Stored all documentation and records related to freight shipments in an organized and accessible manner.
- Meticulously inspected all outgoing shipments to ensure that they met quality standards before dispatch.
- Diligently worked with clients to understand their shipping needs and develop cost-effective solutions that met all deadlines; increased customer satisfaction ratings by 27%.
- Optimized routes for 100+ shipments per day, resulting in an annual savings of $50,000 in fuel costs.
- Retrieved documents and other records pertaining to shipments as needed; maintained an organized filing system to facilitate efficient retrieval of files.
- Reorganized the warehouse layout to improve workflow and increase space utilization by 15%.
- Introduced new shipping routes that saved the company an average of 10% per shipment.
- Shipped over 500 containers of freight per month, ensuring that all shipments arrived on time and within budget.
- Exported goods to over 30 countries, expanding the company’s reach and increasing revenue by 15%.
- Actively negotiated with suppliers and transport companies to get the best rates for shipping services.
3. Skills
The necessary skills for a freight broker will vary depending on the company, but some common requirements include excellent communication and negotiation skills, strong organizational abilities, and knowledge of the transportation industry.
As such, you want to tailor the skills section of your resume to each job that you are applying for. The reason it is important to do this is because a large number of employers use applicant tracking systems these days which scan resumes for certain keywords before passing them on to a human.
Once listed here, you can further elaborate on your skillset by discussing it in more detail in other areas such as the summary or experience section.
Below is a list of common skills & terms:
- 3PL
- Account Management
- Air Freight
- Business Development
- Communication
- Container
- Contract Negotiation
- Customer Satisfaction
- Dispatching
- Flatbed
- Freight
- Freight Brokerage
- Freight Forwarding
- Freight Transportation
- LTL
- Logistics
- Logistics Management
- Operations Management
- Process Improvement
- Purchasing
- Shipping
- Supply Chain
- Supply Chain Management
- Team Leadership
- Teamwork
- Third Party Logistics
- Time Management
- Transportation
- Transportation Management
- Trucking
- Truckload
- Warehousing
4. Education
Including an education section on your resume will depend on how far along you are in your career. If you just graduated and have no work experience, your education should be mentioned below your resume objective. However, if you have significant work experience that is relevant to the freight broker role you are applying for, omitting an education section altogether might make more sense.
If an education section is included, mention courses or subjects related to the freight broker job you are applying for – such as “Courses included Transportation Economics & Policy and Logistics Systems Analysis & Design.”
Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration
Educational Institution XYZ
Nov 2011
5. Certifications
Certifications allow you to prove to potential employers that you have the skills and knowledge required to perform in a given field.
If you have any relevant certifications, including them in this section of your resume will give you an edge over other applicants who do not possess such credentials.
Certified Freight Broker
Freight Broker Training Institute
May 2017
6. Contact Info
Your name should be the first thing a reader sees when viewing your resume, so ensure its positioning is prominent. Your phone number should be written in the most commonly used format in your country/city/state, and your email address should be professional.
You can also choose to include a link to your LinkedIn profile, personal website, or other online platforms relevant to your industry.
Finally, name your resume file appropriately to help hiring managers; for Richie MacGyver, this would be Richie-MacGyver-resume.pdf or Richie-MacGyver-resume.docx.
7. Cover Letter
Writing a cover letter is a great way to expand on the information in your resume and give potential employers a better sense of who you are as a person. Cover letters are typically made up of 2-4 paragraphs, and can be used to address any qualifications or experience that isn’t already mentioned in your resume.
In most cases, you won’t be required to submit a cover letter with your job application. However, taking the time to write one could help you stand out from the other candidates applying for the same role.
Below is an example cover letter:
Dear Isobel,
As an experienced freight broker with a proven track record of successful shipments, I am excited to apply for the position of freight broker at your company. With more than 10 years of experience in the logistics industry, I have the knowledge and skills to get your shipments where they need to go on time and within budget.
I have a strong network of carriers that I have built up over my career, which means I can always find the best option for your specific shipping needs. In addition, I am well-versed in all aspects of freight brokerage, from quoting and booking to tracking and invoicing. My attention to detail ensures that every shipment is handled correctly and efficiently.
I am confident that I would be a valuable asset to your team. Please find attached my resume for your review. If you have any questions, or if you would like to schedule an interview, please do not hesitate to contact me at [phone number] or [email address]. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Richie