Receivers play a crucial role in most organizations today, ensuring that products arrive on time, are undamaged and get delivered to the correct person or department as quickly as possible. If you work as a receiver, your role will be to receive products and supplies that are necessary to your organization’s business. Receivers are also responsible for tracking incoming shipments, monitoring product locations and maintaining a safe workspace. Note that if you’re successful in this job, it often leads to advancement and opportunities to take on more senior roles in the supply chain and logistics space.
Receiving jobs generally require you to work in a warehouse or retail environment. If you choose to work in a receiving job, you can expect to do shift work during the day, evening or night. Overtime is often required — and you may also be asked to work additional hours during busy seasons, such as during holidays. Receivers can expect to report to a shift supervisor or warehouse manager.
Average salaries for receiving professionals vary based on your level of experience. If you’re just starting out in your career, you can expect an average annual salary of around $27,000. Receiving professionals with three-to-five years of previous experience, on the other hand, command average salaries closer to $32,000 annually. Regardless of your level of previous experience, however, you can likely increase your take-home pay by working additional hours and overtime.
The main duty of a receiver is to ensure that all products are properly tracked and distributed across the warehouse or retail space. Some of your other tasks in this job may include:
You’ll find abundant opportunities to work in warehouse environments across multiple sectors, including retail, manufacturing and production. Bear in mind, however, that any organization with warehouses or storage facilities is generally going to employ receivers. And while there are job opportunities for receiving professionals across the U.S. today, the states with the highest level of demand are California, Texas and Florida.
To work in a receiving job, you’ll need to possess a strong grasp of the ins and outs of warehouse environments. In particular, you’ll likely be required to understand technology and inventory tracking as it relates to receiving. Below are some of the key inventory management and control skills that employees value when looking to hire individuals for these roles.
To work in the role of receiver, the minimum educational requirement is generally a high school diploma, although some employers may require college or vocational training in a related field such as logistics. Additional training in warehouse workplace health and safety will also be an asset due to the majority of receiving jobs today. Finally, it’s also beneficial to have experience with information systems and inventory management software, as more and more receiving jobs require you to work with technology as a core part of the role.
If you choose to work in a receiving job, you’ll find plenty of opportunities — and a lot of room for growth in your career. Plus, once you’ve gained experience in an entry-level receiver job, you should be able to move up to other warehouse jobs, for example, warehouse supervisor or manager, logistics supervisor, forklift operator or another more specialized role. In other words, becoming a receiver can lead the way to many different career paths over the long run.