How to hire a cargo specialist

How to hire a cargo specialist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step cargo specialist hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a cargo specialist job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new cargo specialist
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The cargo specialist hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect cargo specialist also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list presents cargo specialist salaries for various positions.

   Type of Cargo Specialist	Description	Hourly rate
   Cargo Specialist		$16-41
   Driver Manager	The job of driver managers involves the recruitment, training, and assessment of drivers and their qualifications pursuant to driving laws. Driver managers manage vehicles confirming their safety and working order... Show more	$13-33
   Route Manager	A route manager determines strategic routes transport vehicles may take to every destination. A route manager's primary responsibility is to mark the shortest and fastest way to the customer's destination... Show more	$18-31

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Forklifts
   • Cranes
   • Safety Procedures
   • Motor Vehicle
   • Data Processing Systems
   • Logistics
   • Air Shipments
   • Hazardous Materials
   • Mechanical Methods
   • Safety Practices
   • DOD
   • Technical Guidance
   • Terminal Operations
   • Slings

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Provide technical solutions to DoD agencies and manage multiple client accounts.
   • Implement logistics support plan to manage advance shipment of hazardous goods to area of responsibility.
   • Ensure adherence applicable to civil and federal and DOD regulations.
   • Provide inflight refueling and cargo loading for the USAF in the KC-135R aircraft.
   • Contribute to the largest logistical movement of cargo to support combat operations in Iraq.
   • Handle cargo for air freight forwarders with focus on time sensitive materials in the warehouse.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your cargo specialist job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A cargo specialist can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, cargo specialists' average salary in hawaii is 47% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level cargo specialists 59% less than senior-level cargo specialists.
   • Certifications. A cargo specialist with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a cargo specialist's salary.

   Average cargo specialist salary

   $55,694yearly

   $26.78 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level cargo specialist salary

   $35,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 12, 2025

4. Writing a cargo specialist job description

   A job description for a cargo specialist role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a cargo specialist job description:

   Cargo specialist job description example

   Ocean Cargo SpecialistCommercial P&C - Ocean Cargo
   
   Chubb is the world's largest publicly traded property and casualty insurer. With operations in 54 countries, Chubb provides commercial and personal property and casualty insurance, personal accident and supplemental health insurance, reinsurance, and life insurance to a diverse group of clients. The company is distinguished by its extensive product and service offerings, broad distribution capabilities, exceptional financial strength, underwriting excellence, superior claims handling expertise and local operations globally.
   
   Chubb is currently seeking a skilled Ocean Cargo Underwriter to join its Middle Market Commercial Insurance practice
   
   Position Description:
   
   The Ocean Cargo Specialist Underwriter has senior responsibilities including a renewal book of $2M - $3M and a new business goal of approximately $1M-$1.5M annually.The position will be responsible for driving profitable growth with New York Region agents and brokers.This specialist Ocean Cargo underwriter will handle traditional marine transit and warehouse exposures.In addition, this underwriter will also underwrite stock throughputs, broker forms, and quota share insurance programs.Depending upon the candidate's interest and expertise, there will also be an opportunity to underwrite Inland Marine.This position will collaborate within a large team of UW other underwriters, operations, claims, marketing, and home office management as necessary.We are looking for a candidate who is highly motivated, results oriented with solid business and underwriting acumen.
   
   Location: Flexible on location, but must travel to the Northeast
   
   Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Required:
   
   

   • Focused knowledge and experienced in Ocean Cargo.Experience with Inland Marine is a plus.
   • Underwriting duties will include developing and negotiating price, coverage, terms and conditions for all new business and renewals while actively identifying account rounding opportunities for other Chubb practices
   • This position must collaborate with other underwriters, operations, claims, marketing, and home office management as necessary.The underwriter must implement and manage effective pricing and rate strategies that will produce profitability, book growth, and successful producer relations.
   • Strong sales and marketing skills are critical; must be able to demonstrate successful agency and broker management, including building, maintaining, and managing producer and customer relationships.
   • Ability to identify opportunities for growth within new and existing production sources.
     
     Knowledge of marketing principles, pricing/rate strategies and how to apply them to attain underwriting profit.
   • Candidate must possess a high degree of proficiency with the underwriting process, with a solid background in risk analysis.
   • Candidate must have ability to effectively interact with all levels of customers and collaborate with a team of underwriters, claims and loss control personnel.
   • Knowledge and proficiency with technical issues, compliance, coverage, products, and pricing strategies expected.

   
   
   Qualifications:
   
   •7-10 years of experience.
   
   •Must have proven marketing and negotiation skill
   
   •Strong communication, interpersonal and time management skill
   
   Chubb strives to offer a diverse and inclusive and rewarding work environment.Teamwork and mutual respect are central to how Chubb operates and we believe the best solutions draw upon diverse perspectives, experiences and skills.We operate in such a way where everyone, regardless of their singular background has the opportunity to contribute to our collective success.

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5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right cargo specialist for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your cargo specialist job on Zippia to find and recruit cargo specialist candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit cargo specialists, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new cargo specialist

   Once you've found the cargo specialist candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new cargo specialist. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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