Inventory control associates are the behind-the-scenes workers who make up one of the largest driving forces behind the retail sales, import, and export sectors. Above all, inventory control associates are data trackers-with that data being physical inventory. Regardless of whether they're working in the backroom of a clothing store or the warehouse of a giant shipping facility, the primary duty of inventory associates is the same: to count and record inventory.
In the interest of helping their employer to reduce waste, cut down on unnecessary expenditures, and maintain a steady supply of goods, inventory associates must accurately count and record each item in the inventory. They typically work in either warehouses or stores and report to a higher-level staff member such as a warehouse lead or store manager. If they wish to move up the corporate ladder, inventory control associates can use their skills and experience to become inventory specialists or inventory managers.
According to data published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual salary for shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks, which includes inventory associates, is $30,450.
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being an Inventory Control Associate. For example, did you know that they make an average of $16.57 an hour? That's $34,467 a year!
Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 1% and produce 46,900 job opportunities across the U.S.
There are certain skills that many Inventory Control Associates have in order to accomplish their responsibilities. By taking a look through resumes, we were able to narrow down the most common skills for a person in this position. We discovered that a lot of resumes listed Communication skills, Customer-service skills and Detail oriented.
If you're interested in becoming an Inventory Control Associate, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 41.5% of Inventory Control Associates have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 4.0% of Inventory Control Associates have master's degrees. Even though some Inventory Control Associates have a college degree, it's possible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.
Choosing the right major is always an important step when researching how to become an Inventory Control Associate. When we researched the most common majors for an Inventory Control Associate, we found that they most commonly earn Bachelor's Degree degrees or High School Diploma degrees. Other degrees that we often see on Inventory Control Associate resumes include Associate Degree degrees or Diploma degrees.
You may find that experience in other jobs will help you become an Inventory Control Associate. In fact, many Inventory Control Associate jobs require experience in a role such as Cashier. Meanwhile, many Inventory Control Associates also have previous career experience in roles such as Sales Associate or Customer Service Representative.