The freight forwarder has different job responsibilities depending on the place of work. Only a few conditions remain indispensable: escort of cargo and documentation from the place of shipment to the destination of the transported goods.
Freight forwarder is one of the most demanded professions in the labor market. Timely and high-quality delivery is especially necessary for those goods that have a limited shelf life. The branch of the national economy in which the forwarder works is called logistics. The subject of logistics is the study, development and application in practice of the most rational approach to the process of movement of goods over short, medium and long distances. Logistics also provides for the study of local and international legislation in the field of transportation of goods. Indeed, in different regions of the world, sometimes a wide variety of transportation requirements apply.
A professional freight forwarder is also involved in the development of cargo transportation routes. Most often, such a specialist is called a logistician, which is most true when defining this profession.
The profession of a freight forwarder in the modern labor market
A freight forwarder is sometimes called a person who accompanies the cargo throughout its transportation route and is responsible for the safety and integrity of the goods entrusted to him. In fact, it is more correct to call such an employee a courier, but in job advertisements, the vacancy is most often called a freight forwarder. This definition is typical in view of the fact that the courier-forwarding agent most often determines the route of the cargo by himself, by prior agreement with the management of his company.
The main document used by forwarders in their work is called a bill of lading, which records data on the time and place of shipment of goods, destination, nominal value and weight. The forwarder's signature on the waybill confirms that the goods are properly packed and free from visible defects. From the moment of signing the bill of lading by the forwarder, the employee in this position bears full financial responsibility in accordance with the clauses of the legislation of the country and his personal labor contract.
The freight forwarder rarely has the right to receive money for the delivered goods. Such a measure acts for reasons of safety of the forwarder himself, because there may well be an attempt at robbery along the route of transportation of goods.
Freight forwarder and related professions
Some organizations have the positions of a driver-freight forwarder or sales representative with a freight forwarder function. Such professions are provided by firms that send goods within the region or specialize in the transportation of the same type of goods over short distances. Due to the low turnover of funds or the low value of goods, employers have come up with such professions, which does not violate the law. The duties of the driver-freight forwarder include the development of the route, delivery and responsibility for the cargo, and the sales representative with the duties of the forwarder not only builds up a client base and concludes contracts, but also directly delivers the goods on his own.
