The clearing and forwarding industry is facing a significant shortage of proficient sales skills, mainly due to emigration and sales personnel transitioning to key account management positions or exiting the sector altogether.
This intensified competition is leading to heightened stress levels among sales professionals, according to Steff Boyd, managing director at Switch Recruit.
“It is an industry where experience and skills still hold more weight, so it’s very concerning when experienced staff leave the sector.
"Attributes such as the ability to work autonomously, strong communication skills and an entrepreneurial mindset are consistently in demand.”
Boyd is quick to add that despite these challenges, the industry is experiencing a positive upturn.
“Towards the end of 2023 and now, at the start of 2024, recruitment has shown a positive trend, with a significant number of new positions opening up compared to replacement roles.
"This growth is attributed to the expansion and broadening of horizons following the Covid-19 pandemic.”
She explains that technology – particularly a platform like LinkedIn – is influencing the recruitment sector by enabling direct outreach to candidates. However, despite its benefits, certain factors, such as time constraints and limitations in screening and referencing, persist as challenges when utilising these platforms."
- Read the rest here: "There's a dire need for experienced agents."
