Transportation Recruiters | Garland Source

9 Tips From a Professional Recruiter on Finding the Right Job Candidate

October 11, 2016 by

There’s a lot of criteria to process when searching for the right candidate for a position. You’re dealing with understanding internal and external dynamics, various ways to source candidates, high posting response rates, budget pressures on compensation and relocation, hiring timelines, all while finding the best technical and cultural fit. Then there is extending an offer that will be accepted, the risk of the candidate taking a counter or another offer, background checks and meaningful references. Here are nine tips at a glance that will help you find the right job candidate.

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7 Reasons to Consider a Job Change in the Logistics and Transport Industry

July 13, 2016 by

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, from 2010 to 2020 employment in logistics is forecast to grow by 26 percent. If you are already employed in the Logistics and Transport industry, you might want to consider a job change within the industry. Following are seven of the top reasons for making a change.

Reasons For Making a Job Change

You chose your first job in Logistics and Transportation to gain entry into the industry, but, now you are looking for a change that offers more of a challenge. Consider options that enhance your career such as gaining a more diverse exposure to logistics segments, a role that gives you broader responsibility, or one that allows for more specific development in your area of interest.
After working for a while you begin to see what each area of the company does and what skills it takes to support that department. You have a more tailored career direction but the company you are with does not have a clear developmental and advancement path.
Your skills within the logistics and transportation industry are easily transferable, but the segment or company you are with is losing market share. Consumer demands, distribution adjustments to the supply chain, regulations, and new industries can have a dramatic impact on logistics and transportation providers. Understand where the future is moving and focus your career towards a higher growth segment.
After several years at the same job within the same company, both advancement and personal development are not satisfactory. Changing jobs can recharge you, your career and usually improve your income.
Many folks begin a job with the hopes of gaining useful experience. Sometimes, that doesn’t work out. When interviewing ask about training and employee development in order to select a company that invests in employees.
Pay is a good reason to enter the logistics and transportation field – the average salary of a logistician is in the neighborhood of $74,000. To get there you have to be engaged in development and may need to change jobs to advance your career.
You have continued your education and earned your college degree and want to put it to better use. This is a perfectly sound reason to seek a promotion or change employers. Stay put until you have a new job – it is easier to find a job while employed rather than when you are unemployed.

Recruiters Can Help With Changing Jobs

Changing jobs within a company, within an industry, or from another industry can be stressful. It is often best to work with a recruiting company experienced in the industry of logistics and transportation to get your job search on the right track.

Whether you are looking for a mid-level to a C-level position in logistics and communications or are looking for someone to fill such a position, contact Garland

Source today. The telephone number is 479.575.9017 or email Kelly Garland directly. His email address is kelly@garlandsource.com.

6 Advantages Transportation and Logistics Job Seekers Have Working With A Specialized Recruiting Firm

May 27, 2016 by

“Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success.”– Henry Ford

The transportation industry is one of the largest, most dynamic industries in the world. With ground, rail, air, water, courier, pipeline, and warehousing segments being accounted for total transportation revenues in the U.S. in 2015 are estimated at $1,004.5 billion. (over $1 trillion ?) Worldwide, those revenues reach $4.6 trillion. To say it’s a solid, growing industry would be an understatement, at 6% of total global economic activity (GDP). Ship transport alone carries more than 90% of the world’s internationally shipped goods, with over 102,194 commercial ships across the globe.

With statistics like these, it’s no wonder the transportation and logistics industry is booming, and employment opportunities have followed suit. With the transportation industry becoming increasingly reliant on technology and streamlined communication tools, the industry is far more sophisticated with more diverse roles than ever before.

Competing for Logistics and Transportation Careers

Despite this industry’s development and job growth, the current job market is still an extremely competitive one. If you are searching for a career in the logistics and transportation sector, a specialized recruiting firm can help you navigate the market and hone in on your perfect career. If you are simply looking to see what opportunities exist in the current market, a specialized recruiting agency can save you time and frustration by streamlining and customizing the options specifically for your candidate profile.

Streamline Your Job Search With a Specialized Recruiter

Some advantages you can expect when working with a specialized recruiting team include:

Free Job Placement Assistance

A reputable specialized recruiting firm will never charge the candidate for its services; the firm receives its fee from the company that’s doing the hiring. Companies that work with specialized recruiters trust the recruiter’s ability to find qualified candidates who may be the “perfect fit” for their job opening and their corporate culture. While the logistics industry is vast, it’s a niche market in terms of a specialized recruiter’s industry knowledge of career prospects—so make sure you put your trust in a recruiter that has years of logistics and transportation expertise when seeking out a firm.

Insider Information on Upcoming Job Openings

With an expanded network of professional contacts in the industry, a specialized recruiter will be in the know about upcoming open positions long before the jobs are posted on the job boards. They may also be aware of a company’s future plans or unique passive searches which may never become formal job openings. Think of your recruiter as your career counselor and your best, most impartial advocate. Your recruiter wants to place you in a career where you are happiest and most productive, and they want to satisfy the company’s needs, too, so they consider the best interests of both parties when making company and candidate recommendations.

Confidentiality is Paramount

You don’t have to be concerned your current employer will find out you’re considering other career options, and with a specialized recruiter, you don’t have to worry about posting your resume on an online job board just to get noticed. Your recruiter is your private liaison with the companies that are doing the hiring. By understanding you as a candidate, what a company is looking for and their pay range , a recruiter can reduce unnecessary exposure and wasted time on positions that will not come to fruition.

A Customized Career Search

A specialized logistics recruitment agency will provide career advice that is custom-designed for your current job search and based on your experience, skill set, and interests. Their extensive connections in logistics and current knowledge of market trends and industry-specific demands mean you have the most current, up-to-date job market information at your disposal. If the recruiter thinks you can better your chances at your dream job by adding or enhancing a particular skill, they won’t be afraid to let you know, so you’ll always have the most relevant information on career development, training, and resources specific to the logistics industry at your fingertips.

Location Opportunities

In transportation and logistics, job opportunities can take a candidate across the country, and sometimes the world. When you work with a specialized recruiter, you can be very specific about where you want to work without having to sift through online job postings that return countless search results for locations you’d never consider. Every area has unique job market attributes, if you are not interested in relocating that may reduce the options, but an established recruiter can help you understand what the local market opportunities are like compared to the national market. If you are interested in relocating, your recruiter can help you focus where you want to be based on your interests, cost of living, and quality of life considerations.

Of course, if you choose to broaden your job search to include areas outside your comfort or time zone, you will always have the final say and full control over whether or not to move forward at any point in the process.

A Range of Choices

Specialized recruitment agencies working with logistics and transportation careers often deal with a wide range of opportunities and companies. Some of these companies are public and some are private. Some companies are in high growth mode while others are steady and stable. Some companies are looking for a rock star to drive change while others are looking for someone able to nurture change with long time employees. Specialized recruiters understand the job opportunity and the needs of the hiring company beyond the information that can be found in a job posting. Depending on your ultimate career goals, your recruiter will present you with a variety of carefully considered options that are best-suited to your particular expertise and your long-term plans for success.

If you are a logistics and transportation professional looking to make a career move in this highly competitive industry, working with a specialized recruitment team that focuses specifically on your industry is a powerful, effective way to gain an edge over other candidates. When you work with Garland Source, you’re working with a team that has unmatched resources: over 17 years experience exclusively in logistics, deep industry knowledge, and a strong network of like-minded logistics and transportation colleagues. If you are considering a career in logistics or simply want to consult with a logistics professional about your options, contact the Garland Source team for more information and check out our available employment options today.

Cost Benefit Analysis: Why Logistics Search Firms Are Worth Their Cost

March 29, 2016 by

No matter the industry, businesses dread the idea of administrative overhead. That said, the fact remains that logistics search firms are an essential way to grow your business by drawing and retaining top talent.

Here are a few of the reasons a logistics search firm and their recruiters are worth the business investment.

Recruiters Know Who and What to Look For When Hiring

Recruiters are trained professionals who know how to evaluate top candidates and their skills beyond resume content. HR and hiring managers often receive canned and inauthentic responses as to why a candidate is looking. Recruiters can probe beyond politically correct responses to uncover the real career wound of an employee, or evaluate if they are purely money driven and a potential counter offer risk.

In addition, a recruiter can then tap into a broader market of candidates. Recruiters have the resources and the savvy needed to target qualified passive candidates. Those people who are currently employed and are open to career advancements are often the most desirable candidates, but hiring managers often lack the resources and network to target these individuals.

In effect, recruiters find a broader range of serious and qualified candidates, which is one of the reasons a recruiter can be your most effective tool.

Recruiters Help You Ditch Job Board Inefficiency

For the most qualified candidates, using job board websites is not part of their daily routine. Additionally, qualified candidates are too busy excelling to network for new jobs.

That doesn’t mean these candidates aren’t open to listen for a more desirable opportunity. They are not looking, so they have to be contacted directly and presented with a compelling reason to engage in the process.

With job boards, the simple reality is you limit yourself to a smaller pool of candidates who may not bring the most value. Many of these candidates are unemployed and responding to minimal criteria matches.

Yes, gems are found through job boards, but businesses must ask whether these hiring resources are truly the best choices for a critically important hire.

Since the recruiter only recommends candidates who appear to be qualified, the business saves time and money by avoiding the time-consuming screening process and wasting business resources on interviews that go nowhere.

Hiring through job boards is like fishing with one bait. Recruiters, by contrast, recruiters are like fishing experts who provide the guidance, knowledge and framework needed to catch the best prospects based on business needs.

Recruiters See the Big Picture in Hiring

With traditional hiring strategies, businesses may end up with an employee that only left due to a bad situation. It may have little to do with an aligned vision or a true interest in the new job.

Recruiters filter for these variables to deliver qualified candidates For for consideration.

And, make no mistake about it, qualified candidates is what the logistics industry needs. The Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that the need for demanding logistics manager positions is growing by 24.5%.

Additionally, recruiters help you see the big picture in hiring by providing insight into the industries candidate pool. Recruiters have their finger on the pulse of the business, they know pay benchmarks,which companies develop their employees, utilize technology, company cultures, all unique broad perspectives that come with recruiting experience.

The Unique Nature of Transportation and Logistics Industry Recruiters

Finally, it is essential to understand that logistics recruiters are altogether different from recruiters in other industries. Transportation and logistics are vast and complex enterprises which take years to understand how various segments work and the skills needed to perform various management roles.

As such, recruiters must understand both the overall breadth of the industry and the unique specifics of the business he or she is recruiting talent towards. This entails knowing the qualifications candidates need to excel as well.

In complex industries like logistics, seasoned recruiters provide immeasurable business benefits that less experienced recruiters or traditional hiring practices simply cannot match.

Learn more about Garland Source by visiting our website and contact us to learn how we can help grow your business with effective logistics recruiting.

7 Characteristics to Look For in a Transportation and Logistics Candidate

March 21, 2016 by

In 2012 the transportation and logistics industry accounted for an impressive 8.5 percent of the annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the United States. Since then, the industry has continued to excel with a plethora of transportation modes being used within both the private and public sectors. A recent report showed that trucking companies are responsible for shipping approximately 70 percent of the freight shipped annually within the United States. Currently, the U.S freight rail network is a $60 Billion industry, while 78 percent of U.S. exports are shipped via water transportation. The continued success of the transportation and logistics industry is supported by the valuable employees that recruiters find on a daily basis for interested companies.

Here are seven traits a seasoned industry recruiter looks for in considering candidates.

Experience- The correct experience is needed for a transportation and logistics candidate to succeed, but with the shortage of candidates transferable experience may need to be considered. While experience can be measured in years, it should also be measured in the type of work that was completed within specific fields. In this vein, experience should be measured by different positions inside their current organization, how many different organizations they have been with and the responsibilities they had in each, as well as the size of the company. Other measure would be specific achievements, awards won, skills gained, and the proven ability of the candidate to enhance a team. All of these add credibility and value to the candidate.
Culture- Every work culture is different. A candidate must have the personality needed to fit within a company culture. Fortunately for transportation and logistics companies, a trusted recruiter is well-equipped to find the ideal match. Through industry knowledge and screening thousands of candidates, a seasoned recruiter has a lot of insight into company cultures and assessing candidate management styles that make a good fit.
Career Progression- Just as a candidate’s professional experience is important to ascertaining their skill set, so too is his or her proven career progression. The ideal candidate’s resume will show a steady rising progression. Whether the candidate started off as an intern within a logistics company, or whether he or she transferred in at a higher rank, there should be a clear career path. While not required, for many positions within the transportation and logistics industry, the optimal candidate will have worked in other logistics roles to have gained valuable fundamentals that will be beneficial in future positions.
Ability to Adapt- As alluded to within the opening of this article, the transportation and logistics industry is constantly evolving, changing, and growing. Being able to adapt in this industry is key. Beyond working for different sized companies and exposure to more than one type of transportation model, the ability to adapt with changes like a software conversion and implementation, new service offerings or being part of an acquisition shows candidates are prepared and ready to handle the changes that may take place. Probing into these different scenarios can help determine how adaptable candidates are.
Commitment- No matter the industry, it is understood that switching jobs can be a tough process. From learning the ins-and-outs of a new company, to navigating the relocation process, the ideal candidate will be someone who is willing to commit 100 percent to the new job. A candidate can’t have mixed priorities. He or she must be willing to go the extra mile to ensure that they are hired.
Honesty- Honesty is key to the success of any employee. Candidates shouldn’t be afraid to highlight their strengths and weaknesses. In fact, discussing weaknesses is one of the easiest ways to determine if a candidate is truly honest.
Passion- When you are passionate about your job, you can achieve the best results. When you love what you are doing, you are driven to improve. This same philosophy applies to potential candidates. Throughout all phases of the hiring process a candidate should be passionate and excited. Listen for candidates saying things such as “it gets in your blood”, “I love”, “I get excited when”; to indicate if they are looking for a job vs. a career. They also should show excitement about the possibility of working with the company, as well as an interest in a long term future. By asking questions such as, “how do employees progress through the company,” and “is there an achievement-based bonus,” the candidate can actively indicate their passion for the position.

With these seven characteristics in mind, a professional recruiter will be able to find the ideal candidate for a position within the transportation and logistics industry. By pairing valuable candidates with interested companies, recruiters work actively to ensure that the trillion dollar industry remains strong and effective for years to come. After all, the transportation and logistics industry relies, in part, on the ability of its dedicated personnel to continue to push it towards growth, change, and improvements.

Welcome to Garland Source Transportation and Logistics Recruiting

May 8, 2015 by

Welcome to Garland Source Transportation and Logistics Recruiting, thanks for taking the time to learn about my service. Established in February of 2015, my goal is to provide quality and knowledgeable recruiting services to the transportation community.

I offer extensive management recruiting experience across a tremendous variety of logistics services and management levels. Over the past 16 years I have developed an excellent network of people and an understanding of numerous transportation and logistics operations. Regardless of whether you are a candidate or client, the value from experience in bringing people and companies together, from start to finish, is a true asset in selecting a recruiting partner.

The complexity of a good recruiter is often overlooked. During my career in recruiting I have worked hard to establish myself not only as someone who is knowledgeable about transportation and its many facets, but also someone that is reliable to work with. Understanding what is needed to fill a specific role, the unique business model, company culture, and where to find that right fit isn’t something easily learned. It also takes special skills and relatability to network, cold call, and potentially have someone open up about their career with a person they just encountered. Working through negotiations on compensation, COBRA, vacation, relocation, and so much more is another impact area to consider when assessing a recruiter selection. I have relationships that have been formed and maintained for well over a decade which are built on mutual trust and respect. Despite its vast size, transportation can be a very small community. That is something I keep in mind every day and consistently work to maintain a quality driven reputation.

I always strive to do the best I can for everyone involved. I work to understand as much as I can about a client and how to facilitate a successful hire. Equally, I want to gain insight into what the candidate is capable of, interested in doing, and their motivation for exploring opportunities. If you are a client, working with an established recruiter who knows the industry and who will professionally represent your company is critical in attracting top talent and reducing the odds of a poor hire. If you are a candidate, I understand and empathize with the stress involved with leaving a job and possibly uprooting your family. This is an incredibly important human interaction that I take very seriously. My goal is not to have the biggest job board, but to focus on service with quality and integrity for everyone.

Please watch for my future blogs discussing topics such as resume tips, interviewing, hiring, and industry topics.