Freight Broker Resume Example

After reading this article, you'll feel confident creating a freight broker resume that effectively showcases your relevant skills and experience. You'll learn how to show employers you've got the relevant qualities, skills and experience for the job, all presented in a format that employers prefer to see. The article also includes tips for formatting your resume according to your experience and strengths. Read on to learn how to write a perfect freight broker resume, from the advice of careers experts at Jobseeker.

Key sections for a freight broker resume

Most resumes contain similar key sections, with a freight broker resume being no different. A resume for candidates with little or no work experience may focus less on the work experience section, and bring sections to the fore that emphasize their skills, such as hobbies and interests, volunteer work, education, projects and skills lists.

The order you present these sections can vary according to your career stage, but it's still essential to include each of the following:

Header and Personal Information

A freight broker resume header contains your name and contact information. Add your first and last name, your phone number and your email address. Include your address or location, but avoid adding any other personal information. If you have a LinkedIn profile, you can add the URL to your header so the hiring manager can get a better understanding of your work history and experience. Make your resume header clear, concise and as brief and compact as possible. Consider different layouts that spread the information horizontally across the page rather than using a different line for each piece of information.

Opt for a professional-looking email address based on your name. If your email address could be construed as unprofessional or inappropriate because it contains nicknames or unsuitable language, create a new, more professional email address for your job applications. Always check your contact details to make sure they're up-to-date before you send your resume.

Resume Profile

Next, write a short paragraph to introduce yourself. You could also call this section 'resume summary' or 'personal profile'. In two or three sentences, explain your professional background, achievements and key skills. If you choose to write a resume summary, this focuses on your career experience to date. On the other hand, a resume objective addresses your future plans and career ambitions. Always make sure your summary reflects the job description and highlights some of the key skills required for freight broker roles.

Alternatively, use this summary to introduce your personal career ambitions and explain why freight broker roles are a good fit for you at this stage of your career.

A strong resume summary focuses on two or three key skills and achievements that showcase your suitability for freight broker roles in a clear, quantifiable way. It also gives an insight into your personal qualities, to help the reader understand why you're a suitable candidate. The graphic below showcases some good examples of what to include in your freight broker resume summary.

Conversely, a bad resume summary might be too generic, lacking focus on the specifics of the job description. It will also fail to provide any useful insights on what makes you a unique candidate. See above for some examples of things to avoid when writing your freight broker resume summary.

Hard and Soft Skills

The skills section of a freight broker resume is a chance to list any skills you have that match those of the job description. You could include rate negotiation skills, problem-solving ability or any other skills that show you're a suitable candidate. Once more, review the job description and pick out any key freight broker skills listed that match yours. Focus on these skills and any other key transferable skills that make you a strong candidate for the job.

How to include hard skills on your freight broker resume

For your hard skills list, include any technical abilities or specific industry knowledge that's essential to working as a freight broker. These could be skills gained through work experience or qualifications. Furthermore, it's important to show these skills in a freight broker resume as they provide a strong indication of your experience in the sector. Aim to include four or five key hard skills. If you have space, explain how and where you've used that skill to create successful outcomes in your career. These skills will demonstrate your credentials and show how you meet the job description.

If you want to make a strong impression with your hard skills list, focus on hard skills that align with your specific industry expertise, and that reflect the job description. For inspiration on the right type of hard skills for a freight broker resume, see below.

Listing soft skills on your freight broker resume

In your soft skills list, include any personal characteristics that make you a good fit for a freight broker job. Soft skills tend to be more universal than hard skills, but they're no less important. Indeed, transferable skills are growing in importance in the modern world of work, so make sure you include several of these in your resume. Aim to include approximately five soft skills that reflect the skills listed in the job description.

The strongest resume soft skills sections include a mix of skills that match your best personal strengths, and that reflect the skills listed in the job description. See below for some examples of effective soft skills for a freight broker resume.

Education

Under education, add details of any degrees or professional qualifications relevant to freight broker roles.

A freight broker role tends to require candidates to have a university or college degree, so make sure you list yours in your resume. A Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree or similar is the most suitable for this job, but you could also include any other relevant qualifications that show your rate negotiation skills or transportation management systems.

For each entry in this section, add the name and level of your qualification, the institution you studied at, its location and your dates of study. You can enhance this section by adding bullet points that show any outstanding grades, awards or achievements and any specialist subjects you studied. These details can make you stand out from other candidates.

If you took part in any volunteering or you were a leader or member of any university societies, you could also mention these in your education section.

Certifications and Training

In your certifications section, list any professional certifications or licenses that are relevant to working as a freight broker. These could be official licenses required for the job or certifications that improve your employability. Therefore, list any official licenses and certifications, along with their dates, so employers can assess whether you've got the necessary qualifications to work as a freight broker.

Review the list below for some suitable certifications for a freight broker resume:

Work History

Under your work experience section, add any jobs you've had in the past that are relevant to the position of a freight broker. Include any relevant jobs you've held in reverse-chronological order. Start with your current or most recent roles and work back through previous roles. For each job, list your title, the name of the company, its location and the dates you worked there.

Add some bullet points under each job entry, explaining your achievements in the role, so the reader can see how you contributed towards success for the company. Provide evidence of your impact and make sure each point addresses a requirement listed in the job description.

A good work experience section pulls the reader in with clear examples of where you've put the skills necessary for the job into good use in your career to date. This typically includes evidence of how your skills and activities contributed to positive outcomes for the organization. Take a look at the examples below for some guidance on what works best for your work experience section.

Above, you can see a weaker example of a resume work experience section to best avoid. Ineffective work experience sections tend to focus too much on everyday responsibilities over skills and achievements. If you use vague descriptions of activities and fail to back up your achievements with evidence, you're likely to fail to make an impact on the reader.

Additional Information

If you need to provide further evidence of your suitability for the job, optional sections can be useful for a freight broker resume. Pick from the optional sections below to help show the employer you have the skills and experience for the job.

Personal Interests

Including your hobbies and interests can be a valuable way of showing your key skills and qualities. Consider listing hobbies and interests to help your resume stand out, or to provide the employer with some insight into your personality and wider interests. They're perfect for candidates who might lack genuine work experience as a freight broker. Don't include hobbies and interests in your resume unless they showcase a specific interest or aspect of your personality. You'll want them to add something to your application that you can't add elsewhere.

Volunteer Work

Listing volunteer work is another useful way to prove your relevant experience for freight broker roles. Add your volunteer job title or role, the name of the organization, its location and the dates you were involved.

References

References aren't a standard freight broker resume section, but employers do sometimes ask for them. Check the job advert and only include them if requested. Before adding any referees to your resume, ask them for their assistance and prepare them for contact by the employer.

Best action words for your freight broker resume

Using strong action verbs in your work experience bullet points can make a stronger impression on employers and show the value you added to your previous roles. Choose from the list of words below to make the best possible impression.

If you need help creating a resume that impresses HR managers, take a look at Jobseeker's professional resume templates. You can also access beautiful cover letter templates that help your application stand out.

Sample resume for freight broker positions

Now we've covered the main sections to include in your freight broker resume, let's take a look at how it all comes together in the example below:

Tips on creating an ATS-optimized resume

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) are one of the key ways recruiters and employers manage the hiring process. The systems can screen candidates by scanning and ranking resumes based on each candidate's likely suitability for the vacancy. When you're writing your freight broker resume, there are several things you can do to make sure your resume stands the best chance of passing the ATS stage.

Follow these simple rules when writing your resume, to make sure it's ATS compliant:

• Use a traditional resume format, such as reverse-chronological or functional. These will give your resume a structure that's easier for ATS systems to scan.
• Add keywords throughout your resume that help ATS software match your application to the job description. A higher match means your application is more likely to proceed to be reviewed by human eyes.
• Add each section with clear headings that match the established resume conventions, so ATS software can easily identify each part of your resume.
• Adopt a resume design that uses clear, professional design principles and leaves white space for your content to breathe. Use the most readable fonts and incorporate subtle design elements to enhance the readability of your document.
• Use concise language to keep the length of your resume to between one and two pages. This will make it easier to scan for ATS applications.

Takeaways for your freight broker resume

Writing a strong, impactful resume is about using your experience to demonstrate your relevant skills and achievements. You can do this through your work history or other resume sections. Choose a resume structure that makes the most of your relevant experience, whether through work or other activities, and be sure to tailor your resume to match the job description.

Remember, Jobseeker resume templates and other tools make it easy to create a resume and cover letter that leaves a positive impression on hiring managers. Sign up now to start building your perfect resume. A stylish, professional cover letter can make all the difference to your job prospects. See Jobseeker's cover letter examples, written by careers experts, to help you craft an eye-catching application.

Sources:

(1) Writing a Resume, California Department of Human Resources: https://www.calhr.ca.gov/employees/Pages/resume-tips.aspx

(2) Resumes, Cover Letters and Job Applications, New York State Department of Labor: https://dol.ny.gov/resumes-cover-letters-and-job-applications