Logistician Career Information

What do Logisticians do?

Are you a critical thinker with excellent communication skills? Then being a logistician might be the career for you. Logisticians essentially move a product from the supplier to the consumer. They manage the life cycle of a product, which could include product acquisition, distribution, allocation, and how the delivery method of the final product.

Logisticians oversee activities including:

• Purchasing
• Shipping and transportation
• Inventory
• Warehousing
• Delivery

Logisticians play an integral role in developing relationships with suppliers and customers.  Designing strategies to reduce costs, proposing improvements to administration or customers, and directing the material allocation include some of the tasks that a logistician could expect to do. Logisticians may need to operate software programs that help with logistical functions. The entry level salary for a logistician is approximately $46,120[i], and between now and 2020, job projections show an increase in 22 percent[ii] for logistician careers.

How Might Logisticians Prepare for Their Roles?

Some logisticians can gain employment with an associate’s degree in business or engineering, or even just by taking courses on logistics. However, companies prefer to hire logisticians with at least a bachelor’s degree. Common types of bachelor’s or master’s degrees include areas of study like business, finance, industrial engineering, or supply chain management. These types of degree could help prepare you for a career as a logistician.

What Qualities Should a Logistician Have?

• Ability to Effectively Communicate: Logisticians develop business relationships and need to know how to listen to the needs of the customer and meet those needs. Also, effectively communicating with fellow colleagues is important, too.
• Ability to Think Critically: Finding ways to cut costs and increase efficiency are essential job functions as a logistician.
• Ability to Stay Organized: With so many tasks going on at a given time, logisticians must keep detailed records and manage multiple projects at once, all in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to Solve Problems: Challenges could be brought up on a daily basis, and logisticians must overcome these obstacles with solutions.

Which Online Programs Might Support This Career Goal?

Earning an associate’s, bachelor’s, or master’s degree online could point you in the right direction for you to become a logistician. You may want to look into online finance degrees to support a career as a logistician.