Entry-Level Logistics Jobs for Bachelor’s Graduates

Starting a career in the world of logistics and supply chain management

by | October 14th, 2022

Worker in an entry level logistics job

You earned your bachelor’s degree and with your excellent organizational skills, great attention to detail, and ability to think critically in high pressure situations, you’re well-suited to pursue a career in logistics. Logisticians oversee the entire life cycle of a company’s products, from acquisition to delivery.

Since logistics is necessary in nearly every industry, you can find logisticians working in various manufacturing, production, and distribution businesses. Logisticians oversee inventory, purchasing, warehousing, and transportation duties along the supply chain.

Before we go too far, let’s take a step back and focus on that: the supply chain. You might often hear logistics and supply chain management spoken in the same sentence, or often used interchangeably. There are several important things to note when talking just about logistics.

Logistics Versus Supply Chain Management

The Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals says logistics is, “part of the supply chain process that plans, implements and controls the efficient, effective forward and reverse flow and storage of goods, services and related information between the point of origin and the point of consumption in order to meet customer’s requirements.”

Let’s break that down further. Logistics can be considered as part of the supply chain process. According to Oracle NetSuite, supply chain management includes the processes that create the finished goods and deliver them to customers while logistics includes storing and moving the goods along the supply chain.

Both logistics and supply chain management are important to the supply chain process because they involve maintenance of the flow of goods along the supply chain. The difference is that logistics plays a role in supply chain management. Logisticians need to make sure goods and services reach the customer in a satisfactorily manor.

Some components of the role of logistics in supply chain management are:

  • Ensuring the products arrive at the correct time
  • Tracking the status of items
  • Helping to reduce costs of delivering goods
  • Storing and holding the supplies at the right location
  • Ensuring proper packaging so items arrive undamaged
  • Improving efficiency along the transportation process
  • Helping to retain customers and increase loyalty
  • Providing the most cost-effective way to deliver goods from one place to another

    • As you can see, supply chain management cannot operate correctly without a logistician carefully overseeing the details.

    Pursuing a Career in Logistics

    Most employers prefer to hire candidates with at least a bachelor’s degree in a business field, preferably emphasizing logistics or supply chain management. A bachelor’s degree helps you learn about core business areas and will also open the door for you to gain hands-on experience. Excelsior’s Bachelor of Professional Studies in Business and Management is a great way for students to gain the knowledge and experience necessary to enter the world of logistics.

    Besides the appropriate education, there are certain skills you should possess if you want to become a logistician. Since anything can happen in the supply chain industry, you need to be quick on your feet and a quick thinker. Here are other important traits to have:

  • Know how to manage various projects at the same time
  • Understand information technology and the latest computer software
  • Keep up with the changing market dynamics
  • Have good interpersonal communication skills
  • Possess good problem-solving skills and ability to think under pressure
  • Know how to manage stress

    • What Logistics Jobs Can I Get with a Bachelor’s Degree?

    Recent graduates with a bachelor’s degree can find work in a variety of industries. Here are a few entry-level positions that might pique your interest:

  • Supply Chain Analyst. Supply chain analysts work in manufacturing, food, government, and technology fields, studying data to ensure that a company’s supply chain systems are running efficiently. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual salary is $77,000.
  • Logistics Engineer. Logistics engineers help plan projects, set timelines, and help resolve any problems with regards to contracts. According to BLS, the median annual salary is $74,623.
  • Freight Forwarder. A freight forwarder is a company or person who organizes the shipments of goods and services for a company. They work closely with shippers and manufacturers, insurance companies, and warehouse facilities, and must have working knowledge of technology. According to BLS reports, the median annual salary is $44,420.
  • Industrial Production Manager. An industrial production manager helps coordinate, plan, supervise, and direct the activities used in creating a range of goods. The median annual salary is $103,150, as reported by BLS.
  • Junior Buyer. Junior buyers are responsible for finding and purchasing products from vendors and manufacturers on behalf of the company they work for. According to BLS, the median annual salary is $72,540.

    • The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that logistics careers will expand by 30 percent between 2020 and 2030, adding about 24,500 new jobs every year through this decade.

    If you think you have the skills to pursue a career in logistics, consider pursuing a business degree with Excelsior today!