As the end of another year looms we reflect on all of the tips, tricks and advice that now adorns our warehouse blog pages.

Throughout 2019 we have written blog articles covering everything from the warehouse industry in general, getting a warehouse job, warehouse career development, budgeting and pay advice and even how to take care of yourself when you are working shifts so get comfortable as we proudly bring you part one of the most epic guide to working in a warehouse.

There is a bit to get through and sometimes it can be difficult to find what you are looking for, so you can either scroll to read through the sections in turn or use the contents list to jump to the section you are most interested in.

Section 1. Why choose temporary warehouse work

Section 2. Tips for landing a warehouse job

Section 3. It’s all about the money

Section 1. Why choose temporary warehouse work

In any job there are good bits and bad bits, advantages and disadvantages, pro’s and con’s and temporary warehouse work is no different. The good news is that with warehouse work, the best bits far outweigh the not so great bits.

The best bits about warehouse work.

Weekly pay

The most popular perk of temping has to be getting paid weekly, no long waits for the first pay check and weekend cashflow can really help.

Varied

Taking a sidestep throughout the various warehouse environments available could be one of the best strategic moves you could make for your career. Try to get a placement in all of the following environments:

• Distribution Centres
• Fulfilment Centres
• Automated Warehouses
• Climate Controlled Warehouses

Find out more about each of these warehouse environments here: 

Flexible

Warehouse shifts come in all shapes and sizes including rotational, fixed, continental, regular shifts and many more. You should try out as many different shift opportunities as possible by working days, evenings, weekends and nights to develop your skills and gain a broad understanding of how things are done.

If you are wondering what a rotational shift pattern or a continental shift pattern is then this is the article for you.

Skills & CV Boosting

As a Warehouse Operative you will gain all of the following experience and skills:

• On-the-job experience could include:
• Familiarity of warehouse environments and practices
• Ability to use inventory software, databases and systems 
• Experience with hand-held scanners and tablets
• Health and safety, safe lifting training
• Machinery operation experience
• Organisation
• Time management
• Self-motivation
• Planning
• Leadership
• Punctuality
• Reliability
• Team working
• Flexibility
• Communication & Listening
• Decisiveness

Career prospects

Temporary to permanent positions come along often and there is never a shortage of temporary warehouse work so with some experience your chances of staying in work when times are tough are extremely high.

Related Content

Pro’s and con’s of warehouse work.

This article explains all of the pro’s and con’s of warehouse work in more detail.   

Warehouse Skills.

Find out more about warehouse skills here

Section 2. Tips for landing a warehouse job

10 steps to making the most of a job opportunity

1. Track

Follow emerging stories on websites such as www.ukwa.org.uk and www.warehousenews.com to keep you up to date with industry changes and new developments that may be happening.

2. Stalk

Visit the career pages of the companies set to take on the warehousing space and watch out for the career opportunities being released. Applications for seasonal temporary positions should be made in July and August but the can be made later, in fact right up to December, can still be successful as staff requirements are increased and decreased throughout the season.

3. Create

In preparation for submitting an application it is a good idea to build up an overview of the experience and skills you have gained so far. Compile a list of transferrable skills that you have gained throughout your working life and dig out evidence of any licenses or certificates that you have gained. By adding this to your application you significantly increase your chances of getting the job you want. 

4. Be smart

While everyone else is thinking about their holiday plans, you should be working on your CV, tailoring it to the industry and the role you will be applying for. Use the skills from the previous section as keywords when you are updating your CV to reflect your work experience and most recent accomplishments. For some top CV tips check out our “How to write the best CV” blog post here.

5. Detail

Work on your personal statement to affirm who you strive to be, to detail what you would like to achieve, or perhaps even what you have learned from your past endeavours and how you will use it to inform your future.

6. Register

Seasonal work means registering with an agency and registering early. This will mean that while everyone else is trying to get through the door you already have everything in place to start accepting work placements the minute the season starts. You can find out how to register with Blue Arrow here.  

7. Apply

a) Take the time to think about the position you are applying for, can you see yourself doing this job every day? Is there anything that makes you unsure about your ability to do the job effectively? 

b) Check the essential skills listed in the job advert and make sure you have everything that is listed. If you need a license, do you have it?

c) Remember to check the location of the job before you apply and make sure you can reliably get to work and back every day, think about transport options and travel time allowances. 

8. Go Big

Consider applying for a higher position. Take a look at the other roles that are available in a warehouse such as Forklift Driver, Team Leader or Quality Control and find out if you have what it takes to take a step up.

9 .Check

Where possible, call to follow up after you have submitted your CV online. With so many CV’ submitted for each job and time being of the essence, calling to follow up after you have submitted your CV online draws our attention to your CV immediately giving you a boost above other candidates who might not have the initiative to call. 

10. Impress

The competition in the warehouse industry is fierce, with hundreds of applicants with varying levels of experience and skills all competing for a position with only a few jobs to go around so make sure you impress when it is your time to shine in the interview. Consider everything:

a) Clothing - Outside of the corporate powerhouse, smart casual is always the general rule.

b) Evidence - Show how organised and prepared you are by making sure you have your license and qualifications to hand.

c) Practice - Take the time to practice your answers to common questions, so you feel comfortable with the answers ahead of the interview. This article provides detailed suggestions for exactly how to answer the 10 most common warehouse interview questions.

d) Prepare - Before you go to your interview read the job description again thoroughly and familiarise yourself with the keywords they have used and the specific role duties they have listed.

e) Research - Towards the end of the interview you will usually be asked if you have any questions. This is your chance to show that you are in this for more than just a pay cheque, so do a bit of research into the company before hand and take the time to ask a couple of questions.

Related Content

Be Prepared. For more detailed information on how you can be prepared for a great opportunity, check out this article.

Getting Ahead. This article provides detailed information and actionable insights to get ahead of the peak season recruitment frenzy and become one of the first to secure a seasonal warehouse job. 

Secret Recruiter Tips. Find out what each of these 10 secret tips mean and how you can use them to get a warehouse job in this article.

Career Path. Download our free career path infographic to find out what roles may be available in a warehouse and where they could lead.  

Interview Preparation. Read the ‘how to prepare for a warehouse interview’ article to find out more about the 5 important areas that you should consider when you are preparing for a job interview in a warehouse.

Section 3. it’s all about the money 

 

When it comes to money, it is important that you….

 

Know Your Worth

You can check to make sure you are receiving the correct minimum rate of pay for your age on the government website. Read our ‘Know Your Worth’ article to find out how to check the industry averages, who the best paying employers are, and what you can do if you are not being paid enough.

 

Know Your Rights

When you are working it is important that you understand how your employment contract sets out your rights and responsibilities as an employee and also those of your employer. This article helps you to understand exactly what your rights as a temporary worker are.

 

Know how to budget

With a little bit of preparation, a calculator, a pen, a note pad and access to the internet you could be a budgeting pro in just 10 easy steps.

 

• Step 1: Create a list
• Step 2: Control fluctuations
• Step 3: Get an overview
• Step 4: Work with your providers
• Step 5: Important costs 
• Step 6: Plan for other eventualities 
• Step 7: Calculate your weekly take home pay
• Step 8: What do you have left over? 
• Step 9: Allocate the rest
• Step 10: Do your homework

Click here for the full article and more detailed advice on what to do in each step.

Part two of this epic warehouse workers guide is coming up next week so watch this space. In the meantime, this is the perfect opportunity for you to let know what we missed so far. Is there something you would like us to write about or any advice you wish we had included? Let us know here.