Ribton-Turner Management Services
Career Guidelines
2009 for us at Ribton-Turner
Recruitment, specialising in Freight
and Logistics recruitment, was a year of darkness with our
clients (both freight
agents and shipping lines)
restructuring, retrenching and realigning their organisations. The
‘jobless’ were losing houses and motor vehicles, and running up records
of debt with the credit bureau. Even senior level, respected
individuals in our industry were experiencing difficult times. It has
been a tough time financially and emotionally speaking for many.
Now in
February 2010, (as they
say, the darkest hour is before the dawn),
we without doubt in the job market are experiencing the ‘break of day’!
January saw our computers being flooded with curriculum vitae from the
retrenched, unemployed and new graduates and surprisingly from employed
candidates who were unhappy with the retrenchment processes initiated
in their companies – many felt their organisations had behaved in a ‘heartless’ or
disrespectful manner in the processes in which colleagues were
retrenched. During January, whilst many clients were still on vacation,
we were unsure if the job orders would start to open up or whether
caution would rule the market.
Bottom
line now is an increasing demand by employers for skills; competent sales staff are still a
priority, however, clients seek a clear record of success and proof of
commission earned and at least a covering
of cost. Sales contracts
with Freight Forwarders often ‘spell out’ the period of grace within
which Sales Executives should be on track against target. There is a
dire shortage in the market of competent, reliable, successful sales
individuals at all levels.
As the freight volumes increase our clients are reassessing their need for "engine room" staff, experienced sound controllers for ocean/air imports and exports. The need for import staff appears greater at this stage than the request for export skills. The optimistic, positive clients are also driving forward and requesting talent in various operational, sales, financial and human resources management positions. There is a definite sense of revival returning in the market! Some companies are hesitating and looking for contract/temporary staff perhaps restrained by IR/legal processes or alternatively preferring to put ‘toe’ in the water rather than leap in.
Speaking to a wide variety of International
Freight Forwarders increases in
volumes (imports mostly, sadly
not revenue yet) are happening and they are gearing up for growth. It does not appear that this increased activity
is linked only into the
2010 requirements for the Soccer
World Cup – we believe that there is longer vision at play with
Women in Freight – by Dr Lynn Ribton-Turner (August 2008)
When we look at the progress of women in freight (as in most business arenas) it has been quite remarkable over the past twenty or more years.
In the early 80’s the leading edge women were fighting “old attitudes” from some of the traditional male sea faring navy blue blazer types who believed women should be secretaries or at home and not climbing in and out of the holds of vessels or even having a drink with ship’s captains or being seen down at the docks…
In the early 80’s freight was
centered at
the ports and it was there that women started their journey into
leadership
positions. When the event of
containerization took grip and the new business hub moved to
In the 90’s exceptional women
became
accepted in the boardrooms of the listed freight companies and began to
quietly
compete with their male counterparts for management positions. Many employers decided that women were
employees of choice for their ability to multi-skill, pay attention to
detail
and accept long tenure in mediocre positions.
Women in air freight were taking up senior positions and
increasing the
visibility of the fairer sex in the
The 2000’s has seen dramatic shifts with assertive, confident women taking up top positions with global forwarders and holding their own in leadership roles with multinational freight forwarders or multi-trade shipping lines. Women have not had it “that easy” there is no “old boys network” for support, no golf fraternity or jobs for pals to join the “in” group in a corporate environment. They have needed to be pioneers and make their way in, at times, a hostile environment, and let’s face it the freight industry is not easy – it is highly competitive, international and fraught with complexities which means that if processes go “wrong” there can be hugely costly outcomes.
So, hats of to all the women in freight who have been tough enough to have survived the race and intelligent and compassionate enough to evolve into highly respected leaders that deliver success!