How to hire cargo and freight agents
A job description you can copy, interview questions tied to the real work, and what to pay. Free.
Job description template
Copy it, fill in the brackets, and remove anything that does not fit your job. Keep only must-haves you would really turn someone away for.
[Job title] at [Company name] [City, State] · [Full-time / Part-time] · [Pay range] About the role [Two or three sentences about your team, the work and why it matters.] What you will do • Advise clients on transportation and payment methods. • Determine method of shipment and prepare bills of lading, invoices, and other shipping documents. • Estimate freight or postal rates and record shipment costs and weights. • Keep records of all goods shipped, received, and stored. • Negotiate and arrange transport of goods with shipping or freight companies. • Notify consignees, passengers, or customers of freight or baggage arrival and arrange for delivery. • Retrieve stored items and trace lost shipments as necessary. • Track delivery progress of shipments. What you bring • [Required license, certification or years of experience, if any] • [Education, only if you truly need it. Typical to start in this job: High school diploma or equivalent] • Strong reading comprehension, speaking, active listening, monitoring, critical thinking and writing skills • Working knowledge of transportation, administrative, customer and personal service and geography • [Anything else you would really turn someone away for] Pay and benefits [Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $25.13 an hour ($52,260 a year). [Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.] How to apply [Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]
Interview questions for cargo and freight agents
Ask every candidate the same questions, in the same order, and write down what they say. Questions about past work show what someone has actually done.
- Tell me about a time you had to advise clients on transportation and payment methods. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to determine method of shipment and prepare bills of lading, invoices, and other shipping documents. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to estimate freight or postal rates and record shipment costs and weights. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to keep records of all goods shipped, received, and stored. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about written instructions, a policy or a manual you had to follow closely. How did you make sure you followed it correctly?
- Explain something technical from your last job as you would to a new coworker.
- Tell me about a time you had to understand a request or problem that was explained poorly. How did you make sure you got it right?
- Why this job, and why now? What would make you stay here for the long term?
Good answers name a real situation, what the person did themselves and what happened. Avoid questions about age, family plans, religion, health, national origin or anything else unrelated to the job.
What cargo and freight agents do
- Advise clients on transportation and payment methods.
- Determine method of shipment and prepare bills of lading, invoices, and other shipping documents.
- Estimate freight or postal rates and record shipment costs and weights.
- Keep records of all goods shipped, received, and stored.
- Negotiate and arrange transport of goods with shipping or freight companies.
- Notify consignees, passengers, or customers of freight or baggage arrival and arrange for delivery.
- Retrieve stored items and trace lost shipments as necessary.
- Track delivery progress of shipments.
Skills that matter most
Education, experience and outlook for cargo and freight agents
- Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent (BLS)
- Related work experience most have: None (O*NET)
- Training on the job: Short-term on-the-job training (BLS)
- Job outlook: +6.2% over ten years, faster than average · about 9,000 openings a year (BLS)
What to pay cargo and freight agents
Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:
| State | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| Washington | $60,760 |
| New Jersey | $60,210 |
| New York | $60,040 |
| Illinois | $59,750 |
| Massachusetts | $58,680 |
| Kentucky | $46,230 |
| Kansas | $42,500 |
| Hawaii | $42,400 |
See cargo and freight agents pay in every state
Related hiring guides
- Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks
- Compliance Officers
- Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors
- Postal Service Clerks
- Postal Service Mail Carriers
- Light Truck Drivers
- Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators
- Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance
- Order Clerks
- Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers
Post this job on JAI Bot. Free to start: JAI Bot reads every applicant against your must-haves, shows the resume evidence behind each one, and helps you reply to everyone. People make every decision.
Post a job freePay by areaJob duties and skills: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025. Interview questions and the job description template: JAI Bot, based on the duties and skills above.