39 Shipping Company Interview Questions With Answers

Updated 6 February 2023

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Individuals who work in shipping help companies ship products to customers. In the shipping field, your work involves ensuring the timely fulfilment of orders, resolving shipping issues and maintaining accurate shipping records. If you are planning a career in a shipping company, consider reviewing examples of questions a hiring manager may ask and practicing forming responses that create a positive impression. In this article, we outline 39 shipping company interview questions with answers, including general questions, those about experience and background and in-depth ones.

General Shipping Company Interview Questions

Here are some shipping company interview questions to consider when preparing for your upcoming interview:

How would your previous employer describe you?
Can you tell me a little about yourself?
What motivated you to apply for this position?
What are your greatest areas for improvement, and how do you resolve them?
What do you expect from this job?
What are your career goals over the next five years?
What skills do you think your previous company helped you develop?
What would a typical day in this position entail?
How do you handle workplace stress?
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

Experience And Background Questions

Hiring managers ask questions about your experience and background to know how your previous experiences relate to the shipping company you are applying to. These questions provide insight into your abilities, skills and ways you respond to workplace situations. Here are some questions about experience and background a hiring manager might ask you:

What is your most important workplace accomplishment?
What experience do you have with managing and monitoring shipping consignments?
Give an example of a time when you worked with someone with a very different personality from yours.
Have you ever encountered a situation where you wanted critical information from a colleague who was not responsive? How do you handle such situations?
Have you ever worked in a warehouse environment before?
What experience do you have working in a physically demanding work environment?
What awards have you received for your work?
How do you prioritise your work when you have various jobs to complete?
Based on your experience, what are your expectations from this job?
Do you have any training or certifications relevant to this position?
What attracted you to this career, and why did you start one in the shipping industry?
How often do you update a shipment's status report?

In-Depth Questions

As an interview progresses, a hiring manager may ask in-depth questions to evaluate your experience and understand whether your knowledge aligns with the job's responsibilities. Here is a list of potential in-depth questions an interviewer might ask during your interview:

How well do you work with other team members?
How do you solve complex workplace situations and problems?
How do you focus on your psychological well-being when working in a physically demanding work environment?
What would you do if you noticed your team members acting against the orders of the senior management?
You notice a discrepancy in the weight of the shipment compared to the shipping label on it. How do you handle this situation?
How to handle unexpected delays in shipping?
What methods do you use to remain calm at your workplace?
How do you prepare a shipment for pickup?
Do you prefer working with customers or working with shipments? Give reasons for your answers.
What would you do if you cannot track a consignment of your customer?
What are the most important things to consider when packing and handling delicate products?
How do you appease a customer with a late shipment because of bad weather?

Sample Shipping Company Interview Questions With Answers

Consider these sample shipping company interview questions with answers as a guide to help you prepare for your upcoming interview:

1. In your previous jobs, which shipping tool did you use for managing shipment and inventory?

Many shipping tools are similar across the industry but may vary depending on the shipping company. Typically, hiring managers prefer shipping employees who have experience working with warehouse management (WMS), enterprise resource planning (ERP) and customer relationship management (CRM) systems. When answering this question, provide details about the tools you used in your last company.

Example: "I have experience using WMS, CRM, ERP and barcode scanner systems. Of these four systems, I enjoy managing shipments and inventory using the ERP because it is easy to use. The ERP system helps execute business activities, including risk management, project management and other operations. It offers planning, budgeting, analysis, inventory control and financial reporting features. ERP tracks every operation, such as maintaining customer records and following up with them for payment. I enjoy using an ERP system because it simplifies the process of managing shipments and inventory."

2. When can you offer free shipping to customers?

Shipping cost is often one of the deciding factors when making an online purchase. Hiring managers ask this question to test whether you can offer free shipping while remaining profitable. When answering this question, give instances where you feel it is appropriate to offer free shipping. By giving examples, you can create a positive impression in front of hiring managers.

Example: "I only offer free shipping on orders where I am confident of making a profit. For instance, in my previous role, I set a threshold order limit of ₹999 and offered free shipping on all purchases above that. For any order value below ₹499, I charged customers ₹70 as shipping cost and for orders between ₹500–₹998, the delivery charges were ₹30. I proposed these shipping charges for consignments within the same city. This free shipping strategy helped the company increase orders by 75% and, interestingly, most orders were above ₹999."

3. Why is it essential for shipping employees to have excellent problem-solving and critical-thinking skills?

Hiring managers ask this question to understand whether you have the skill set to manage inventories, products and materials. Also, hiring managers prefer candidates who can resolve workplace problems before they affect the business. When answering this question, show how your problem-solving and critical-thinking skills have helped you succeed.

Example: "Shipping employees use problem-solving and critical thinking skills because it helps maintain database records, check bills of received goods, keep the shipping schedule and track shipments. Shipping might not go as you predicted, and you might face unexpected delays, lost shipments or errors. During such instances, I contact the people involved and work hard to resolve the issue. Here, I use excellent critical thinking and problem-solving skills."

4. Describe your international shipment experience.

Hiring managers might ask this question to know whether you have experience in international shipment. When answering this question, share examples of how you worked with international clients in previous positions.

Example: "In my previous job, I worked with many international shipments. I also handled incoming and outgoing shipments, including international and domestic shipments. When working with foreign clients and I anticipate any delays in the transit, I communicate it to them promptly. To make things easier for everyone in the shipping company, I maintain a record to ensure clearance from the customs department."

5. You received a damaged product from a seller. What steps would you take to resolve such situations?

Typically, shipments arrive in the right quantity and in good condition. Sometimes, things may damage products before shipping and during transit or loading. Hiring managers ask this question to determine how you handle such situations, as they want to understand your thought process.

Example: "In my previous job, when I received a damaged product from the seller, I took photographs and video graphed the entire process. I also verified that it was part of the original order and immediately emailed the shipping manager with the pictures. To ensure the manager read the email, I verbally communicated the issue to them."