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Hi. I am a shipping company director, transport academic, author, family man and all round nice guy. I have worked as shipbroker, shipowner, freight trader and bulk charterer, in senior positions, with some of the largest and most disrespected (joke) companies in the world. Ask my advice on all things shipping and you will receive my blunt and always honest answer. Hang around to learn more about chartering and ship broker salaries, chartering and ship broker jobs, chartering and shipbroker recruitment agencies, cheap freight, maritime education, chartering and ship broker qualifications, become a ship broker, tips on how to be a successful bulk shipping executive, philosophy, Zen and the art of shipbroking, and much more. Yours The Virtual Shipbroker Andy Jamison is the alter ego (pen name) of ex shipping guy and blog creator Nick van der Hoeven Copyright © 2020 by Virtualshipbroker Contact virtualshipbroker@yahoo.com

Monday, June 28, 2010

Commercial vs Operational roles

Good question

qte

dear vs,


i am a graduate of maritme studies in greece.I am a really hard worker and very passionate about shipping but i believe that i lack of communication skills and i am not so much an extroverted personality.do you think tha i could succeed as a shipbroker?? would you recommend a ship operation career rather than a shipbroker? And finally,is a ship operator paid as well as a shipbroker?I am looking forward to hearing from you.

thank you in advance

unqte
 
Many thanks for the question. I am glad you have a level of self awareness regarding your strengths and weaknesses - that can save you years and lots of heartache!
 
Your thinking is very sound. It doesnt necessarily mean that quiet people dont make good commercial employees though. It takes all kinds.
 
My suggestion is this. Your entry level job should be in vessel operations and post fixture. Spend a few years doing it and if your confidence and communication skills improve then maybe you should then consider moving accross to a commercial role. If you love your operational role then nothing lost! Keep going.
 
Senior operational roles can pay handsomely. Firms NEED good operations people. The role is much more secure and less stressul (differetn stress) then commercial roles.
 
In general though - you will find the overall pay scales are 20-30 percent less. (still very good!)
 
Thanks for the message
 
VS

2 comments:

  1. I have been away from shipbroking for some 7 years now (planning to jump back and working to get re-connected), but it always strikes me how little is invested in good operations people. VS, I would like to hear your opinion on whether broker houses couldn't benefit from taking on some senior people with a strong operational background like former deck officers who want to get their feet dry? If I were to set up my own shop I would definitely look for someone like that. Cheers, Kasper
    Thanks for a very interesting blog - I really enjoy the reading!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hello Kasper

    Yes i do think firms could do well to employ older operational staff. More experience and probably there is an increased loyalty factor too.

    Thanks for stopping in.

    ReplyDelete