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Informative and very captivating blog....
40 years of age and finally, I have managed to get into shipbroking. 25 interviews in 2 and a half months, I have now joined one of the largest brokerages out there (3 months in).
I was originally looking at getting into snp and have ended up on the dry cargo, supramax desk...(foot in the door).
With over 20 years in sales working up to middle management level (no direct shipbroking experience) I am now faced with having to start all over again. Not an issue for someone like myself who thrives on variety, new challenges at work and building good solid relationships with people (which I am sure this industry will satisfy).
I have managed to get my updating limited to mornings and am thereafter able to get on the phones to speak to charterers and shipowners.
Everything so far is going well. A bit more structure to my training would make the whole learning experience that much better...
My questions keep coming and the answers although limited, can be plentiful and very sporadic. Either too much info or not enough and coming from all angles... (Confused? So am I...)
What suggestions would you have so that I can get up and running in the quickest of times and use the information I am receiving in a practical manner?
Is there anything I should be doing alongside my work that would help the process along.
Many thanks for your comments
RJ
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Wow - great news RJ. Just goes to show that with the right attitude, broad skill set and a little bit of good fortune anything is possible. And well done on being flexible enough to handle starting from scratch again.
Yes the 'learning isn't very structured' is common complaint in shipping and hence the reason i started the VS dry cargo chartering and shipbroking certificate'. Otherwise just stay positive, keep asking questions and the fixing will come!
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and another
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Thursday, June 14, 2012 3:36 PM
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Time Charter VS Voyage Charter":
I work for a company that is going to begin shipping a product from North America to Rotterdam. It will be dry bulk and hydrophobic. We are very new to the ocean freight game, I am curious as to whether we should become a member of the Baltic Exchange in order to educate ourselves and hopefully save some money.
Posted by Anonymous to The Virtual Shipbroker at June 13, 2012 7:06 AM
I work for a company that is going to begin shipping a product from North America to Rotterdam. It will be dry bulk and hydrophobic. We are very new to the ocean freight game, I am curious as to whether we should become a member of the Baltic Exchange in order to educate ourselves and hopefully save some money.
Posted by Anonymous to The Virtual Shipbroker at June 13, 2012 7:06 AM
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Hi There
I respectfully suggest you need to do alot more than that. Considering that freight will constitute a large percentage of the landed cost of your product...and the inherent risk associated with shipping you need to dedicate adequate resources for this function.
Yes you will need people with shipping expertise. If that is going to be you then yes yu need to be educated quickly and this is not always possible. Booking bulk freight is not like booking a container on a liner ship...
The difference - usually 1 million bucks give or take a few dollars.
So yes, get educated, hire shipping people, alternatively hire a consultant, and use a good broker. Joining the baltic exchange is a good thing but its mostly just a professional body. You need much much more.
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Great posts - thanks for the contributions!
VS
to rj
ReplyDeletewell done for getting in the top 3. My learning was also mostly learning to swim after being thrown into the deepend. Used to come home with a splitting headache for my first 2 months. Then things started to become clearer. Due to the unstructured growth of me, i'm become an allrounder(so i think); breakbulk, roro, projects, bulk, offshore... A little crazy I know, but life goes on in Dubai....
TO RJ
ReplyDeleteWell dont RJ and big big respect for being able to from scratch. I personally think you can only keep on listening and asking questions, read VS books and maybe if you have time enroll in the chartering course. At the beginning i had same thing - i kind of knew something and knew nothing. Give it 4 - 6 month at MAX and you will be surprised that you start remember and understand the meaning of this or that, things will become logical and clear... etc
all the best !!! ya fellow broker
MB
to RJ
ReplyDeleteAs a student just abt completing the VS drycargo chartering course , i recommend to all who need a structured way of learning all essentials .
we all share the same dream which you are fortunate to fulfill . hope we too can provide same gud news in near future
arun
Hello! I am about to graduate with a BS in Civil Engineering and a minor in Math. My plan was to apply for Grad school in Cali. However, I just stumbled upon the extravagant world of Chartering/Broker-ing tonight - I am obsessed. My question is how do I know if this job is for me? I am so attracted to it (at least what I have read so far of it). I love unexpectedness. I love meeting people. I love traveling. And I love the ocean. How do I even get started? Are there schools in the US that provide any sort of training?
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Thanks to all for comments
ReplyDeleteto the last dude....welcome and lol.
Keep reading the blog, surf the net and if you feel inclined my book 'inside shipbroking' answers 95 pct of your questions. Thanks for stopping by!
vs