Importers and Exporters
Overview
Snapshot
Summary
Importers or Exporters manage the operations of importing or exporting establishments.
Tasks
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Identifies local and overseas business opportunities.
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Develops and implements business plans, as well as the policies and procedures for marketing, operating, human resource, pricing and credit.
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Determines the mix of products and services to be provided and negotiates conditions of trade.
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Liaises with local and overseas suppliers and distributors about orders and products.
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Researches regulatory and statutory requirements affecting the importing, exporting, wholesaling and distribution of goods.
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Monitors business performance and prepares the estimates, financial statements and reports of operations.
Characteristics
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University
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Vocational Education and Training (VET)
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Informal or on-the-job
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Administrative
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Enterprising
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Sedentary
Outlook
JSA produces employment projections to show where likely future job opportunities may be. Employment projections data are only produced for occupations at the broad four digit Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) level. While data are not available for this occupation, projections data are available for the parent occupation, Importers, Exporters and Wholesalers, under the outlook section.
Earnings and hours
Working arrangements
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Around 73% of people employed as Importers and Exporters work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 7 percentage points above the all jobs average (66%).
Full-time workers work an average of 46 hours per week in their main job. This is similar to the all jobs average (44 hours per week).
Sources:Full-time share and full-time hours: ABS, 2016 Census, customised report. Compared to the all jobs average.
Industries
Main industries
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Importers and Exporters work in industries like:
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Manufacturing
- Construction
- Public administration and safety.
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report.
Regions
Employment across Australia
NSW
VIC
QLD
SA
WA
TAS
NT
ACT
Employment by State and Territory (% Share)
State | Importers and Exporters | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
NSW | 36.8 | 31.6 |
VIC | 33.5 | 25.6 |
QLD | 15.7 | 20.0 |
SA | 5.4 | 7.0 |
WA | 7.0 | 10.8 |
TAS | 0.6 | 2.0 |
NT | 0.1 | 1.0 |
ACT | 0.7 | 1.9 |
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Around 80% of Importers and Exporters live in capital cities, compared with the all jobs average of 62%.
Victoria and New South Wales have a large share of employment relative to their population size.
The regions with the largest share of workers are:
- Melbourne - Inner East
- Sydney - Inner South West
- Sydney - North Sydney and Hornsby
- Melbourne - Inner South
- Melbourne - Inner.
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Share of workers across Australian states, territories and regions, in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Worker profile
Age and gender
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The median age of Importers and Exporters is 46 years. This is higher than the all jobs average of 40 years.
A large share of workers are aged 45 to 54 years.
Females make up 34% of the workforce. This is 14 percentage points below the all jobs average of 48%.
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile and gender share compared to the all jobs average.
Age Profile (% Share)
Age Bracket | Importers and Exporters | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
15-19 | 0.2 | 5.0 |
20-24 | 2.4 | 9.3 |
25-34 | 19.4 | 22.9 |
35-44 | 24.5 | 22.0 |
45-54 | 25.7 | 21.6 |
55-59 | 9.6 | 9.0 |
60-64 | 8.4 | 6.0 |
65 and Over | 9.9 | 4.2 |
Median Age | 46 | 40 |
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Employment Pathways
Education, training and experience
Extensive experience or a formal qualification in commerce is needed to work as an Importer or Exporter. Vocational Education and Training (VET) and university are both common study pathways.
Visit
- Course Seeker to search and compare higher education courses.
- ComparED to compare undergraduate and postgraduate student experiences and outcomes.
- My Skills to compare Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, providers and student outcomes.
- AAPathways website to explore Retail Services and Transport and Logistics Training Package VET training pathways.
Highest Level of Education (% Share)
Type of Qualification | Importers and Exporters | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate | 13.6 | 10.1 |
Bachelor degree | 28.1 | 21.8 |
Advanced Diploma/Diploma | 12.2 | 11.6 |
Certificate III/IV | 9.7 | 21.1 |
Year 12 | 23.7 | 18.1 |
Year 11 | 3.6 | 4.8 |
Year 10 and below | 9.1 | 12.5 |
Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.
Skills and Knowledge
Employers look for Importers, Exporters and Wholesalers who are motivated, organised and can communicate clearly with a variety of different people.
Skills
Skills can be improved through training or experience.
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55%
Reading comprehensionReading work related information.
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54%
Active listeningListening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
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52%
Critical thinkingThinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
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52%
MonitoringKeeping track of how well work is progressing so you can make changes or improvements.
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52%
WritingWriting things for co-workers or customers.
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50%
SpeakingTalking to others.
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48%
Coordination with othersBeing adaptable and coordinating work with other people.
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48%
NegotiationBringing people together and trying to sort out their differences.
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46%
Complex problem solvingNoticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
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46%
Active learningBeing able to use what you have learnt to solve problems now and again in the future.
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45%
Serving othersLooking for ways to help people.
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45%
Time managementManaging your own and other peoples' time to get work done.
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43%
Judgment and decision makingFiguring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.
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43%
Management of personnel resourcesMotivating, developing, and directing people as they work, and choosing the best people for the job.
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43%
PersuasionTalking people into changing their minds or their behaviour.
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43%
Social perceptivenessUnderstanding why people react the way they do.
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43%
MathematicsUsing maths to solve problems.
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41%
Systems analysisFiguring out how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect it.
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41%
Learning strategiesFiguring out the best way to teach or learn something new.
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39%
InstructingTeaching people how to do something.
Knowledge
These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.
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71%
Customer and personal serviceUnderstanding customer needs, providing good quality service, and measuring customer satisfaction.
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71%
ClericalWord processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office work.
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58%
Administration and managementBusiness principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.
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56%
Law and governmentHow our laws and courts work. Government rules and regulations, and the political system.
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55%
English languageEnglish language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
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55%
Sales and marketingShowing, promoting, and selling including marketing strategy, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
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53%
TransportationMoving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road.
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52%
MathematicsArithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.
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52%
GeographyDescribing land, sea, and air, including their physical characteristics, locations, how they work together, and the location of plant, animal, and human life.
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49%
Education and trainingCurriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
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47%
Economics and accountingEconomics and accounting, the financial markets, banking and checking and reporting of financial data.
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44%
Computers and electronicsCircuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
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41%
Personnel and human resourcesRecruiting and training people, managing pay and other entitlements (like sick leave), and negotiating pay and conditions.
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34%
Production and processingRaw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and ways of making and distributing goods.
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27%
Communications and mediaMedia production, communication, and dissemination. Includes written, spoken, and visual media.
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26%
Public safety and securityUse of equipment, rules and ideas to protect people, data, property, and institutions.
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23%
Foreign languageForeign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.
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20%
TelecommunicationsTransmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
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19%
PsychologyHuman behaviour; differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; research methods; assessing and treating disorders.
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14%
ChemistryChemical composition, structure, and properties. How chemicals are made, used, mixed, and can change.
Abilities
Workers use these physical and mental abilities..
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55%
Written comprehensionRead and understand written information.
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54%
Oral comprehensionListen to and understand what people say.
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52%
Oral expressionCommunicate by speaking.
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52%
CategorisingCome up with different ways of grouping things.
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50%
Speech recognitionIdentify and understand the speech of another person.
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50%
Written expressionWrite in a way that people can understand.
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48%
Near visionSee details that are up-close (within a few feet).
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46%
Deductive reasoningUse general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.
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46%
Inductive reasoningUse lots of detailed information to come up with answers or make general rules.
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46%
Problem spottingNotice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, even if you can't solve the problem.
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46%
Sorting or orderingOrder or arrange things in a pattern or sequence (e.g., numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
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46%
Speech claritySpeak clearly so others can understand you.
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45%
Flexibility of closureSee a pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) hidden in other distracting material.
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43%
MathematicsChoose the right maths method or formula to solve a problem.
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43%
MemorizationRemember things like words, numbers, pictures, and procedures.
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43%
OriginalityCome up with unusual or clever ideas, or creative ways to solve a problem.
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41%
BrainstormingCome up with a number of ideas about a topic, even if the ideas aren't very good.
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41%
Perceptual speedUse your eyes to quickly compare groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
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39%
Selective attentionPay attention to something without being distracted.
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37%
MultitaskingDo two or more things at the same time.
Activities
These are kinds of activities workers regularly do in this job.
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76%
Keeping your knowledge up-to-dateKeeping up-to-date with technology and new ideas.
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69%
Researching and investigatingLooking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.
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68%
Collecting and organising informationCompiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or checking information or data.
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66%
Building good relationshipsBuilding good working relationships and keeping them over time.
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65%
Communicating with the publicGiving information to the public, business or government by telephone, in writing, or in person.
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63%
Checking compliance with standardsDeciding whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
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63%
Communicating within a teamGiving information to co-workers by telephone, in writing, or in person.
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63%
Making decisions and solving problemsUsing information to work out the best solution and solve problems.
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63%
Providing office supportDoing day-to-day office work such as filing and processing paperwork.
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62%
Planning and prioritising workDeciding on goals and putting together a detailed plan to get the work done.
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61%
Documenting or recording informationEntering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
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61%
Negotiating and resolving conflictsHandling complaints and disagreements, and negotiating with people.
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59%
Giving expert adviceProviding guidance and expert advice to management or other groups.
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59%
Making sense of information and ideasLooking at, working with, and understanding data or information.
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58%
Guiding and directing staffGuiding and directing staff, including setting and monitoring performance standards.
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56%
Managing payments and ordersMonitoring and controlling resources and the spending of money.
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54%
Explaining things to peopleHelping people to understand and use information.
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53%
Training and teaching othersUnderstanding the needs of others, developing training programs, and teaching or instructing.
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51%
Looking for changes over timeComparing objects, actions, or events. Looking for differences between them or changes over time.
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45%
Working with computersUsing computers to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
Interests and demands
Learn about the daily activities, and physical and social demands faced by workers. Explore the values and work styles that workers rate as most important.
Interests
Interests are the style or type of work we prefer to do. All interest areas are shown below.
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90%
EnterprisingStarting up and carrying out projects. Leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes require risk taking and often deal with business.
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81%
AdministrativeFollowing set procedures and routines. Working with numbers and details more than with ideas, usually following rules.
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43%
HelpingWorking with people. Helping or providing service to others.
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29%
PracticalPractical, hands-on work. Often with plants and animals, or materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
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19%
CreativeWorking with forms, designs and patterns. Often need self-expression and can be done without following rules.
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14%
AnalyticalIdeas and thinking. Searching for facts and figuring out problems in your head.
Values
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71%
AchievementResults oriented. Workers are able to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.
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71%
IndependenceWork alone and make decisions. Workers are able to try out their own ideas, make decisions on their own, and work with little or no supervision.
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67%
RecognitionAdvancement and the potential to lead. Workers are recognised for the work that they do, they may give directions and instructions to others, and they are looked up to in their company and their community.
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67%
RelationshipsServe and work with others. Workers usually get along well with each other, do things to help other people, and are rarely pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong.
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62%
Working conditionsJob security and good working conditions. There is usually a steady flow of interesting work, and the pay and conditions are generally good.
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57%
SupportSupportive management that stands behind employees. Workers are treated fairly by their company, they are supported by management, and have supervisors who train them well.
Demands
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100%
Electronic mailUse electronic mail.
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100%
TelephoneTalk on the telephone.
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96%
Being exact or accurateBe very exact or highly accurate.
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96%
Spend time sittingSpend time sitting at work.
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96%
Time pressureWork to strict deadlines.
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92%
Face-to-face discussionsTalk with people face-to-face.
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90%
Frequent decision makingFrequently make decisions that impact other people.
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90%
Repeating same tasksRepeat the same tasks or activities (e.g., key entry) over and over, without stopping.
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87%
Letters and memosWrite letters and memos.
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86%
Contact with peopleHave contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.
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81%
Contact with the publicWork with customers or the public.
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80%
Impact of decisionsMake decisions that have a large impact on other people.
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80%
Indoors, heat controlledWork indoors with access to heating or cooling.
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78%
Freedom to make decisionsHave freedom to make decision on your own.
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77%
CompetitionCompete with others, or be aware of competitive pressures.
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75%
Unstructured workHave freedom to decide on tasks, priorities, and goals.
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74%
Automation of tasksDo tasks that are mostly automated.
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73%
TeamworkWork with people in a group or team.
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71%
Consequence of errorWork where mistakes have serious consequences.
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65%
Lead or coordinate a teamLead others to do work activities.
O*NET is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.
The skills and importance ratings on this page are derived from the US Department of Labor O*NET Database Version 21.2, 13-1199.03 - Customs Brokers.
Links and downloads
Research and reports
The Skills Priority List provides a current labour market rating and a future demand rating for nearly 800 occupations nationally. Current labour market ratings are available for occupations at a state and territory level.
Downloads
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Occupation profiles data are available for download.
The Employment Projections are available for download.