Friday, June 26, 2009

Ask the Wizard: Skills Brokers Need


Each Friday, the Wizard joins us to share an answer to one of the questions asked during the week. This week we had an excellent question about skills needed in order to become a customs broker.

Question:
Other than passing the exam, are there other skills that someone needs to be a broker?

In addition to the passing the brokers exam, there are other skills and abilities that are helpful for brokers to have. Customs brokers should possess above average communication skills, a good memory, patience and high standards of integrity. They should enjoy working with a diverse group of clients as well as computers. Brokers must be able to keep up with a fast-paced environment and constantly changing computer systems and trade regulations. They need the ability to evaluate shipments and details in a short time and work well under pressure. Since brokers work with the law, they must be honest and ethical or risk losing their licenses if they provide inaccurate or incorrect information to customers. Because of the deadlines, laws and amount of information involved, being detail-oriented and organized are also important traits for being successful.

If you have any other skills to add to this list, please leave your comment for others to see.

Do you have a question for the Wizard? Submit your question by clicking on the link in the space for “Ask the Wizard.” See you next Friday!


No comments: