How To Become A Stock Controller
Your activities to top up stock in superstores, warehouses and depots are absolutely vital. Without you, people can’t buy things.
What Is A Stock Controller?
How disappointed would you be if you were invited to the VIP launch of a new store by your favourite brand… and when you turned up there was nothing on the shelves?
As a stock controller it’s your job to make sure stock is always topped up. You’d also be responsible for ordering more stock when supplies are low. What you do is considered VITAL to any large retailer, distribution centre or warehouse. Without you, people have nothing to buy.
DID YOU KNOW: Even though so many people shop online these days, the goods don’t magically appear. Stock controllers still need to help keep warehouses stocked for goods bought online to be delivered, so the rise of online shopping isn’t a problem for you.
What Does A Stock Controller Do?
A stock controller is generally in charge of processing orders, checking that stock levels are consistent and ordering new stock if needed. They also update computer systems with fresh stock info.
As a stock controller assistant, you could help the stock controller to receive deliveries and make sure they match up with what’s been ordered as well as carrying out spot checks and audits.
There is a strong customer facing aspect to this role. You might be handling questions from customers online, on the phone and in person. Depending on where you work, you could be serving these customers over the counter and handling any queries they may have, which will develop your communication skills.
How Much Money Can You Earn As a Stock Controller?
These LMI Job Trends give you a sneak peek of how much you could earn starting out for this career, and how much your salary could grow with experience.
Average Salary For Stock Controller Jobs
Recent labour market information says you can earn on average between £15,000 and over £23,000 a year as a stock controller in the UK.
The starting salary can be around £15,000, increasing to £19,000.
When you develop experience, your wage can increase to £23,000 and beyond, depending on which company you are with.
Skills You Need To Become A Stock Controller
Useful Skills To Put On Your CV:
- Being helpful and having a positive attitude (which is all part of self-belief skills)
- Having good time-management skills and a flexible approach to work hours
- Having good teamwork skills so that you can work well with others
- Physical fitness, as some roles may require some heavy lifting
- Feeling confident around equipment such as forklift trucks etc (you will always get health and safety training)
- Health and safety assured
- Showing the ability to use your initiative at times, andInitiative skills and showing you don’t always need to wait and be told what to do, you can get on with tasks
- Being trustworthy and always professional
- Basic digital skills as you may need to be trained in using a stock database system
How Do You Get These Skills?
Vocational qualifications and work experience will help you build these skills over time.
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What Qualifications & Training Do You Need For Stock Controller Careers?
School, College And Training
Entering at an assistant level doesn’t require any formal qualifications. However, employers could be on the lookout for strong numeracy and communication skills so having some GCSEs (especially in English and maths, which could help with getting to grips with stock lists) will help you get the job.
Diplomas in retail business will certainly help you progress at a quicker rate, especially if you’re looking for a management or head office role one day (although plenty of people in retail have worked their way up from the shop or warehouse floor).
Supply Chain Apprenticeships
Apprenticeship schemes are another way into a supply chain and logistics career. They are unlikely to include positions of management straight away, but that’s a good thing. An apprenticeship is a way to get trained and soak up on-the-job experience while getting paid for it, and never being given more responsibility than you can handle. You can build up to getting more responsibility (like a leadership role) when you feel ready for it.
Your employer of choice may be advertising apprenticeships on their career websites, or it’s always worth checking the Find An Apprenticeship website.
What Work Experience Do You Need For Stock Controller Jobs?
Work Experience Tips
As this role doesn’t require any formal qualifications you won’t need any specific work experience before you get a job as a stock controller assistant. However, you need to have some great personal attributes, which include being efficient, working well in a team and having strong communications skills. If you would like to try out a few days of work experience you could always find a local warehouse or distribution centre and ask to be shown around so you can speak to the people who work there about their day to day duties.
Getting Experience
Examples of relevant work experience include:
- Work shadowing (even if it’s just for a day)
- Work placements in a company
- Work placements on a degree course
How To Find Stock Controller Jobs: Next Steps
- warehousing apprenticeships
- stock controller assistant jobs
- stock controller jobs
- supply chain and logistics apprenticeships
- warehouse operative jobs
- shelf filler jobs
- Packaging and goods
- Order picking
- Sorting
- Warehousing
- Admin
Apprenticeships and graduate schemes are another great way of getting started in logistics careers.
These Youth Friendly Employers Offer Great Opportunities
These Youth-Friendly Employers might be able to help you get great fantastic logistics jobs, training or experience! Take a look.
Logistics Career Tips & Opportunities
Transport and Logistics Career Guides
View job descriptions with average UK salary, useful qualifications and a variety of routes into this career.
Resources And Links
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