Jake's Jobs - 20 February 2025

Regular updates on the Supply Chain sector and hiring - from a headhunter in the industry.

UPDATE

Our active roles can be found at: https://www.brownandpierce.com/job-board

Since launching Brown and Pierce Consulting last September, we've already made a big impact on the Supply Chain Sector. We've helped a dozen companies across 8 states hire at levels from hourly to C-suite positions. Several of our placements have been military veterans as well and we're excited to have even more clients coming on board to drive our growth in 2025.

I'm personally grateful to the job seekers I contact every day who allow us to make this happen. Our most recent placement this week was a transitioning Army Veteran who had a standing offer for a less-than-ideal role. We got him interviewed and hired by one of our clients for better compensation, with better benefits, and in a better work environment. Delivering outcomes like that is why we're in business. And it would never happen unless candidates like that accepted my outreach message and gave us a chance.

As we scale Brown and Pierce Consulting, the content of this newsletter is going to change slightly. I will no longer be posting our active roles here - there are just too many - which is an excellent problem to have :)

Our active roles have been moved to the "Job Board" tab of our website: https://www.brownandpierce.com/job-board.

Please check that out and send your resume over if you're interested in applying for any open roles we have.

In this newsletter I will continue to provide updates on our growth as a company and reflections and advice for anyone in the job hunt today. Thank you all so much for your support of our business, and we are beyond excited to continue making an impact on this community.

-- Jake

Hot supply chain careers right now

These are the roles that I see as most in-demand right now: Diesel Mechanics and Salespeople.

Diesel Mechanics:

I asked Grok 3 to estimate the number of Class 8 Diesel Trucks in circulation right now in the U.S. It came back with an answer of roughly 2.8 Million+. Regardless of what the exact number is, its a lot. Any company with a fleet is going to need maintainers for it, and the number of Diesel Mechanic jobs I see reflects that fact. Companies often have multiple diesel mechanic roles open, as having trucks down means they are not maximizing their operational capacity, meaning lost revenue.

How To Get In:

Getting basic diesel maintenance certifications is relatively easy for anyone mechanically inclined, and the job pays around the $30/hr mark (roughly) after several years of experience. Specialized technicians, such as reefer techs, can make upwards of $50/hr in mobile roles but you're going to be working very long days and often be on-call. We've seen successful transitions from the military directly into diesel maintenance roles, so its a great target for veterans coming from wheeled vehicle maintenance MOSs, or any role involving mechanical, electrical, and hydraulic maintenance.

Sales roles

Account Executives, Business Development managers, and other sales-roles are hot right now. This critical function drives revenue for the entire organization, and the good news is that you don't need a heck of a lot of experience or certification. These roles can start around the $50k mark up to $80-90k with just a few years experience, and with commissions, your earning potential could be huge. We work with industry veterans who exceed $200k total comp pretty regularly (7+ years established in their field).

How To Get In:

Sales roles can have high turnover. It is a tough job because your pay is often directly tied to how much revenue you bring in. Selling is an art - there are volumes written on it and many people overestimate their natural sales ability. The freight market itself is highly competitive, and you will need to smartly navigate non-competes and pay structures (often involving low-base plus commission) to ensure that you succeed in this career. Research potential employers deeply prior to accepting an offer.

The good news? Lots of companies will take a chance on a sales professional with no industry experience - because sometimes it works out even better than hiring industry veterans. To get started I'd suggest reading "Way of the Wolf" by Jordan Belfort (despite his checkered past, its still the most accurate book on sales I've ever read IMO) and following Giulio Segantini for some killer cold-call tips.

Then, get used to being on the phone and talking to people. This is another great career field for military veterans, athletes, or leaders from all backgrounds because with just a few years of experience you can make high earnings and the barrier to entry is relatively low.

Takeaway

The Supply Chain sector is massive, and the right job for you is out there, no matter what your background is. Keep your head up, keep applying and networking, and follow me for more insights on job seeking and the industry.

Jake is a Supply Chain Recruiter and Certified Professional Résumé Writer, based out of Jacksonville FL. Be sure to follow on LinkedIn at: https://www.dhirubhai.net/in/jakewayne-jcfm/