Hiring in logistics is high stakes. Whether you’re recruiting a Transport Manager, Warehouse Operations Lead, or a Head of Distribution, these roles are critical to performance, customer service, and cost control. One wrong hire can trigger delays, damage morale, or stall transformation initiatives.
And yet, logistics recruitment is often rushed, reactive, or overly reliant on generic processes that don’t reflect the complexity of the function.
Here’s how to avoid the most common mistakes and ensure your next logistics hire is the right one.
1. Avoid Vague or Generic Job Briefs
Too many logistics roles are advertised with unclear expectations or recycled job descriptions that fail to capture the true scope of the role.
Mistake:
Focusing on job titles rather than outcomes, e.g., “Warehouse Manager” without defining what success looks like in your specific environment.
Fix:
Start with impact. What are the key objectives? What changes or improvements is the person expected to deliver? Tailor the brief around these deliverables, not a templated list of duties.
2. Don’t Underestimate the Value of Cultural Fit
In a fast paced logistics operation, team dynamics matter. A technically skilled candidate who clashes with site culture or fails to inspire the team can derail operations.
Mistake:
Hiring on experience alone, without assessing how the candidate leads, communicates, or fits into the wider business ethos.
Fix:
Test for soft skills and leadership style. Use scenario based interviews or cultural fit assessments. Better still, work with a recruiter who knows your environment and can pre-screen for alignment.
3. Resist the Temptation to Hire Too Quickly
When a logistics manager leaves, the pressure to fill the gap fast can be intense. But speed without rigour often leads to poor fit, churn, and a return to square one.
Mistake:
Rushing to offer without properly assessing capability, references, or long term commitment.
Fix:
Move with urgency, but not haste. Use a streamlined, structured hiring process that balances speed with scrutiny. In time critical cases, consider interim support to stabilise operations while a permanent search is conducted thoroughly.
4. Don’t Rely Solely on Job Boards or Inbound Applicants
Many of the strongest logistics professionals, particularly at senior or specialist levels, aren’t actively applying for roles.
Mistake:
Limiting your search to those who are already looking, and missing out on passive talent delivering value elsewhere.
Fix:
Engage a specialist recruitment partner with deep networks in logistics. They can reach talent not visible on the open market, individuals who respond to the right opportunity, not just any opportunity.
5. Avoid Misalignment with Internal Stakeholders
Miscommunication between HR, operations and leadership can result in mismatched expectations and inconsistent candidate messaging.
Mistake:
Proceeding with a search without clearly aligning the hiring team on what’s needed, or worse, changing the brief mid-process.
Fix:
Agree on a shared definition of success before going to market. Clarify reporting lines, decision-makers, and what you’re offering, both in terms of responsibilities and development.
6. Don’t Neglect Employer Brand and Candidate Experience
Your reputation matters. A clunky recruitment process, delayed feedback, or a lack of clarity can put off high quality candidates, especially in a competitive market.
Mistake:
Focusing only on what you want from candidates, without considering what they want from you.
Fix:
Present a clear, compelling picture of the opportunity. Communicate timelines. Provide feedback. Candidates who feel respected are more likely to engage and more likely to accept your offer.
7. Don’t Overlook the Benefits of Interim Talent
Some vacancies don’t need to be filled permanently right away. In periods of transition, peak season, or restructure, interim logistics professionals can provide stability, drive progress, and buy time for strategic decision making.
Mistake:
Leaving roles unfilled or overburdening existing teams while you “wait for the perfect hire.”
Fix:
Consider short-term support through experienced interims, especially for project-based needs or leadership gaps.
How Bis Henderson Recruitment Can Help
We specialise in logistics recruitment across warehousing, transport, final mile, 3PL and in-house operations. From shift managers to board-level leaders, we deliver professionals who stabilise performance, improve efficiency, and drive measurable results.
Our consultants bring hands-on industry understanding, so we know what operational excellence looks like, and how to find it.
We support employers with:
- Role definition and candidate profiling
- Access to passive talent and leadership networks
- Interim and permanent solutions tailored to business need
- A robust process that protects against costly hiring mistakes
In logistics, people are your most important asset and your greatest risk when the wrong hire is made.
With the right recruitment partner and a strategy rooted in clarity, capability and cultural fit, you don’t just avoid mistakes. You build the teams that keep your operations (and your reputation) moving forward.
Speak with our Logistics Recruitment Consultants today to avoid future, costly mistakes.
