Careers In Logistics: Q&A with First Call’s Tiffany Soots

In our latest First Call Q&A, we spent some time with First Call’s Principal Business Architect Tiffany Soots. Read on for her take on pursuing a career in a typically male-dominated field, how she succeeds in her role and advice for those looking to make their name in logistics.

So Tiffany, how did you get your start in logistics?

I used to work at a staffing agency when I was back at school for my associate degree. During that time, I was offered an assignment to work at a 3PL through the summer. It’s actually kind of funny — I wasn’t initially picked for this assignment, but the previous person dropped out. I was extremely nervous because at the time I had no idea what a 3PL was.

Thankfully, the team I worked with ended up being an amazing group of women who guided me through those first weeks.

Tell us a bit about your role with First Call — what do you like about it? What are the biggest stressors?

I am a certified Salesforce Admin, 4x Ranger on Trailhead and Salesforce Pathfinder graduate. As the Principal Business Architect here at First Call, my main role is to support the team, building solutions and automations into our platform.

My favorite thing about my role is finding efficiencies to make my coworkers’ jobs easier. Analyzing data and coming up with working solutions is really rewarding. Biggest stressors are maintaining the quality of data and making sure we have a strong data governance plan in place.

When you aren’t at work, where are we likely to find you?

On the disc golf course! I started playing as a way to get out of the house during 2020, fell in love with it and haven’t stopped. My first tournament was a Women’s Global Event (WGE).

This week celebrates International Women’s Day [March 8th] — what opportunities are there for women in logistics? Has this changed since you first entered the industry?

It’s interesting actually. When I started in logistics 10+ years ago, most of the women I worked with were either sales, operations or customer reps. I mean, my whole team was made up of women. But then you looked across the aisle at the carrier rep side and we had maybe a handful of women working as carrier reps.

I asked one of my good friends — who has been in the industry for 15+ years as a carrier rep — about this. She said she had to prove to her team that she was a valuable asset, and that she could in fact ‘sling freight’ as well as anyone else.

She would agree that it has changed. I think more and more women are realizing that it is possible to succeed in the industry.

What do you think are the most important attributes for achieving success in a logistics career?

Things don’t always go right, anyone in the industry can tell you that. An accident on the road that causes your carrier to be late, a shortage in the warehouse that causes a shipment not to be ready. It’s how you react to these situations that will help you succeed.

You need to be calm under pressure, adaptable, driven and have good communication skills.

How would you describe the work culture at First Call?

I would describe First Call as supportive, nurturing, having a growth mindset and inclusive. In my role, I work closely with senior leadership. I get to see how much they value the team and genuinely want them to succeed.

Is there anything else you think people would want to know about pursuing a career like yours?

If you’re looking to pursue a career in the Salesforce ecosystem, there are so many great groups and resources out there.

• Sign up for Trailhead and start earning those badges.
• Attend a community user group meeting, such as the Women in Technology (WIT) groups. Its main purpose is to support and empower women. My local group is filled with so many strong, intelligent women who have helped me along my journey.
• Apply to the Salesforce Pathfinder Program. “Pathfinder provides free, immersive training for future Trailblazers. With 200+ hours of live and asynchronous learning, Pathfinder empowers anyone to learn in-demand skills, earn Salesforce credentials, and make connections with mentors and the Trailblazer Community.”

You’re eligible if you are currently attending a community college, just recently graduated from a community college (~1 year ago), a military veteran or military spouse.

Make Your Career GO! at First Call Logistics

Want to build a career somewhere you can make a real impact? Consider joining the team at First Call Logistics. As a fast-growing 3PL, we’re expanding our footprint and hiring for multiple roles. To learn more about our open opportunities, visit our careers page and apply today!