How to nail your Procurement Interview

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I’m on holiday this week so the Monday Deep Dive takes a bit of a different format.

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I feel old when I say I’ve interviewed 100s of candidates for Procurement and Buying roles during my time. Everything from Procurement Analyst, Procurement Manager, Category Manager, Supplier Relationship Manager, even Head of Roles I’ve been responsible for recruiting.

I’ve also had my fair share of experience on the other side, with plenty of tales of interviews I’ve aced and some not so well.

This fortnight’s Premium article is for anyone who might be planning to interview this year or indeed anyone who is involved in interviewing candidates.

Avoid these pitfalls + learn these secrets and you’ll ace it I swear…

1. The Standard Opening - tell us about your career?

Don’t be fooled into thinking this is just a pleasant warm up. It’s more than just an ice breaker, I promise. What I look for and what you need to think about is:

• Can you be precise and succinct? Are you able to create an ‘elevator’ speech response that not only sustains my interest but also acts a pitch for why you’ll be brilliant for this role.

• How much do you plan your next steps and is there any coherence in your career. Moreover, are you able to identify key learnings from your career so far?

Remember, on the basis that most interviews are actually subconsciously decided within the first couple of minutes, your elevator pitch is like your LinkedIn hook. You want me to want to find out more, and also just give me enough to show you have real value to give.

2. So why do you want this job?

Think. Why do you want this job?

Sure there will be some key reasons underpinning this. Perhaps you are not happy in your current workplace. Maybe you want a shorter commute, or you see this as an opportunity for a promotion. Hint - these are not the reasons I want to hear (Valid though those may be for your circumstances).

I want to know you have a passion for the job role itself, how you read the job description and are ideally suited, that you are excited by the enhanced scope and the opportunity to learn within a new business.

3. What can you bring to this role?

Don’t tell me everything on the job description. Talk to me instead about everything you can do to develop and move the role forward. Talk in a way that is expansive and creative.

Sure, there will be some key expectations and requirements within the first few months, but any leader wants team members who are prepared to push the dial further and expand the role. I’m always looking for someone who can challenge convention.

4. Tell me about your achievements.

It’s ironic and honestly sometimes frustrating that many times people answer these types of questions without giving any facts or figures.

Procurement is one of those business roles (a bit like sales) where it is very easy to measure success by numbers. I can still tell you the amount I saved the Co-op in a sugar deal in 2004. I can still tell you the savings I delivered on Shoe Care in Clarks in 2014. Why? Because I’m proud of delivering them. They were key learning points for me and examples that have stuck with me. I know my numbers and so should you.

If you can’t tell me some key wins, with actual figures, then I wonder how focused you are on results and your actual role in delivering them.

5. But of course don’t just talk about savings.

It’s 2024.

I want to hear about lots of different metrics. I want to hear someone who is passionate about the impact on carbon footprint, the supplier numbers, the working capital improvements, service level improvements.

If you’ve managed to forge a career in Procurement without delivering any numbers and without being able to remember them, then harsh as it may sound, I’d question how proactive your impact has been.

Show me though, that you are not just a cost saving dinosaur, that you understand total value and the importance of establishing core metrics which go beyond just the cash.

6. How do you network?

This one is so underrated.

Any Procurement professional who doesn’t understand and cannot articulate the power of their network is missing a trick here.

I want to hear about someone who actively links up with other Procurement professionals to learn new skills and who has a good history of developing strong relationships with suppliers.

It’s so easy to do these days and yet the amount of times I’ve interviewed Procurement individuals who are not into networking is staggering.

I’m not saying you have to be prolific on LinkedIn or at building a personal brand, but you do have to show you are adept at building your network.

Talk about Procure Bites if you want! Just show you have an interest in the Procurement community beyond your current workplace.

7. Do you keep up with market trends?

This can be weaved into almost any answer to questions. Show that you understand the technology market for example or that you actively keep up to speed with the latest developments in Marketing.

Of course it depends on the specific role you are aiming for but show a genuine interest in the categories you will be responsible for by having done you research and talk about some very current trends.This also tells me, the interviewer, that you will be able to quickly and effectively forge good credible relationships with your stakeholders.

8. Stakeholder Management is key

It’s the absolute game changer to be truly effective in Procurement.

Be prepared with a few really strong examples of good stakeholder relationships you’ve formed. Show me how you did this and what skills you brought to the table that enabled the partnership to thrive.

Of course this will typically turn in most interviews to the next question. “Tell me a time you had a difficult stakeholder and how did you turn this around? ”This is one of the most common questions in an interview yet so few are prepared to answer it.

If you tell me you’ve never had a difficult stakeholder then I don’t believe it!

Talk about specific scenarios, what you did to turn them around, how you demonstrated your value and that you were calm and thoughtful in your response.

Talk about the approach you took and how you met with them to deal with any conflict.

9. Show you are confident dealing with stakeholders in person

I’m always amazed how much business interaction in general is conducted by e-mails. Yet the most valuable conversations and relationships are always delivered through face to face interaction.

So many people I’ve interviewed talk about situations in a transactional way, via e-mails and processes.

Instead, talk to me about how you met up with the senior stakeholder in person, how you volunteered to join their team meetings, how you proactively booked meetings to discuss, collaborate and overcome the issues.

10. In real terms, have you thought about the first 90 days?

Again one of the most commonly asked questions. This is applicable to almost any role you apply for and yet so many miss the opportunity to show they have a plan.

What I’m looking for in answer to this is someone who has a structured approach. Do you break down the first 90 days in three x 30 day blocks and can you clearly identify the importance of each stage?

Further, how much time do you take to understand the business and the stakeholders. Nobody wants a ‘Bull in a China Shop’. I’m looking for someone that takes time to review and understand, rather than make assumptions that could create immediate conflict.

11. Quick wins, not ‘hit the ground running’.

I don’t like the phrase ‘hit the ground running’ when it comes to a new job. It indicates to be a lack of planning for the business and a lack of training for the new employee.

That said, in any role I recruit for I do want to know that my new starter will be able to identify any deliver on some quick wins. These don’t have to be savings. Perhaps they are process improvements or category plans. But show me how you would approach this and talk to me about how you’ve delivered a quick impact on your previous roles.

As much as anything else, this part is critical for delivering effective stakeholder engagement by building your credibility.

12. Do you think about where this could lead to?

Again, you’ll never hear me ask the question ‘where do you want to be in five year’s time?’ although I do know of many who do ask this.

To me this is unrealistic and unfair. Plans change, circumstances change, and you don’t know what the long-term will be.

But I do want to hear how you could see this role you are applying for could lead to opportunities further down the line.It’s about showing that you care about your career trajectory and are not just drifting for the sake of it.

13. Procurement Tech

I don’t think you can or should avoid this one any longer. Even if you don’t have direct experience of Procurement Technology, there are enough demos on the market and enough opportunities to learn about this.

It comes back to my thoughts about progressive thinking. I’m looking for someone who not only can see trends but is interested in the future and how Procurement will evolve.

Research Procurement Tech and show you understand its power to unleash automation and better control.

14. Environmental, Social & Governance Objectives (ESG)

In 2023 this is critical to Procurement’s engagement within the business. I want to see that you understand this. That you read about it outside of your work hours.

Tell me about some real examples of what you’ve done in your procurement career to date that has moved things forward. They might be quite modest changes, but please bring them up at interview.

All I’m looking for is someone that understands the impact Procurement can have and is passionate about delivering change within business.

15. Avoid speaking like a CIPS textbook

I can think of one terrible example of someone I interviewed in 2016. She literally sounded like a textbook. Every answer given was an attempt to prove her knowledge to me. Heck, she even bought a print out of the Kraljic Matrix (I kid you not).

It’s a given that you will know the basic frameworks of Procurement, unless this is starter role.

So, please don’t shower me with you knowledge of these things. It will be a massive red flag for me not least because I’ll be worried that will be how you engage stakeholders.

16. Do you have any questions?

A bit like the opening, this is a key opportunity for you to leave a lasting impression. It’s also important for you to see any interview as a two way process and that you are able to find out more about me and the business I work for.

Come prepared with at least three good questions that show you’ve thought about the role and you care. Some good ones I’ve asked in the past when I’ve been interviewed are:

• Tell me what success will look like in your eyes after 6months of me being in the role?

• Can you tell me what the worst and best parts of working in xxx business are?

• What is the current compliance of Procurement like in the business?

• Where would you say the Procurement team is currently on the Procurement Maturity model?

Enjoy it!

Beyond all of my tips above, make sure you enjoy the process. Of course you might be feeling a little nervous. I know what that’s like. But reframe this as an opportunity to talk about you for an hour with a virtual stranger. When else does that happen?!

If you learn to enjoy an interview, that will show, you will appear relaxed and will be more likely to build a good rapport.

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