Supplier sourcing is a crucial skill for any procurement professional, especially if you want to land a job in this field. But how do you prepare for a supplier sourcing interview? What are the most important things to know? In this article, we'll share some tips and insights to help you ace your next supplier sourcing interview.
Before you go to any interview, you should have a solid grasp of the basic concepts and terminology of supplier sourcing. For example, you should know what supplier segmentation, supplier evaluation, supplier relationship management, and supplier development are. You should also be familiar with the different types of sourcing strategies, such as single sourcing, multiple sourcing, global sourcing, and local sourcing. And you should be able to explain the benefits and challenges of each strategy in different scenarios.
When preparing for a supplier sourcing interview, first research the specific industry to understand its unique challenges and opportunities, then understand relevant regulations and compliance standards related to what you are sourcing. In your interview you should be assessing elegible suppliers based on criteria like quality, reliability, cost, and responsiveness. And you surely need to be prepared for negotiating terms and pricing with suppliers while maintaining positive relationships.
I am against a supplier interview because it's manipulative. If a poor supplier has a powerful salesman, he will be able to convince you that they are the strongest company while the poor salesman will provide a poor idea about his company then you may not deal with them. Supplier interview is very important but it shouldn't happen before or during the onboarding phase but should be done after the contracting. You will be able then to have more visibility on his performance and on the market itself.
Strategic Sourcing Savvy: Supply Chain Mastery: Sharp Market Analysis: Negotiation Prowess: SRM Expertise: Compliance and Risk IQ: Emphasize your knowledge of compliance, regulatory requirements, and risk management. Tech-Savvy Approach: Cost Analysis Ninja: Clear Communicator: Case Study Ready:
Addition,Tracking mechanism. Analytical skill. Spend categories. Contract agreements basis. Commodities knowlegde. Competitors details if any.
For a supplier sourcing interview, it's crucial to understand the company's sourcing needs, industry trends, and negotiation tactics. Familiarize yourself with supplier evaluation criteria, cost analysis methods, and contract management principles. Showcase your ability to research, analyze data, and communicate effectively. Highlight your experience in supplier selection, relationship management, and risk mitigation. Be prepared to discuss examples of successful sourcing projects and challenges overcome.
Another important step is to research the company you're applying to and understand their sourcing needs and goals. You should find out what kind of products or services they buy, who are their main suppliers, what are their sourcing criteria and priorities, and what are their current or potential sourcing challenges. You should also look for any information about their sourcing policies, processes, and tools. This will help you tailor your answers to their specific context and show your interest and fit for the role.
Analisar localiza??o e potenciais sinergias e referências desses fornecedores! Normalmente realizamos Benchmarking para localizar fornecedores regionais ou indica??o de vender list estratégico, doravante e ágil tem que ser esse processo!
One of the best ways to demonstrate your supplier sourcing skills is to use concrete examples from your previous or current experience. You should prepare some examples that showcase how you applied different sourcing techniques, how you solved sourcing problems, how you negotiated with suppliers, how you managed supplier relationships, and how you measured and improved supplier performance. You should use the STAR method (situation, task, action, result) to structure your examples and highlight your achievements and learnings.
Listar desenhos técnicos ou processos críticos que normalmente n?o podem ser terceirizados e s?o vitais para confiabilidade do processo, como usinagem ou tratamento térmico específico em um material ou equipamentos rotativos.
When preparing for a supplier sourcing interview, you should anticipate questions regarding your sourcing skills, knowledge, or approach, as well as specific sourcing scenarios or cases. Common questions may include inquires about how you identify and select potential suppliers, evaluate and compare supplier bids or proposals, negotiate with suppliers to get the best deal and terms, manage and communicate with suppliers throughout the process, handle supplier issues or disputes, monitor and assess supplier performance and compliance, foster long-term supplier relationships and collaboration, and identify and implement opportunities for supplier development and innovation.
Finally, you should approach your supplier sourcing interview with confidence and curiosity. Have faith in your skills and abilities and express them in a clear and confident manner. Additionally, be eager to learn more about the company, the role, and the sourcing challenges. Ask relevant and insightful questions to the interviewer such as what are the main sourcing objectives and challenges for this role, how do they measure and reward sourcing performance and outcomes, what are the best practices and tools used for sourcing, how do they collaborate with other stakeholders in the sourcing process, and what are the current or future sourcing trends or opportunities they are exploring? By following these tips, you can prepare for a supplier sourcing interview to show off your skills and knowledge. Best of luck!
Here's one thing too many buyers focus on way too much: checking a supplier's previous jobs and looking for well-known references. It's reassuring to see famous brands working with a supplier. It's neither good nor bad, but, it shouldn't be considered a selection criteria. Your focus should be on finding the right fit for YOUR products and YOUR processes. A supplier might work perfectly well with a brand you know and respect but could be a total misfit for your company. Watch out for this bias, it's easy to fall into this trap.