On the one hand, many will agree that it is difficult to get a job. Especially for executives in mid-level positions. On the other hand, I see many companies struggling with the search for the right fit.

And I believe that we have a communication gap here.

For those who are not familiar with how things work, here is a quick overview:

• I, as hiring manager, send my request to HR. It usually contains my wish list in terms of:
  • Education
  • Years of experience
  • Industry where the candidate had his previous jobs
  • Salary range
  • A short list of skills
  • A couple of notes: driving licence, availability, location etc
• Based on the above, the ad goes out
• The job of HR is to find a candidate that is as close as possible to the requirements I gave. So he goes through the CVs and eliminates those who are not a match
• In the next stage, HR will have the preliminary call, to confirm the details
• The first face-to-face interview can sometimes be conducted with HR only. Usually, the hiring manager is present
• The second interview is relatively common. Usually, it is with the Head of the Department or some other senior team members

As a part of my job, I hire procurement executives. From junior coordinator roles to senior buyers and contract managers. It is, however, very difficult to decipher from the CV who would be a good fit. This results in many face-to-face interviews. I feel so bad when in the first 3 minutes of the interview I understand that the candidate is not even close to our requirements.

These are my observations from this process. While it is quite specific for procurement, several recommendations apply to all.

Give me more data about your current employment

We need to know how big your current employer is, and in which industry you operate. Give a sentence about your past employers, so we can assess whether you can fit.

If you cannot give us some basic statistics about your current employer and job, I start doubting your role. A procurement person not knowing the value of materials he buys annually suggests that you are only doing what your manager tells you. We want to see that you are fully immersed in the business.

Do not use fancy words

I see more and more CVs that look like made with the help of ChatGPT. While I do not mind the help of Technology, keep one thing in mind: I will ask you to clarify what exactly have you been doing.

Do not write that you have “Created annual budgets and Strategic Purchasing plans”. Firstly, I do not expect this from an executive. Moreover, if I figure out that you have not done it, I do not trust the whole CV.

Do not share your Job description

Job descriptions in Procurement are more-less standard. What we do is usually very different. Some companies segregate sourcing, negotiations, and documentation. In some, you run procurement and stores. We are looking to learn your value-added during the process. Where do you start and finish?

Give us some numbers

• Savings of x%
• Reduced/increased the number of vendors
• Reduced stock value
• Reduced turnaround time
• Increased payment terms
• Reduced number of client complaints due to product quality
• Etc

Whatever is quantifiable, give a number. Let us understand that you have measured it and understood how your actions move this result.

In the interview

Tell me something about yourself

Give us a couple of lines that showcase experience relevant to the position we are seeking. Give us an example of your achievements. Something that is not in the CV.

Be ready with some basic data

Procurement often has a quite flat organizational structure. So, every one of us is involved with vendors. While I can not verify the facts you share, I do expect that you have some basic knowledge about:

• The value of the purchases you make on an annual basis
• The approximate number of vendors you work with
• The number of SKUs you procure

Again, it is an approximate figure. But, it serves to show the interviewer that you are indeed managing your procurement end-to-end. Not just executing orders of your manager, 

Know the market

Often part of the interview is someone who knows the market. He may ask you about the brands of some items you procure and/or the main vendor for such brands. So before you go for the interview, look into your recent purchases just to be able to give some answers.

Do you have any questions?

No questions, so you are not interested? It is not only about this, use this part as a chance to pause. You may as well understand from the answer what the interviewer focuses on. After this, present your knowledge and experience in the particular topic.

In the end

There are fewer requirements for buyers who just call the vendor and get a price. Become executives who can run their category, product line or project procurement end-to-end independently. And the first step is to show in your CV that you have done it.