Procurement Interview Secrets you Need to Know - The Complete Guide

The MUST read Guide so you SMASH THAT INTERVIEW

Are you getting ready for a procurement interview?

Then you’re in the place you Procurement Legend.

Do you want to know the secrets to landing your dream job in procurement?

Look no further.

I’m Daniel Barnes, and over the last seven years, I’ve spent my time going from a Procurement Grad role to Head of Commercial and Head of Supplier Contracts before taking a different role in the last year to Head up Community at Gatekeeper.

Over the years, I’ve had a lot of different interviews for high-paying roles.

And interviewed a lot of people.

So I’m going to tell you my secrets now.

The Procurement Interview Chest of Secrets

Dress Code

Before diving into the interview questions, let's discuss the dress code.

During covid, this felt like a tough one to get right. I swear, in one interview, the person wore pyjamas… shocking.

With remote and hybrid positions becoming more common, it can be challenging to know what to wear for your interview.

The answer is simple - ask.

If you're working with a recruitment agency, ask them for advice. If you're working with an in-house recruiter, call or email them to ask about the dress code.

I’ve worn a hoodie to interviews and done the same when interviewing new candidates. For some industries, this would be a big fat NO. For me, I only play in the tech space now, and that is the default dress code (thank fudge for that).

How to Prepare for the Interview

Your go-to for preparing for the interview should be the job description.

The job description outlines everything the hiring manager looks for in a candidate, so review it carefully. Take note of all the must-have criteria and build out 1-3 different examples where you’ve covered this previously.

A caveat to the above. Some JDs are regurgitated rubbish, and the interviewer will not focus on the JD. It’s safe to say if you’re going for a role that isn’t a newbie procurement role - know your stuff. Be able to talk about it with confidence and expect the unexpected.

Be proactive in highlighting your role in the example you provided to the outcome and how you achieved it.

The interviewer wants to hear about how you got a good result for your company with just about every question they ask you.

It is also essential to research the company. This advice is obvious. I’m not going to spend much time here.

Look at their website, social media pages, and news articles to learn about their current projects, partnerships, and priorities.

You can incorporate this information into your answers during the interview, showing the interviewer that you are qualified and interested in the company and their work.

Don’t go overboard.

Most hiring managers get that you have limited time and insights into what they do.

Interview Questions and Answers

Now, let's get into the interview questions. While the questions can vary depending on the job and the interviewer, here are some common procurement interview questions and best practice answers: