Dear job seeker,
I will keep this page short and to the point. Here’s what I have for you today:
In the eBook, you will find multiple great answers to each of the following questions:
- Why do you want to work in logistics?
- What do you want to achieve on this position?
- How do you imagine a typical day in work?
- Do you set any goals in work? How do you monitor your progress in achieving your goals?
- Are you familiar with ISO requirements and health regulations?
- What’s your experience with automated warehouse systems?
- In your opinion, what is the most important thing to do to ensure that customers receive their products on time?
- How would you lead an interview with a candidate for a stock clerk job?
- In your opinion, what are the main problems that can occur in this warehouse/logistics center/factory?
- What would you do if one of the operators/forklift drivers did not come to the shift, and you could not reach them on the phone?
- A supplier we’ve been cooperating with for a long time suddenly raises their prices by ten percent. How will you react?
- How do you feel about dismissing someone? What would you do if your best friend (who happens to work under you) came to the work drunk?
- Describe the biggest failure of your professional career.
- What are your salary expectations?
- Why should we hire you, and not one of the other applicants for this job?
… and ten other tough questions you may face in your interview for a job of a logistics manager (or coordinator)
Check the sample to see how this book can help you:
Sample from the eBook
Question: How do you imagine a typical day in work?
Hint: This is hard to foresee before you start the job. Each company has their own problems and ways of distributing labor and responsibility in the warehouse, and logistics in general, but most of the time you’ll take care of a variety of duties.
Sometimes a job description can give you a clue on the basic duties and responsibilities, so read it carefully.
One way or another, you should talk about planning and managing the transportation of goods, and about optimizing and coordinating full order cycle. Liaising and negotiating with suppliers, manufacturers, retailers and customers does also often belong to the duties of logistics manager, but other employees take care of that in some companies.
The key is to show them that you like to be busy, and are ready to take care of variety of tasks (or learn to take care of them).
Sample answers
– I imagine having my hands full from morning to afternoon. Certainly I will try to have a clear schedule for each day, list of tasks I want to carry out, including the meetings and calls with laborers, suppliers, and customers.
This should help me to be effective in work. I am sure that you have a clear organizational structure, and I look forward to learning more about the exact duties and my position in the hierarchy of the company. Anyway, I like to be busy in work, and do not mind taking initiative.
– In my experience this is really hard to predict, since each day in the warehouse present different challenges, and one has to solve problems on the go, whether we speak about delays, allocation of employees and problems with their motivation, or some more complex issues related to production and delivery.
One can even say that a typical day in a job of a logistics manager doesn’t exist. But this is exactly what I like about the job, that we have to use our head each day, that there are always some challenges, that work isn’t repetitive. I look forward to see how it goes, and I am sure that I won’t be bored in this job…
Question: Do you set any goals in work? How do you monitor your progress in achieving goals?
Hint: Each responsible employee has some goals, and you should present yourself as a responsible person in your interview. In any case, say that you set goals, and you can narrate a practical example from your last job.
But you can also simply describe the process, or even say that you devise the goals from the meetings with your superiors—the executives and top management, and add that you have some personal goals, such as improving your efficiency in work, or improving on your weaknesses.
Goals monitoring is another subject altogether. Once your goals are clearly quantified, however (for example decreasing an expedition time of certain goods by thirty minutes, or eventually reaching a certain purchasing price for this and that product), monitoring your progress is not hard…
Sample answers
– I love to set goals as they help me to stay motivated and organized. I always try to quantify my goals, to have a definite number, for example improving something by 5% till the end of the year.Once you have the time frame and the number, it’s easy to monitor your progress, on monthly or weekly basis.
– I like to set goals, but I also enjoy when my superiors set realistic goals for me. Then there is another group of goals I set for myself, such as improving my efficiency in work, or for example my attitude towards a certain colleague I find it difficult to work with. In my opinion it is important to set clear goals, and also to revise them regularly, since things change quickly in business and sometimes we have to change our goals on the go.
– This is my first job application so I have no experience with setting goals in work. But I definitely set goals for myself in other areas of life, such as in sport or even in my spiritual life. I am sure that once I understand the scope of the job, the daily duties, and identify some areas for improvement in your warehouse, I’ll be able to set some goals for myself, for my subordinates, and for the entire team.
Question: In your opinion, what is the most important thing to do to ensure that customers receive their products on time?
Hint: This is a tricky question without an obvious answer, since the most important thing can differ from one company to another, and it depends on a lot of variables.
However, once you interview for a position of a manager (logistics manager), you should give priority to management—you should take the responsibility for ensuring that the customers receive their products on time. That’s the attitude they seek in a good job candidate.
Alternatively you can point out one specific step in a supply chain. Opt for this option only if you understand the specifics of a given industry, and are sure about your answer…
Sample answers
– In my opinion, management is the one thing. Once a logistics manager knows what they are doing, once they understand the ins and outs of the supply chain, once they are aware of the problems that may arise (problems with suppliers, in the warehouse, with the truck drivers, planning, other problems)—and address them promptly, they can ensure that in 99.9% of cases, the customers will get their products on time.
Of course there are situations we can do nothing about, when delay occurs (for example traffic accident). But this is also a part of the job, and it simply happens sometimes.
– I would say that it changes from one company to another. In your business, however, I think that proper inventory management plays the prime. You use in your production parts from many different suppliers. If a single one is missing, the entire production has to stop. Maintaining a healthy stock level is therefore crucial for you. At least that’s my impression.
End of the sample
These were just three questions. You will find 25 in the eBook, including difficult behavioral questions. And that’s not all.
To ensure you will get the job, I included in the book six principles you need to understand before you can ace the interview for a position of a logistics manager.
Without talking too much, let’s have a look at one o them:
Sample no. 2
Principle no. 1: Focus on attitudes
Whether you answer a simple question, or a seemingly difficult one, whether you shake hands with your interviewers or choose a chair to sit on in the room, whether you write your answers online, or say them, people who consider hiring you (and want to do so at the end, because they need a new logistics manager) observe only two things: Your attitudes, and opinions.
They look mostly for the following attitudes in a good candidate:
Responsibility. Logistics managers play a pivotal role in every warehouse or production plant. If they mess up, if stop line occurs, or company fails to deliver the goods on time, the impact is huge. Not only their employer, but also other companies in the supply chain will lose money and time… You should be aware of this, and demonstrate a mature sense for responsibility in your answers. Do not take things lightly. There’s no place for jokes in this interview. Show them that you mean business and will approach each day in job with strong commitment, aware of the responsibility you carry on your shoulders.
Motivation. Job of a logistics manager is no easy ride. You will clock plenty of overtime hours (at least that’s the case in 90% of these jobs), and you will often have to handle difficult situations. Unless the interviewers feel your strong motivation (which will help you to get through hard times and handle heavy workload), they won’t hire you. Don’t forget to speak with enthusiasm about your new role, and have clear goals on your mind, to demonstrate your motivation.
Sense for detail and numbers. Minutes and seconds matter in logistics. If you manage to make any process in the production/logistics more efficient, even by a single second, this effect multiplies in the scope of production, and can result in huge savings, or in other advantages for your employer. Show the interviewers your sense for details, and for numbers. Anytime possible, include some numbers in your interview answers, and do not mind asking specific questions about their supply chain or about anything else relevant for your new job…
Willingness to learn. Doesn’t matter what you did before, doesn’t matter if you are just starting your career, or have ten years of experience in logistics under your belt… Things work a bit differently in every single company. And while everyone has to abide the rules and safety regulations, each company has their own way of running the logistics. It’s great that you want to bring your own ideas onboard, but at the beginning you will jump on a train that’s already out of station—and moving pretty fast! Show them your willingness to learn, to adapt, to do things their way, to follow the processes they have in place. It can’t be done in any other way in logistics, unless you apply for a job in a plant that isn’t open yet.
Equanimity. Try to stay calm, regardless of what happens in the interview. They may try to put you under pressure with some questions, but that’s just the part of the game. Stay calm, even if you can’t answer some questions. Admit that you do not know the answer, or the right action you’d take, the way you’d solve the proposed problem. Once they see your peace of mind and a calm way in which you react to seemingly stressful situations, you will be just a small step away from getting hired, as they will see that you will approach stressful situations in your logistics job in the same manner—not overreacting, focusing on the solution of the problem.
Leadership. Once the training is over and you understand the basics of the job, and the expectations, strong leadership will be expected from you. You may lead interviews, hire and fire people. You will enjoy the recognition for excellent results, but also bear the responsibility for poor performance of anyone in the logistics department. Show the interviewers that….
End of the sample
So that’s it. I do not want to waste your time with lengthy sales pages, and imaginary discounts or fake reviews, just like other people do on their websites.
You have read the samples, you know what the eBook is about, and surely you can tell whether it will help you.
I sincerely believe it will help you. And you can read it easily in two or three hours, it’s 14,000 words. Only things that truly matter, no secondary content.
Plus, of course, like with everything else we sell here on InterviewPenguin.com, you have a risk free sixty days money back guarantee. If you don’t like this eBook for any reason, or no reason at all, just let me know (email me at matthew[at]interviewpenguin[dot]com) within 60 days and we will give you a full refund.
Quick Summary
- Brilliant answers to twenty-five difficult questions you may get in your interview for a logistics manager (or logistics coordinator) job.
- Several sample answers to each question, so you can choose one that reflects your values and experience.
- Six principles of acing the interview, things you simply need to know in order to make the right impression on the hiring managers.
- Instant download, .PDF format (you can read it on any device (mobile, kindle, PC), and you can easily print it).
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- Price: $24.95 (you’ll make it back in one hour in your new job), one time payment, no hidden fees or upsell. 60 days risk free money back guarantee. Sold exclusively on InterviewPenguin.com.
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(After the payment you will be directed back to our website, to a protected page, to download your eBook. You will also receive a download link and instructions to your email, just to ensure that you will get the book without waiting, even if the redirect fails.)
That’s it. Your interview does not have to be stressful, or difficult. You can interview with confidence, and give brilliant answers to all tough questions. Download the guide today, and succeed in your interview for a job of a logistics manager.
Sincerely,
Matthew Chulaw,
Your personal job interview coach
P.S. Send me a message if you have any questions. I try my best to answer all messages within twelve hours (matthew[at]interviewpenguin[dot]com). Thank you!
