Category: Career Development
Top Skills Needed to Advance from Individual Contributor to Supply Chain Leader
One of the most common questions I receive from budding supply chain professionals is “How do I get promoted from an individual contributor role to a supply chain leader?” While there is no magic formula, there are several key skills and experiences that one should gain in efforts to transition into a supply chain leadership role. Communication For many supply chain leadership roles, strong communication skills can oftentimes be equally as important as having expertise in a particular field. Here are few skills to develop or sharpen as it relates to becoming an effective communicator: Active Listening [...]
6 Tips to Create a Successful Procurement Mentorship Program
Establishing a procurement mentor program is a proven way to attract, develop and retain talent. In a recent Procurement Leaders’ Salary Survey, one of the most important considerations in job satisfaction for procurement professionals is mentoring opportunities. There are many benefits for the participants and the procurement organization, such as: Keep Employees Engaged and Retained Transfer Indirect and Direct Procurement Knowledge and Skills Improve Succession Planning throughout the Procurement Organization Develop a Strong Learning Culture that Promotes Growth Enhance Leadership and Coaching Skills in Managers Improve Employee Motivation, Morale and Overall Performance Promote Collaboration throughout the Workforce Improve Diversity [...]
Advance Your Top Talent Through a Supply Chain Leadership Development Program
Struggling to hire and retain supply chain talent? Be sure to check out SCM Talent Group’s 10 part blog series that covers the top strategies employers can implement to improve their ability to hire and retain supply chain talent. It’s no surprise that so many organizations struggle to retain leaders especially within the supply chain discipline. According to DHL’s recent report, 58% of companies have a hard time finding employees with both operational experience and soft skills. As baby boomers continue to retire in droves, it’s imperative for organizations to take steps to create more robust talent pipelines, as today’s [...]
Creating an Effective Procurement Leadership Development Program (PLDP)
PURPOSE OF A PROCUREMENT LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (PLDP) - Market your procurement organization as an industry leader that provides its employees with the ability to accelerate learning, skills and leadership acumen. - Enhance employees thought leadership and critical thinking abilities so they begin to think and act like procurement general managers. - Provide employees a head start in different areas of your procurement organization after completing the program. - Attract top graduates from your targeted universities while enhancing employee loyalty and retention rates. - Promote within instead of looking outside your organization for [...]
How to Transition Military Supply Chain Skills into the Civilian Sector
The transition for military candidates into civilian jobs can be an arduous process. Luckily, there are plenty of great resources available to assist with learning the civilian lingo and translating one’s military supply chain experience into the civilian sector. Included below are some tips and specialized resources to assist with learning the civilian supply chain lingo and shortening the transition from a career in the military to a civilian supply chain career. Network with Ex-Military Supply Chain Professionals A great tactic is to connect with civilian supply chain professionals who have served in the military before. Utilize online resources [...]
Six Steps to Build an Employee Referral Program For Your Supply Chain Organization
Struggling to hire and retain supply chain talent? Be sure to check out SCM Talent Group’s 10 part blog series that covers the top strategies employers can implement to improve their ability to hire and retain supply chain talent. A proven way to improve the quality and quantity of your applicant flow is to create an employee referral program for your supply chain organization. According to Dr. John Sullivan, an international HR thought leader, 88% of employers claim that referrals are the #1 source for hiring above-average candidates. A recent report by ERE found that after one year, retention [...]
Key Steps for Developing a Supply Chain Employer Branding Strategy
Struggling to hire and retain supply chain talent? Be sure to check out SCM Talent Group’s 10 part blog series that covers the top strategies employers can implement to improve their ability to hire and retain supply chain talent. To keep up with hiring demands in a tightening labor market, it’s important to deploy creative marketing and employer branding strategies to help attract the right talent to your supply chain organization. Here are our top tips for developing or optimizing a supply chain employer branding strategy. Unify the Brand of Your Organization You’ll want to create career branding materials that [...]
Turn Your Supply Chain Organization into Talent Scouts
Struggling to hire and retain supply chain talent? Be sure to check out SCM Talent Group’s 10 part blog series that covers the top strategies employers can implement to improve their ability to hire and retain supply chain talent. Looking to make the most of out of your association dues? Many organizations undervalue the importance of joining Supply Chain associations. Supply chain associations, such as APICS or CSCMP, can be a goldmine for finding supply chain talent, building brand awareness, and serving as a continuous educational source for your employees. To use associations and events to your advantage, consider [...]
APICS Career Coach Webinar: Becoming a Better Supply Chain Networker
Learning to become a strong networker is critical for accelerating your career in supply chain. Unfortunately, many supply chain professionals don't understand the benefits associated with networking and only do so when they're in job search mode. Others are intimidated by the sheer thought of reaching out to strangers to network and strike up a conversation. Check out “Becoming a Better Supply Chain Networker” presented by APICS Career Coach and SCM Talent Group President Rodney Apple, and leave with more confidence in your own ability to network. In this webinar, you will learn: The importance [...]
How to Address Questions About Current And Desired Salary
The all-important “What’s your current and desired salary?” questions that are typically asked in a job interview can be challenging to address especially if you haven’t spent any time preparing your thoughts for how you would respond to these questions. I view these salary questions as a poker game where the goal of one party is to get the other party to lay down their cards first. The key to knowing how to address these questions is proper research and preparation. It’s important to understand that the primary goal for the employer is to simply find out if you’re within their [...]
