After all your hard work, exchanging letters or emails with prospective logistics & supply chain employers, you receive an invitation to interview. This is not the ultimate goal of course, but it is a key step on the way to the logistics job of your dreams. Having secured your interview, this is no time to relax, now is the time to do some more research and preparation and you should read as many helpful interview guides as you can.
Interviewers will attempt to get the most information about you by asking open questions, which require you to set your own limits to your answers. The most frequently asked open question is a variant on: “Tell me about yourself,” which gives you the opportunity to sink or swim.
If you do not prepare something in advance, you are more likely to sink than swim. Make sure that your answer does not sound too rehearsed, even though you should be expecting this question.
Stick to work and career topics and be sure to mention things that you have already achieved or done that are relevant to the post for which you are applying.
Another crucial question for which you will need a ready answer is the obligatory: “Why did you leave your last job?” Stay calm and positive: regardless of what happened, do not blame or criticise former colleagues or employers. This will do more damage to your prospects with future employers than anything else: concentrate on a positive reason for your desired career change and look forward to future challenges.
It is vital that your preparation includes researching the company that you are applying to work with. Is it part of a larger group? what are the challenges that it faces in the short and medium term?
What articles have been written about it recently? Can you find any published interviews with senior management? Some of this work may already have been done for you and might be waiting for you on the company website.
As well as knowing what published sources are saying about the company, you would find it useful to be able to have one or two comments from fellow workers about yourself. Being able to say that XYZ colleague or
line manager described you as one of the most conscientious workers they have ever known is almost as good as having that person there to say it in person.
If you would like more information about how to prepare for your interview please read our Interview Guide or leave a comment below
