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Job Interview Questions for a Procurement Officer

How to Pass a Procurement Officer Job Interview

To prepare for a procurement job interview you first need to predict the job interview questions. To do this simply read the job spec and turn each duty or essential criteria into a job interview question.

As a procurement officer, your average salary will be between £30,000-£45,000. At this level of salary an employer will expect a high level of knowledge to be expressed throughout the job interview.

Being responsible for sourcing and procuring quality equipment, goods or service at competitive prices inline with an organizations strategic strategy, means interviewers will want to hear how you can build relationships, finding new suppliers, negotiation skills  and record keeping.

In addition, throughout the job interview, ensure you  show an awareness of risk management and ethical issues.

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Job Interview Questions for a Procurement Officer

Interview Question 1 tell me about your experience as a procurement officer and the required skills you need to be successful in this role.

Interview Question 2 how do you deal with a supplier who states that your order will be late?

Interview Question 3 What is your approaching when dealing with a disgruntled customer?

Interview Question 4 how do you review your performance?

Interview Question 5 how do you negotiate successfully with a supplier?

Interview Question 6 are you enthusiastic and a good team player?

Interview questions and answers

Interview Question 7 give an example of taking the initiative

Interview Question 8 what skills do you need to be a procurement officer?

Interview Question 9 how will you make a really impact if you were successful?

Interview Question 10 do you have any questions for me?

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5 Things to Do After an Interview that Helps You Seal the Deal

What To Do After an Interview to Seal the Deal

The three step process of searching a job includes:

  • Drafting a perfect resume
  • Preparing for the Interview
  • Post-Interview Follow-Ups

The first two steps are conventional and you prepare according to the job you apply to. Done with the job interview, now what’s next?

Once you have shaken hands and parted ways, you do not just have to sit ideal and wait for the employer to get in touch with you.

Here are five things you should be doing after an interview that help you get the job.

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#1 Write a Thank You Note

Firstly, when in an interview remember to collect business cards from each member that you meet in your process.

The best way to follow up is to write an e-mail within 24 hours of the interview. Your follow-up mail should be drafted in a job letter format starting with acknowledging each one of them for their time and then reiterate why you are the perfect fit for the job.

Use this follow-up email to thank the interviewers for the time they invested in meeting you, express what interests you in the position and anything you feel led to a personal connection during the interview process.

Another quick way to leave an impressive mark in the minds of the interviewers, leave a hand written thank you note followed by a follow-up email in a week’ time.

#2 Judiciously Connect Online

It might be tempting to connect with everyone that you have met with online.

Do so, but make sure that it does not leave an impression of you stalking them. Check their online presence before you reach out sending those requests. For example, someone you met at ABC organization has more than 500 people on his/her LinkedIn account implies that he/she is open to accept requests.

On the other hand, there might be someone with a private account. So hold yourself there, before you send out a request.

To be on the safe side, it is better to follow people or the organization on Twitter. It displays that you have a keen interest in the company. Keep Facebook for friends and family. Connection professionally on Facebook might turn the tables around for you.

#3 Follow-Up Again

It can take a while to get a response from the employer after you have had that interview. The reasons can be many.

If this is the case, you should consider following up again. But make sure that you have something new to offer each time you write a follow-up e-mail.

You can look out for a piece of news or what’s happening in the related industry and share it in a small follow-up note.

#4 Keep Those Notes

It is important that you have a track of job openings you pursue, the resumes sent and the contacts you have made through an application.

Once you are done with an interview, take out time and make notes listing down the people you met, the conversation you had and what remarkable you learned through the process.

Additionally also keep a note of the impressions you made and any concerns or questions you would like to put up to the employer when given a chance.

Interview questions and answers

#5 Make a Call

Communicating electronically has become the norm these days.

The extent is to the level that some people today think that a phone call will intrude their time. So, when you call someone make sure that you are considerate and careful both at the same time.

Recall, if they told you to call or drop an email. If not and you have already tried to get in touch through an e-mail without any response, before calling think about what you are going to say. It is better to practice before you make the call.

Finding a job is not an easy task. If you get an opportunity, make sure you use it to the fullest. Some annoying things candidates do in name of follow-up can harm the chances of you making it to the job. Here is a list of things you must not do definitely to keep your chances high.

  • Following-Up too much
  • Changing the salary expectations after the discussion
  • Acting like you have the job
  • Skipping the thank you note
  • Bringing up other job offers

Author Bio

Akansha Arora is a professional writer and blogger who loves to pen down her views on a number of topics that interest a reader. She writes keeping in mind the current scenarios and wishes to keep her readers well informed. 

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3 Body Language Tricks to Make The Interviewer See You As Confident

Use Body Language Tricks to be Seen as Confident

Confidence in the job interview is everything.

Even if you feel nervous you need to, externally show confidence.

These clever body language tricks will help convince any job interview that you are one hell of a confident interviewee.

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Job Interview Confidence Trick 1

This visualization trick is used by actors.

As you walk into the interview room, the interviewer will look up from his desk and make an opinion about your level of confidence from your posture.

To create a positive posture, imagine that there is a piece of string dangling from the door frame of the interview room. It is long enough to touch the very top of your head. As you walk through the doorway, imagine lifting your head and straitening your back, so your head just reaches the bottom of the string.

This will help you to create a confidence looking posture, influencing the job interview.

Job Interview Confidence Trick 2

Is that Dave? God I’ve not seen you since school

Whenever you meet an old friend who you haven’t seen in ages, you instantly smile, a big bright smile.

A big smile makes the friend feel warm and specially. When in an interview situation, wait until you walk through the doorway and then smile a big bright smile at the interviewer, imagine that the interviewer is an old friend.

This smile will create rapport, likability and you will be seen as positive, approachable and confident.Interview questions and answers

Job Interview Confidence Trick 3

Talk with your hands

Nervous and shy people keep there hands down their sides, it’s as if they want to make themselves look small, unnoticeable.

Confident people will express themselves and communicate with words and gestures. Don’t only does a person who talks with their hands increase communication they look more confident and relaxed.

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Change Your Language Change Your Interview Stress Levels

Understand How Language Change Interview Stress Levels.

Job interviews are really stressful, but are more more stressful by the language the interviewee uses when trying to motivate themselves.

The actual words we use when talking to our-self has a massive impact on your emotional well being. Our internal dialog is created automatically, by taking control of your personal language, you create interview confidence, reducing job interview stress.

Here are 3 simple ways to reduce job interview stress by choosing stress reducing words

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Speaking in the Third Person

Stressed and anxious interviewees use associated language “I have to answer all the interview questions…” Is this is said from a negative perspective, the visual imagery you create from these words increases stress.

Self-distancing helps you to control your thoughts and emotional response. By using disassociated phrases the stress impact lowers “Chris has to answer all the interview questions..” you change your perspective, changing your response and behavior.

To lessen stress, think about the phrasing of yourself talk. Become aware of the “I” you are using, and repeat the same phrase replacing “I” with your name.

Strong and Weak Words

When preparing for the job interview it is easy to fall into the trap of using weak words that didn’t motivate.

Take these 2 examples;

  • I’m going to try and pass the job interview
  • I will pass the job interview

Words such as “try” “maybe” “want” don’t create the feeling of commitment. By replacing these weak words with commitment statements you are more likely to achieve your goals.

When feeling committed to a passing a job interview, your stress levels naturally drop as you have  a positive focus which creates interview confidence.

Interview questions and answers

Language and Perspective

Interviewees often focus on the negative reasons why they need to pass the job interview.

The way you phrase your reason for attending the job interview will create stress or desire.

Most people phrase their job interview goal in the negative stating the thing they want to get away from “I don’t want to be unemployed…”

What you say to yourself, your reason for the job interview, is represented by visual imagery. This image creates an emotional response, either positive or negative and only positive emotions help you to relax in the job interview, increasing confidence.

To increase job interview confidence, reframe your negatively phrased goal positively “I want to gain a job with a pay rise”

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3 Sales Communication Techniques That Will Boost Your Interview Performance

Use Sales Techniques to Boost Your Interview Performance

The job interview is a 45-minute sales pitch

Possessing the art of sales is key to interview success. The better you sell yourself the more employable you will become. Many career professionals possess the experience and skills required for the position and should be offered the job role, but their lack of sales communication techniques let them down.

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Job Interview Sales Communication Technique 1

Speak up to show your confidence

Lesson one in sales is confident communication. What you say and more importantly how you say creates influence.

You will never persuade anyone if you mumble, stutter or speak in quiet tones.

Instead, pick power words – what you say creates an emotional impact. Use tone, projection and talk with gestures and facial expressions to communicate with confidence.

Over two-thirds of communication is non-verbal, this is why you need your tone to create a strong emotional response, increase volume to keep interested and say it with passion.

Job Interview Sales Communication Technique 2

Keep on point

Often salespeople lose a customer as they naturally go off point talking about criteria that don’t interest the customer.

In the job interview keep in mind the desired criteria for the position you are applying for. With this objective in mind, think before you speak and choose examples that relate to both the asked question and the desired criteria.

Also, use the power of three. Keep each sales point to three significant specific items “I’m a strong team player for three key reasons, one…”

Interview questions and answers

Job Interview Sales Communication Technique 3

Use a story

Stories, as all salespeople know, have a strong emotional impact and it’s emotional impact that creates desire.

To have the best impact with your interview answers, use a story rather than just giving specifics. Open with intrigue as suspense increases the interviewer listing to you. Explain the situation and goal, and give a detailed description of how you achieved the objective

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3 Skills You Can Learn That Will Help You To Manipulate the Interviewer

3 Job Interview Maniplutaion Technqiues

Manipulation is the art of getting other people to do what you want them to do.

In the job interview, all interviewees, attempt to manipulate the interviewer (even if this is subconscious).

This doesnt mean you need to lie.

Manipulation can be positive when used to help you sell your real skills, qualities and experiences.

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 Acting Classes

Master manipulators control their emotions.

This is a key skill in a job interview.

First, for many fear and anxiety take over. As well as requiring the skills to reduce this negative associated response to an interview, you need to take this one step further and act like a confident, charismatic and enthusiastic career professional.

Actors are skilled in controlling their emotions.

They can cry on cue, take on the persona of a confident business billionaire or if the part requires it, come across as lovable, charming and friendly.

By being able to create a character in the job interview you can manipulate the interviewer so they believe that this is your natural state.

If your nervousness and fear, are letting you down, join an acting class.

Debate Clubs

Successful career professionals manipulate the job interview with their ability to think on their feet, to reframe negative comments and to passionately fight their own corner.

Manipulators as well as interviewees need to be compelling in their argument to convince others.

Many interviewees fall into the trap of being defensive – this natural strategy will only end in no job offers. Instead learn to debate, persuade and influence with your communication skills.

Interview questions and answers

Code Reading

Have you ever been surprised after, what you presumed was a successful job interview, that you weren’t offered the desire position?

In the job interview, it is easy to get caught up in ourselves, especially as our energy is spent finding examples to the interview question.

It is this internal focus that creates only one perspective.

Code readers, on the other hand, have the ability to focus on their audience, responding to little cues and tells.

People give away so much when you know what to look for. As we said in the 73 rules for influencing the interview, once you understand what simple gestures, body language and the words people use, you can use these “tells” to change your story to influence and manipulate what the employer thinks about you.

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How to Con the Interveiwer and Get Away With It

The Interview Con

To con the job interviewer (well anyone really) you need to promise them something of great benefit.

In the job interview this is how you will double there profit, decrease overheads or gain them millions of pounds in new business.

The bigger the benefit the better.

In the job interview stress how easy it is for you, the star employee, to achieve this. Explain how this system is something you successful implemented in your last organisation. Explain how the cost for this system is low or none at all, it’s about the knowledge or contacts that you have, that you are happy to share with them.

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Sweep aside the Skeptics

Depending on how you frame the “Great Bennett”  some employers will be skeptic.

You need to get the interviewer to commit to you. When someone commits to you, even if this commitment is only a small commitment they are psychologically more likely to commit to something bigger.

In the interview you ask the skeptic interviewer that if were able to double their profits would they recruit you? Every interviewer will answer yes to this.

Sweeten the pot.

Share a piece of advice, a contact or something that shows that you have something that would benefit the organisation. This will create interest and desire.

Create Positive Visualizations

Ask how if you were to be successful in the job interview and if you were to implement your success strategy how would this benefit the company?

Get the interviewer to imagine you both collaborating together and get them to imagine how your strategy/contacts along with what the organisation is currently doing would together take their profits to the next level.

The more you influence the interviewer to imagine you and them being successful the more they will buy into you.

At this stage you may want to return to the commitment stage, offering a few more sweeteners.

Interview questions and answers

Create Desire

The interviewer now, will be imagining how they will benefit from you being hired. Not only will they want to recruit you they will want you on their team.

You will hear the language the interviewer subconsciously uses go from the language of a skeptic to the language of desire.

They will want to offer you the job on the spot, but employment law won’t allow this.

To keep the flame burning once you leave the interview, explain that you have already been offer another job that you are highly interested in.

Scarcity is a massive motivational pull, as people always want what they cant have.

If the employer see’s massive value in you but then realises that a competitor make snatch you up, their desire for you will triple.

Not only will you be offered the position, you will now be in a strong position to negotiate a high salary.

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How To Build a Positive Relationship With Your Interviewer in Minutes

Build a Positive Relationship With Your Interviewer in Minutes

A positive relationship is the key to a successful relationship.

The problem, of course, is you only have a few minutes to get the employer to like you.

The interviewer’s perspective of you is key because all of your following answers will be filtered through your recently built, positive or negative, relationship.

These 3 steps will help create a positive relationship with your interviewer, within minutes of walking into the interview room

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The Power of a Smile

The first step is so simple it’s stupid.

But the fact is that most interviewees aren’t relaxed enough to smile.

A smile is powerful because of 3 reasons.

The first is that you look confident and friendly when you smile – your smile is your best feature. When you smile, due to mirror neurons, the interviewer will feel the same happy emotions they would feel if they were smiling themselves.

Secondly, when you smile you come across as approachable and trustworthy; this allows the interviewer to open up to you because they feel relaxed in your presence.

Thirdly. It has been proven that you are seen as more attractive when you smile. And it’s also been proven that you are more likely to be offered the position is the interviewer finds you attractive.

Engage the Interviewer

At the interviewer start, ask the interviewer questions, ideally about them-self.

This is easier than it seems, you simply at the interview start make small talk.

You can ask about the number of interviews they have planned on that day, you can follow this by asking what they are going to do that night to relax? It’s at this point that you need to ask questions and show interest in the interviewer’s answers.

Naturally, we love to be the focus of attention. We also love the people who show us this attention and will want to be around them more often.

Interview questions and answers

Address the Interviewer By Name

Like the first step, this third suggestion is really easy to implement and helps to influence the interviewer.

People respond better to people who use their name.

Using the interviewer’s name shows that you are interested, you have remembered their name and it helps to create a bond between the two of you.

Psychologically speaking, the interviewer will like you more if you both share a similar sounding name.

This same natural likability factor works with anything you have in common; name, went to the same school, follow the same sports team, live in the same district when you were young.

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How To Influence The Interviewers Thoughts

How To Influence The Interviewers Thoughts

Influencing others is an important skill to have especially in a job interview.

Being able to persuade people with words can have a massive impact on the outcome of the job interview.

What you say in the job interview creates a picture in the interviewer’s mind, this internal image feeds the interviewer’s emotional response and it is that emotional response, that gut feeling that has a direct impact on the interview outcome.

Even two sentences with the same meaning can create different responses. The key here is to pick your words carefully.

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 The Glass is Half Full or Half Empty

This common saying makes my point clear.

The glass, either half full or half empty, holds the same volume of liquid, but the way you phrase the quantity of water creates a different perspective.

When answering your interview question you need to frame your interview answers in the positive. Imagine you tell the employer that you worked at X organisation, the employer looks disgusted and says “isn’t everyone who works there lazy?” you can easily reframe this response by responding with “yes, that why i want to work for an organisation like yours where you value hard workers like me”  

Using Pain to Create Desire

A big mistake most interviewees make in the interview is not creating a painful story.

Because you are selling yourself, you, the interviewee, believe that you have to state everything in the positive. In most situations you do. But when asked to give an example, stay away from the temptation to explain how you did X with success.

Have you ever been to a movie and the whole film was positive?

The storyline simply being the good things that happen to the main character? No, because people like suspense, we want to be taken on a journey, even though we know the film will have a good ending, we still want to hear about heartache, the problems – we like suspense.

For your interview answer to influence, to have a bigger impact tell a story.

Explain the problem that you were face with and the consequences if you fail. Build suspense, even lower your tone.

Create a story of pain, before you, the superhero of the story comes to the rescue and saves the day.

Interview questions and answers

Pick Power Words

‘Tell me about yourself? ‘ This commonly asked question can either persuade or put off the employer.

The words you choose to use to describe yourself will positively or negatively influence the interviewee, even when the meaning of the word is the same.

This is because all words have different levels of emotional intensity

Say these words out loud and notice how they make you feel different even though the meaning of the word is the same;

  • I’m a good team player or I’m an excellent team player
  • I try my best or I put my all into everything I do
  • dedicated or loyal 
  • responsible or follow rules 
  • goal setter or goal achiever 
  • ideas or innovative 
  • enjoy or passionate 

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Your Resume Requires Rejuvenation, But How?

Your Resume Requires Rejuvenation, But How?

Time and again you’ll meet people telling you about the significance of working on your resume and giving it the best shape possible, for better job outcomes. But, do you really see the point of applying the same old hacks and still expecting results to be in your favor?

The job market all across the globe has transformed and so has the employers’ approach. Putting your old school ideas into implementation would fetch you nothing more than peanuts, a job-offer left aside.

Also, keeping the candidates on the mature side under due consideration, a lot that has transformed needs to be on the paper in the most concise yet enticing way possible. Hence, the discussion given below will present the 5 most pertinent points, to help you rejuvenate your resume. Give it a good glance and arm yourself for success.

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Start With Omitting Those Old Dates

Hiring managers nowadays look for a specific kind of qualification pertaining to every job profile.

Caring about dates is the last thing going in their minds, until the moment you make a mention. Apart from being an age indicator, the dates of your degree also act as a pointer suggesting your experience (or inexperience rather).

Hence, if you’ve completed a certification recently, mentioning the time period for the same will show the little experience you hold in the field, which is obviously something you’ll not prefer.

Know The Difference Between a Duty and an Accomplishment

Every now and then, the first advice that comes with respect to a resume is including all necessary keywords. It’s true that keywords help it to rise above the database trash of any hiring manager, but there are deeper things that require your attention.

One such thing is understanding the basic difference between a duty and an accomplishment.

A duty describes a responsibility you took on your shoulders and accomplishment demonstrates how well you did it.

For instance, being a sales manager and generating leads was your duty, but an accomplishment would be more like creating sales figures worth USD 500,000 within a month. Once you make out the basic difference between these, it’ll be much easier for you to list both of them under separate sections, a thing most recruiters look forward to, nowadays.

Giving Your Skills Set a Twirl

Gone are those days when the mention of all your skills alone would do the job. Today, employers look for much specific stuff.

What you need, is to recognize and mention skills that are pertinent to the job profile you are targeting.

In addition to this, volunteering is a great way to boost your resume too. Hence, don’t keep yourself from sharing any such experience you hold. This completely works in your favor, especially if you hold limited expertise in the field you want to shift to.

Be Crisp and Let The Numbers Talk

Nobody in this world has the time to invest some and go thoroughly, through a two-page resume. It’s scanning that’s prominent these days.

The need of the hour is to recognize the things that set you apart. For each section in your resume, try asking questions like what did you do beyond your normal job duties and what problems did you help to solve?

Once these are clear, paint a picture using facts, figures and numbers. These would any day vouch for your work efficiency in a much convincing way!

Interview questions and answers

Get It Online and Connect With The Globe

You may deny it, but nearly all employers find their employee base through social media.

The moment you start navigating Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn for industry-specific communities, a cognizance with the reality will happen. So, be at the place most of the recruiters are and make your online profile visible.

Things might be endless to list. But, the hack lies in analyzing the most crucial ones. Hence, with a clear perspective in mind, just stick to the aforementioned. Give your resume a facelift and the ball will be in your court, before you say ‘resume’!

Author Bio:

Anshuman Kukreti is a professional writer and a keen follower of the global job market. An engineer by qualification and an artist at heart, he writes on various topics related to employment across the globe. Reach him @ LinkedIn, Twitter