INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

FOR SCM
What are the responsibilities of a
logistician?
Primary role of a logistician is to
Manage the supply chain
Procurement
Shipping and Receiving
Inventory Management
Transportation management
Distribution
WHY SHOULD WE HIRE YOU
My skill set seems to be a perfect match for what you're
looking for. In addition, I enjoy working with people, and
would welcome the opportunity to be a part of your team.
The Skills may be;

PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILL/NEGOTIATION SKILL

Supply chain managers have to deal with unexpected
problems on a daily basis. Interviewers need to determine
if job candidates can solve issues such as supply chain
disruptions and contract disputes with vendors. They may
ask for an example of how you handled a problem like a
supplier not meeting shipping deadlines or bad weather
delaying a shipment. Be prepared to explain how you
resolved types of situations such as a carrier rate hike or
routing change. Your examples should have clear, step-
by-step explanations. If you were not able to solve a
problem, share what you learned from the experience.
 Analytical Skills
To stay competitive, companies must move
materials in a timely, low-cost manner.
Supply chain managers have to constantly
analyze their operations to find ways to
save money and avoid delays. Employers
usually ask applicants to describe situations
where they made process improvements.
Your answer should include the kind of
reports or analysis tools you have used to
identify weak areas and find solutions.
Communication SKILL
Supply chain managers communicate with
parties throughout the supply chain and within
their own organization. They may have to
exchange information with others in different
time zones and deal with language barriers.
Interviewers ask questions about
communication to see how job candidates
handle communication barriers and make sure
the recipient understood the message.
Employers may inquire how you have handled
difficult situations such as an angry customer or
unhappy service provider, especially one who
speaks another language.
 Global Perspective
Successful supply chain managers have a
global view and are comfortable with cultural
diversity. The interview may include questions
about your experience working in other
countries and how you handled cultural
differences. Some questions may have
references to world events or new
international trade regulations. The employer
will expect you to have a solid understanding
of current events that may impact their
operations.
 Critical Thinking Skills Critical
thinking skills are the most important
problem solving skills a supply chain
management professional can
possess. Critical thinking skills are
those skills that allow supply chain
management professionals to see the
intricate details of a problem
unemotionally and then turn the
problem into an opportunity an
opportunity to improve, learn, or earn.
 People Skills With no people skills,
supply chain management professionals
will not go far in problem solving or in their
job overall for that matter. In addition to
simply understanding and relating to
people, in order to be a good problem
solver, supply chain management
professionals must understand how to think
with a team, not just make a one sided
decision when solving problems.
Understanding teamwork and utilizing the
strengths of team members can help every
supply chain management professional be
an effective problem solver.
 Decisiveness In order to efficiently
solve problems, supply chain
management professionals need to
be decisive. Once you have analyzed
the problem and contemplated
prospective solutions, you must be
able to select a solution and then
implement it without being flighty
or changing your mind. You must be
able to make a solution quickly and
implement it quickly in order to keep
additional problems from forming.
What are the duties of a Logistics & Operations
Manager?

A logistics operations managers workday can

include running a direct distribution center. They
ensure that incoming materials from suppliers are in
good order and properly stored, and that outgoing
parts and materials for customers leave in the right
quantities and in good condition. Throughout the
day, they may be negotiate with transportation
companies over rates or service levels; prepare
documents; or review invoices and customs
documents. A logistics operations manager may
need to look into and resolve issues with suppliers,
customers, transportation companies or employees.
They also may review distribution center workloads
with other departments, coordinating with the
schedulers and planners.
Explain what is supply chain
management?
Supply chain management includes an
integrated approach of planning,
implementing and controlling the flow of
information, materials and service from
raw material to the finished good for the
ultimate distribution to the customer.
Or in common mans language the story
of journey of how a product reaches the
customer.
Explain what is ASN (Advance
Shipping Notice)?
It is a notice that is sent to the
customer about the detailed
shipment information in advance of
delivery. It may also include carrier
and shipment related information like
time of shipment and expected time
of arrival.
Explain what is Anti-Dumping
duty?
Anti-dumping duty is an import duty
levied in cases where imported goods
are priced at less than the normal
price in the exporters domestic
market and cause material loss to the
domestic industry of the importing
country.
Explain what is LTL (Less than
truckload)?
LTL (Less than Truckload) shipment is
a contract between the shipper and
transport owner. According to the
contract, instead of the entire truck,
the shipment are priced according to
the weight of the freight and mileage
within designated lanes.
Explain the term deadweight
tonnage?
Deadweight tonnage is the difference
between the laden and unladen
weight of the ship. In other words, it
is the weight of everything that ship
carries except the ship itself.
Explain how to organize storage area for
bulk items?
Look storage place which has the facility of
single, double or multiple depth locations
Bulk storage in vertical or straight direction:
It is the most common method of organizing
the container, it is organized in a vertical
direction piling the container over each other.
Bulk storage at angle: It is one of the
solutions that can be applied in a situation
when there is a limited place to
accommodate containers. But it is applicable
in special cases only, depending upon what
material it carries.
Explain what is cross docking?
Cross docking is a process of
unloading materials from an
incoming semi-truck and loading
directly into out-bounds trucks or
trailers. It reduces handling costs,
operating costs and the storage of
inventory.
Explain what is TEU?
TEU stands for Twenty foot
Equivalent Unit. It is a method of
calculating vessel load or capacity, in
units of containers that are twenty
feel long. For example, a 40ft long
container measure 2TEUs.
What is the advice of shipment and
advising bank?
Advice of shipment: It is a notice sent to a
foreign buyer or local trader informing them
that the shipment has processed forward
and carried information about packing,
routing, etc. A copy of the invoice is often
sent with it and if recommended a copy of
landing also attached along with that.
Advising Bank: Advising bank is a bank
operating in the sellers country, that
handles letters of credit in behalf of a foreign
bank
Explain what is affreightment?
Affreightment is a contract between
ship owner and merchant, where ship
owner provides or rented the space in
the ship to the merchant for an
agreed amount and for a specific
period. In this contract, merchant is
liable for the payment whether or not
the ship is ready for the shipment.
What does a bill of lading include?
A bill of lading includes following details
Name and complete address of shippers and
receivers
Special account numbers or PO used between
business for order tracking
Instruction for the carrier for secure delivery
Date of the shipment
Number of shipping units
Types of packaging that includes cartons, pallets,
skids and drums
Description about the shipped items (common name
& material of manufacture)
Declared value of the goods being shipped
Note included if there is any hazardous substance in it
Exact weight of the shipments for multiple
commodities, weight for each commodity is mentioned
separately
Freight classification of the items shipped, according
to NMFC (National Motor freight classification)
Explain what is blanket way bill?
A way bill which covers two or more
consignment of freight is referred as
blanket way bill.
What are the activities performed at
operational level in logistics?
Various activities at operational level
includes
Goods receipt and checking
Bulk storage
Order picking
Stock replenishment
Order marshalling
Load Scheduling
Returns
Availability of Personnel
Update of stock
Completion of documentation
Mention what is freight class based on?
Freight class is based on four factors
Density: Weight per cubic foot
Freight Stowability: width and length
based on carrier mode rules
Ease of handling: Evaluation of the effort
required in transporting
Liability: It includes liability to damage,
breakability and perishability, freight price
per pound and susceptibility of theft
Explain what is declared the value
for carriage?
Declared value for carriage is the
value of the goods, declared by the
shipper on the bill of lading, to
determine the limit of the carriers
liability or a freight rate.
Explain what is export
declaration?
Export declaration is a government
document that defines the goods to
be supplied out of the country.
Explain what is documents against
acceptance?
A documents against acceptance are an
arrangement or provision, where exporter
instructs a bank to hand over shipping and
title documents to the importer only if the
importer agrees the accompanying bill of
exchange or draft by signing it. This provision
ensures that the buyer is legally bound to
pay the full price to the exporter for the
shipments, before ownership is transferred.
Explain what is the difference between
document against acceptance and
document against payment?
Document against payment: The document
remains with bank and importers have to pay
the exporter before they release the
documents. In this payment is immediate, and
document is released quickly
Document against acceptance: In this importer
gives 30-45 days to bank to deduct the amount
and then release the documents. In this
provision, there is much risk, and if there is no
sufficient balance in the account then, the
process will get delayed.
Explain what is Carton Clamps?
It is the most versatile attachment
used for handling and transporting
multiple unpalletized products such
as furniture, carton, appliances, etc.
What is SKU number?
Stock Keeping Unit also referred as
SKU number is a unique code used to
identify particular line items.
What are APS, ASN and ASRS?
APS: It stands for Advance Planning
and Scheduling
ASN: It stands for Advanced
Shipment Notifications
ASRS: Automated Storage and
Retrieval Systems
What is compliance labels?
Compliance label are used as shipping labels,
carton labels, pallet labels and they usually
contain bar codes. It is used for the identification
of goods delivered.
Explain what is consignment inventory?
Consignment inventory is in the possession of the
customer but still owned by the supplier. It means
you will pay the supplier only when their goods are
sold.
Explain what is chargeback?
When any shipment that does not meet the
customers decided terms and conditions, a
financial penalty is charged against the supplier by
customer. This charge is referred as charge back.
For example, lack of proper packaging or labelling.
Explain what is cycle time?
Cycle time is the time consumed to get and
order from order entry to the shipping dock.
Explain what is bonded warehouse?
Bonded warehouse is a dedicated portion of a
facility where imported goods are stored before
the customs duties or taxes are being paid.
Explain what is blind shipment and bread
bulk?
When the source of the supplier is hidden from
the customer, such shipment is referred as a
blind shipment.
Bread bulk is referred to overseas shipments,
where the cargo being shipped consists of
smaller units like crates, bales, cartons and so
on.
What are the major transportation
issues in warehousing?
The major transport issues in
warehousing are
Costs
Delays
Tracking and communications
Warehouse Safety
Explain what is the difference
between logistics and transport?
Logistics: Logistics is referred as the
procedure of managing goods,
resources and information from the
source to the consumers in a manner
that it fits the requirements of both
parties.
Transportation:Transport is the
movement of the goods from one
point to the other. It is considered as
part of logistics.
Explain what is batch picking?
The technique of transporting inventory
which are grouped into small batches at
one go is known as batch picking.
Explain what is wave picking?
Wave picking is a technique of assigning
orders into groups and release them
together, so as to allow several
activities to run parallel and complete
the task.
In inventory management what do you
mean by allocation?
It is a demand which is created by the Sales
Order or Work Orders next to a particular
team.
Explain what is a capacity requirement
planning?
It is a process for determining the quantity of
machine and manual labor resources
necessary to assemble a production.
Explain what is activity based costing?
It is a method which helps in the breakdown
of the costs into specific activities in order to
maintenance of accuracy in the distribution
of costs in product costing.
Explain what is the meaning of Triage?
The sorting of products or goods based on
their condition or quality is referred as Triage.
Some of the goods needs to be repaired and
sent back, others have to be sold off as used
or defective goods.
Explain what is meant by Reverse
Logistics?
Reverse Logistics is the collection of all
processes that come into play for goods that
move in the reverse directions which means
transportation of goods customer to the
business.
What are the main supply chain challenges
companies face today?
The five big challenges that companies face today
is
Ignoring the continued growth of e-commerce as
a channel in the industrial sector
No attention to the potential risk like volatile
transportation costs
Over expectation that supply chain management
technologies will fix everything
Over-reliance on past performance to predict
future sales
Increase complexity added to supply chain
operations with implementation of unnecessary
technologies
Lack of understanding of the full capacities of
suppliers and service
What are the areas should be focused
more in order to improve warehouse
transportation?
Delivery Frequency
Turnaround Times
Journey Times
Fixed Routing
Unification of product
Performance standard
Vehicle fill
Scheduling
Vehicle and operational records
Preloading
Explain what is WTS (Warehouse Tracking
System)? How does it work?
WTS or Warehouse Tracking System is a software
application which is specifically designed for the
warehouse industry. It uses the system of
barcode labels which allows you to track product
movement, audits and shipments easily. It
enables you to identify each piece of stock by a
unique serial number.
With the help of WTS how you can generate
an Invoice?
There are two ways you can generate Invoice
using WTS technique
One way of creating an invoice is assigning it
directly with the orders that you are working on
And the other way is to export the order to
QuickBooks and create the invoice there.
How Warehouse Tracking System
will be helpful in warehouse
transportation?
In the warehouse, WTS will help you
Eliminate searching for lost products
and saves your transportation time
Reduce picker walk time
Monitor warehouse activity and order
status in real time
What are the important aspects of
transportation and fleet
management?
The important aspects of transportation
and fleet management
Transport Acquisition
Transport Planning
Routing maintenance planning
Fleet maintenance and Scheduling
Risk management
Human resource management
From health and safety point what are
things to be taken care while warehouse
transportation?
Dont leave items in aisles on the floor or
perched insecurely on a surface
Clean up all spills immediately
Dont block fire exits, sprinklers or fire
extinguishers
Put items in their assigned places
Dont leave sharp tools or cutters perching out
Keep cord and wires off the floor
Report loose flooring or tripping hazards
Dispose of trash immediately in proper
containers
What are the challenges do
companies faces as they try to
improve Supply Chain Management?
As companies are challenged with finding
ways to meet ever-rising customer
expectations at a manageable cost. To do
so, businesses must identify which parts
of their supply chain process are not
competitive, understand which customer
needs are not being met, establish
improvement goals, and rapidly
implement necessary improvements.
YOUR WEAKNESS;
Better answers would be;
I will concentrate on more than one job at a
time.Though it seems that multitasking
would mean you get more done, it has
been shown that, typically, those that
multitask are not able to give their 100% to
one task. Therefore, though more tasks
may be completed, they are typically not
completed to the best of ones ability.
Learning to focus on one task at a time and
committing your attention to it wholly will
help you become a more focused supply
chain manager.
 I started learning to Prioritize
One of the first thing that productive
and successful supply chain managers
do when they start their day is
prioritize their daily tasks. This will
help them focus on the most important
and time sensitive matters first
guaranteeing they get done. If you
want to be more focused, you must
know what to focus on in order to
succeed.
 Why did you opt this job?
I am sure that this job will lead me
down the right path in my career.
Are you a hard worker or smart
worker?
For me working smarter means I should
be organized, concise and not waste my
time or the time of others. The best way
to achieve this in my day is to be clear
on my goals and organized in working
toward meeting deadlines and goals. So I
think I work hard to work smart.
 HOW DO YOU HANDLE
STRESS
Good pressure, such as having a lot of assignments to
work on, or an upcoming deadline, helps me to stay
motivated and productive. Of course, there are times
when too much pressure can lead to stress;But I think I
can manage it.
OR
I react to situations, rather than to stress. That way, the
situation is handled and doesn't become stressful. For
example, when I deal with an unsatisfied customer, rather
than feeling stressed, I focus on the task at hand. I
believe my ability to communicate effectively with
customers during these moments helps reduce my own
stress in these situationsand also reduces any stress the
customer may feel.
 Your Goals for the Future
My long-term goals involve growing with a
company where I can continue to learn,
take on additional responsibilities, and
contribute as much of value as I can.
or
I see myself as a top performing employee
in a well-established organization, like this
one. I plan on enhancing my skills and
continuing my involvement in (related)
professional associations.
 HOW DO YOU HANDLE
FAILURE
"I have always lived by the maxim that nobody
is perfect, so I am relatively comfortable taking
responsibility for my shortcomings. My
approach is to figure out what I could change to
avoid similar circumstances in the future.
OR
I look to my professional colleagues in similar
jobs and co-workers at my organization for
suggestions on how to improve. I am
aggressive about taking workshops, training
seminars, and online tutorials to upgrade my
skills."
 Best Questions to Ask the
Interviewer (If you got a

chance)
How would you describe the responsibilities of the
position?
What are the prospects for growth and
advancement?
How does one advance in the company?
What are the prospects for growth and
advancement?
How does one advance in the company?
Do you have a policy for helping new members of
the team get on board?
What are biggest challenges of this job?