We were helping a recent MBA graduate land a commodity manager job. His background is impeccable no matter what criteria you use: multiple years as the distribution manager for a Global 500 company, an expert in planning, logistics and warehousing, and MBA education from Arizona State University, a very top supply chain program in the nation. Furthermore, he is a rare trilingual candidate best suited for China supply chains: he speaks Chinese, English and the language of supply chain. This is evidenced by the interview opportunities he got: whenever companies came to campus, he was surely on the interview list. However, he seldom made the second round. Why?
The answer: he let his history hold him hostage.
When companies come to ASU, they bring purchasing and supply management jobs as that's what the school is best at. Since his background is mostly logistics, this candidate views himself as a logistics professional, although he indeed had great experience with supply management. For example, as a distribution manager, he was actually managing transportation suppliers. This mindset dominated his interview for those purchasing type jobs: I am a logistics guy and not a purchasing professional; therefore I am not a perfect match for the job. If you believe you are not the best fit, you are not and you will not get the job.
Our advice to this candidate is very simple: Start to view himself as a supply management professional. Why not? He worked so much with suppliers, he is so good with supply chain, and he went through the rigorous 2 year full time MBA program at a top purchasing school. If his classmates who were school teachers or biologists are qualified for a commodity manager position, why not him?
Again, don't let past hold future hostage. Nobody is born for a specific profession. We all build our futuer on top of our past; however, don't let past dictate future.
Source for the picture: The Memphis Business Journal.
About the Author
Bob Liu, C.P.M., CPIM, is Managing Director of CSCS International. He is stationed in Silicon Valley and travels frequently to Greater China to help clients build their local supply chain organizations. Bob got his MBA in supply chain management, and has been managing global supply chains for over 10 years in the U.S. and China. He can be reached at bob.liu#ChinaSCservices.com (substitute # with @).
