Interviews are conducted to see how well you can handle pressure.
Prepare well for interviews by going through specifically designed questions and you can come out at the top.
Here is a set of interview questions and answers to help you along:
Purchasing Clerk Interview Questions and Answers
1. What is the one thing about the procurement process that you find cumbersome?
While I wouldn’t call it cumbersome, following up on placed orders is usually quite challenging, especially when the vendors or suppliers have a reputation for being tardy with order delivery.
2. How do you make sure that the trials associated with late orders are handled properly?
Once an order has been delayed, I know that the vendor needs to be dealt with differently than before. I make sure that the delivery timeline that I provide to vendors and suppliers is at least 48 hours earlier than the actual one. Works!
3. As a purchasing clerk, what is the first thing that you do when you reach the office each day?
The first thing that I do when I reach the office each day is to look through any pending purchase orders to ensure that they are expedited immediately.
4. What have been your specific duties as a purchasing clerk in a previous role?
As a purchasing clerk, I have been actively involved in creating and maintaining purchase orders, verifying procurement requisitions, checking for required stock in the inventory, contacting vendors and suppliers to place orders, following up on placed orders, and ensuring that required items are delivered to requesters in a timely manner.
5. As far as skills are concerned, where do you stand?
I am a thoroughly organized individual who is always on her feet to ensure that deadlines are met. My communication and interpersonal skills are excellent, and I am great at performing follow-ups. In addition to this, I possess working knowledge of the procurement process and can handle adverse situations such as late deliveries in an appropriate manner, so that they do not affect the flow of office work.
6. What sort of technical skills does a purchasing clerk require?
It is important for purchasing clerks to be great at handling computers to punch in orders, keep track of requisitions and correspond with staff members and suppliers through email.