MockQuestions

Purchasing Manager Mock Interview

39 Questions Created By

To help you prepare for your Purchasing Manager interview, here are 39 interview questions and answer examples.

First Question

39 Purchasing Manager Interview Questions

10 Interview Questions With Sample Answers

1.   If we buy a customized product from a single source, how will you know if the price is fair?

How to Answer

This is a "core knowledge" question as purchasing from a single source has unique risks that need to be minimized. Answering this question is fairly easy if you have good amount of experience in this industry.

You can explain what method you use for determining if the price is fair or not and why you trust your method.



Written by Rachelle Enns

Answer Example

"core knowledge"

Written by Rachelle Enns

2.   Do you manage your time well?

How to Answer

You may get several questions around time management and prioritization. The key to answering these questions is showing that you have daily time and prioritization period, that you use it, and that it is accommodating to changes.



Written by Rachelle Enns

Answer Example

"I am a planner and time manager. I set aside time early in the day to plan deliverables, prioritize events, projects and calls/emails I need to get done. I also set some time later in the day to review the day, and pre-plan for the next day."

Written by Rachelle Enns

3.   How would your former employer describe you?

How to Answer

This question allows you to indicate that you are both technically competent as well as a good person. It also gives you an opportunity to project yourself as a good employee and a team player.

This question focuses more on your relationship with your superiors than on your points of improvement. The interviewer wants to know how you interact with your superiors and how you talk about them.

While answering this question try to avoid any sort of negative remarks about your superiors and also if there has been any remark about your performance from their side try to elaborate it here in a positive manner. Don't get carried away and start talking about their behaviour towards you etc.



Written by Rachelle Enns

Answer Example

"I believe that he will describe me as the employee who always came to work on time and did his work with full dedication. I have always been ready to go to that extra mile for the greater good of the company. I think thats what he will say about me but then of course you have to contact him to ask more."

Written by Rachelle Enns

4.   What is the most difficult situation you have had to face and how did you tackle it?

How to Answer

The interviewer is interested in knowing how do you manage difficult situations, do you keep your head on your shoulders when difficulties arise or do you lose patience.



All the companies want to hire a person who is a problem solver and knows his way out of situations. Anyone who is willing to go that extra mile might be the choice of the hiring manager. An purchasing manager's job is to always come up with better solutions to the company's supply chain requirements and if you are someone who loves challenges then this just might be the job for you.



This can be answered with a difficult project encountered while in school or work. Difficult situations can be related to team dynamics, unrealistic expectations, incomplete directions, etc.



Describe the project, the difficulty and how/why it was difficult. Then describe how you dealt with it. Example might be taking a project team member aside and walking through the project elements, how they need to work on specific areas. If it was with a difficult teacher/boss, then describe how you communicated the issue(s) you were encountering, what you proposed to solve the issues, and ultimately the resolution.



Written by Rachelle Enns

Answer Example

"One such situation I can remember of is from a few years back when one of our suppliers decided to stop providing us with supplies as he was getting better price from one of our competitors. We tried to talk to him but he was adamant so we had to find our new supplier in a week's time. This was a difficult task as this was a big supplier but we decided to use all our contacts and made sure that we get even better prices and quality by the suppliers we enrolled next. We did have to go for 3 small suppliers to fulfil the requirement but we were able to complete our orders in time."

Written by Rachelle Enns

5.   What do you enjoy about this industry?

How to Answer

This question intends to extract out information about how much you like your job and if you really enjoy what you do. To answer this question you might need to do a little homework about what this target job has on offer for you and try to direct your answer in such a way that this job appears to be a perfect match for what you enjoy about this industry.



Written by Rachelle Enns

Answer Example

"Ever since I was a child I enjoyed shopping and this love for buying things has only increased with age. The fact that I get to do it professionally now is simply an add on to what I have always loved. In addition to the negotiations with the sellers that I have to do in order to strike a profitable deal what I also love is the traveling that is involved."

Written by Rachelle Enns

6.   What kind of work environment do you thrive in?

How to Answer

This is as much a culture question - match your answer to the culture of the organization.



Written by Rachelle Enns

Answer Example

"I like a high degree of collaboration, transparency, and customer focus. It is important for me to be in an environment where we are all working towards a common goal, share the same vision and passion."

Written by Rachelle Enns

7.   Do you work well on a team or prefer to work independently?

How to Answer

This is both a culture and leadership question. Be prepared to answer the question and show your ability to work both as a team member and independently. You can also do a little research about the way the company functions and modify your answer accordingly.



Written by Rachelle Enns

Answer Example

"As a Purchasing Manager, I am a part of an organization and a team. Even as a single contributor, purchasing is a strategic-level aspect of the overall business, and therefore I work with multiple areas of the organization on a daily basis."

Written by Rachelle Enns

8.   What kind of pressures have you encountered at work?

How to Answer

You may get several questions around stressful situations and your ability and experience) in them. The key to your answer is to show that you don't lose control.



Written by Rachelle Enns

Answer Example

"As a Purchasing Manager, I am constantly under presser to deliver value. That can be in decreasing spend, improving quality, delivery, insight into the function, etc. As the industry is global, pressure and new challenges can come from anywhere and at any time. Part of being a great PM is setting up systems that can accommodate these pressures."

Written by Rachelle Enns

9.   How do you prioritize your work?

How to Answer

The key to answering this questions is showing that you have daily time and prioritization period, that you use it, and that it is accommodating to changes.



Written by Rachelle Enns

Answer Example

"My priorities are the organization's priorities and can change based on this fact. I have to manage short-, mid- and long-term initiatives and prioritize my work according to them. Prioritizing is part of my daily planning process and I adjust as needed to serve the organization."

Written by Rachelle Enns

10.   How will you go about determining this company's purchasing patterns?

How to Answer

This question explores your technical skills. Purchasing patterns offer opportunities for insights to savings of time, money, etc.



Written by Rachelle Enns

Answer Example

"Most modern ERP and Financial software have the ability to run reports to generate purchasing patterns, get KPIs as well as potentially extract data so that we can implement a more modern management dashboard."

Written by Rachelle Enns

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