Logistics refers to the movement of goods from the warehouse of an organization to the next level in the supply chain. For example, from the factory to the godown of a wholesaler. Efficient and timely movement of goods not only promotes place utility but also minimizes the inventory carrying cost. Thus, logistics managers are hired by business organizations to supervise and control all the processes related to the supply chain.
It is a middle-level position and fetches an attractive salary as well as incentives. Prepare hard for your upcoming interview session and never forget to read our best collection of interview questions compiled hereunder:
21 Best Interview Questions To Study
1. What Do You Mean By Product Selection and Quantification As Steps Of Logistics Cycle?
This question tests your understanding of the logistics management cycle, which guides a logistics manager while performing his duties.
Sample Answer
Sir, both of these are critical elements of the logistics management cycle, which mean:
- Product Selection: The product offered by the company to its customers, impacts and determines the manner in which it will be transported. For example, Perishable goods are transported in cold storage boxes.
- Quantification: In this step, the cost and quantity of the selected products are determined. This is done to achieve maximum consumer satisfaction by ensuring an uninterrupted supply of goods.
2. I Forgot Those Seven R’s Of Logistics Management. Can You Help Me Out?
This question tests your understanding of the core principles of logistics management.
Sample Answer
The primary purpose and objective of logistics management is based on these seven guiding principles, which are:
- Delivering the:
- Right Product in Right Quantity in Right Condition at Right Place at Right Time for the Right Customer at Right Price
3. We Have Active Inventory Control Systems In Place. Can You Share Some Of Its Uses?
This question tests how much you know about inventory control systems.
Sample Answer
Sure, sir, These are:
- Helps to determine an optimal level of stock
- Ensures that the stock never runs out and is timely replenished
- Guides the store manager about when to re-order the inventory
4. What Are The Various Types Of Inventories That Exist In A Business Organization Engaged In Manufacturing?
This question tests your understanding of the various types of stocks and their balances, which exist in a manufacturing company.
Sample Answer
Sure, sir, These are:
- Inventory of:
- Raw materials, which are used in the production process
- Work in progress goods (WIP), which are semi-processed finished goods
- Finished goods, which are finally sold to consumers of the company
5. What Are Some Common Duties Of A Logistics Manager?
This question tests how much you understand your profession and the various duties to be performed in it.
Sample Answer
Sir, These are:
- Determining the most appropriate transport carriers, and defining their routes
- Operate within the allocated budget, and fix responsibilities in cases of variance
- Developing plans to consistently improve the supply system and overall logistic processes
6. What Are The Negative Effects Of Supply Side Disruptions Upon The Company?
This question requires you to share the various issues that could impact the overall functioning of the company if it is not able to maintain or run a robust supply chain system.
Sample Answer
Sir, if a company is not able to supply its goods via a perfect distribution network then it will:
- Reduce the revenue of the company
- Hamper the business growth as customers will switch over, thereby shrinking the consumer base
- Negatively impact the profitability, due to rising inventory holding cost
7. In Our Organization Everybody Works Hard and Wants To Climb The Corporate Ladder Quickly. There Will Always Be Instances When Your Colleagues Will Move Ahead Of You. How Do You Manage The Resultant Inferiority Complex?
This is a psychological interview question intended to test your personality and behavior towards competition existing within an organization.
Sample Answer
Sir, I completely understand the relevance of this interview question. Success is a mixture of hard work, luck, past experiences, and inherent willpower, which motivates us to persevere at our workplace. It is ingrained in human nature to envy others’ success and feel depressed. To be honest, I am a normal human and I also envy like many others, but instead of taking it negatively, I use it as an inspiration. I never feel bad that I wasn’t promoted, rather, I find the problems that exist within me, and try my level best to eliminate them.
8. Logistics or Supply Chain Is An Uncertain Process, Which is Full Of Interruptions and Problems. How Do You Account For and Manage All The Unexpected Glitches?
This question tests your practical working knowledge.
Sample Answer
Sir, it is absolutely true, that nothing is predictable in logistics. The weather, the route, the carrier, everything might seem fine initially. However, this can change pretty quickly and when a logistics manager is not prepared for these variations, it can lead to major supply-side disruptions. Hence, I always prepare a contingency plan to handle and deal with all such issues. Using my experience, I always envisage a few possible interruptions and prepare a backup plan, which accounts for all of them.
9. Name The Three Best Logistics Management Software Used Widely In The Industry.
This question tests your acquaintance with the latest software technology prevailing in the industry.
Sample Answer
Sure, sir, These are:
- NetSuite
- Logix Platform
- ShipStation
10. What Is The Best Way To Select Transport Carriers? Please Explain In Brief.
As a logistics manager, you will be required to select and negotiate contracts with the transport carriers. In response to this question, share your method for doing so.
Sample Answer
Sir, in my humble opinion, Open tendering with or without restrictions, is the best way to select transport carriers. Using this, a logistics manager must follow the following steps:
- Understand all the requirements of the company, including the:
- Expected lead time, delivery time
- Minimum number of fleets to be maintained
- The number of transport carriers to be selected, etc.
- Float an open tender mentioning all the requirements and place restrictions. For example, Only those transport operators can bid on our tenders, who maintain a minimum fleet of 25 trucks.
- Call for bids and start scrutinizing them for technical issues and defects
- Select the transport carrier(s) who has submitted the lowest bid
- Award the contract
11. What Are The Three Major Qualities That Every Logistics Manager Must Possess?
This question tests how much you understand your profession.
Sample Answer
Sure, sir, These are:
- Leadership: A logistics manager needs to supervise a large fleet of transport vehicles besides managing their owners and truck drivers. Thus, he must possess leadership qualities for effective management.
- Critical Thinking: Logistics is a surprising business function, which is highly unpredictable. Thus, a logistics manager must have the ability to think critically and contemplate all the future issues that can come into play.
- Excellent Inter-personal Skills: A logistics manager maintains an excellent rapport with all the transport carriers besides making strong connections within the industry. This not only helps in enhancing employee satisfaction but also makes them productive.
12. Planning Is Inevitable In Supply Chain Management. How Can You Justify This Statement?
This question tests how much you value planning while managing the logistics of a company.
Sample Answer
Sir, not only logistics, “planning” is an integral part of almost all the business functions. A comprehensive and well-thought plan, not only reduces the chances of occurrence of product losses but also prepares a logistics manager to respond efficiently in abnormal situations. Further, the development, implementation, and execution of a supply plan reduces delays and ensures the availability of the products at the right place and at the right time.
13. What Is Reverse Logistics? Explain Using Any Practical Industry Related Example.
This question tests your knowledge and understanding of the different types of logistics management.
Sample Answer
Sir, reverse logistics, refers to the incoming or inward movement of already issued goods to the warehouse or godown operated by an organization. For example, the purchase manager of a company requested 500 units of Material A, which will be consumed in the production process. However, in reality, only 400 units were consumed in the production, and a reverse order was issued for these excess 100 units. The process of receiving these excess goods back into the warehouse is managed by reverse logistics.
14. What Are Your Major Strengths and Weaknesses?
This is a common interview question and is asked in almost all the interview sessions held across the world. This is a master personality evaluator and helps the interviewers to understand how much you know about yourself besides assessing your body language. To prepare a perfect reply to this question, always read and understand the job description issued to you and note down all the major requirements. Post this, share weaknesses that do not conflict and strengths that align with these requirements.
15. As A Logistics Manager, You Will be Required To Perform Several Business Tasks, Which Will Have A Fixed Deadline. How Do You Ensure A Timely Completion For All Of Them?
The best way to execute all the deadline-based tasks in a time-bound manner is by adopting and following an appropriate prioritization technique using which you can always manage and arrange your tasks in a pre-determined manner. Commonly, employees prefer to manage their tasks on the basis of:
- Time consumption, with the most time-consuming tasks executed at first.
- Difficulty level, with the most difficult tasks executed at first
- Urgency level, with the most urgent tasks executed at first and
- Yield generated, with the task returning highest yield being executed at first
16. We All Need Motivation To Perform and Give Our Best. What Motivates You To Work?
Human actions and preferences are influenced by human needs, urges, and desires. These take the shape of “motivation” when we derive happiness and satisfaction from them. For example, an employee gaining recognition at the workplace tends to feel satisfied. These motivations prompt an employee to work hard at his workplace and return a solid performance. Thus, an interviewer is always interested in knowing about your motivational factors for the purposes of personality assessment.
17. Daily Routines and Managing Our Huge Supply Chain System Is Not An Easy Task. When Done Regularly It Can Lead To Stress and Anxiety. How Do You Manage Yourself Against These Issues?
The job profile of logistics managers requires them to always be vigilant, alert, and attentive to minute details. This is undoubtedly challenging, and at times it can lead to stress and frustration, causing you to deliver sub-standard performance. However, you must quickly cope with your workplace stress and work as per the expectations of the management. In an ideal response to this question, you must always share the best ways using which you manage and alleviate your stress.
18. What Are Your Salary Expectations?
Interviewers always prefer to ask about your salary expectations during the interview session itself. It is recommended that you never share any salary figure, which is too high or too low from the average salary offered in your industry. To determine it, you must always conduct an analysis of the industry to which you belong and note down all the salaries offered to logistics managers, who share a work experience similar to you.
19. Logistics Is An Integral Part Of Every Company and I Am Pretty Sure That You Must Have Applied To Several Other Companies As Well. But, Can You Tell Me Why You Chose Us?
It is common for us to apply at different business organizations so as to augment our probability of getting selected. It is true that not all companies are on our priority and we certainly apply to a few half-heartedly. Through this question, an interviewer wants to check your level of seriousness and commitment towards the business organization you have applied with. Prepare a perfect reply by noting all the accomplishments, achievements, and historical facts pertaining to the company. Post this, draft a structured response.
20. When Can You Begin Working With Us?
This is a non-technical interview question and requires you to share an expected date of start on or after which, you can begin working with the company. Be specific, and share a date after keeping a margin of at least 2-3 business days.
21. Do You Have Any Question For Us?
It is common for the interviewers to conclude an interview session using this interview question, which marks the end of your big day. So no more grilling, and you can certainly go home after attempting this question, which requires you to share your doubts and apprehensions that you might be having in regards to the organization. its policies, incentives offered, etc. Be attentive, and ask a few relevant counter questions, which are based on the model questions mentioned below:
Model Questions
- What are the advantages and disadvantages of working in this company?
- Please share a list of all the incentives and allowances that are offered by the company to its employees.
- What are the promotional aspects of this company? On average, after how many years does an employee gets promoted?
Download the list of questions in .PDF format, to practice with them later, or to use them on your interview template (For Logistics Manager interview):
References
- https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=KBYtEAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=Top+21+Logistics+Manager+Interview+Questions+in+2021+%5Bwith+Answers%5D&ots=eDSqMUgOoh&sig=F7Z_oyGNlpHf0V4cyYTkSE1gJnY
- https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/jbl.12238
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