Writing an effective procurement CV

The procurement industry is becoming increasingly popular with candidates and competition for jobs can be fierce. An impressive CV is one way you can stand out from the crowd and impress an employer. But what does a great procurement CV look like?

It is important to showcase any experience in commodity specialisations, highlight your achievements in numerical terms and your relationship and supplier management skills and any international exposure you have had – all these can help you stand out from the crowd.

Create a bespoke CV for each role

It might be easier to send the same CV for every job you apply for but you are much more likely to be successful if you tailor it for each role. Each procurement job’s different and it is important to highlight the key skills required in the job specification clearly and concisely in your CV. For example if a role is looking for someone that has experience driving efficiency in the supply chain, clearly state the cost savings or processes you put in place. Be specific, instead of saying  ‘Reduced the business supply chain costs’ say ‘Implemented a cost reduction strategy in the UK that lowered supply chain costs by 21% and made savings of £4.3m’.

Work experience and qualifications are what most recruiters are looking for, so pay particular attention to getting these sections right. In addition to your degree, highlight any qualifications and training related to the job you are applying for

Layout

Procurement is a competitive market and hiring managers can often be overloaded with CVs. It can be a mistake to think that each employer will read every CV word for word. Most skim the CVs submitted to them so a good layout is critical. The CV should not be too long and should be easy to read – your CV should use a clear font and bullet points rather than contain blocks of text. First impressions count, so your CV needs to look professional and have key information available at a glance. 

Get a second opinion

A good recruitment consultant can review your CV and offer advice on what needs to be improved. Consider asking a family member, a former colleague or a friend to read over the CV - sometimes a new set of eyes can spot a mistake or point out something that is not clear. 

Grammatical errors

Your CV should have no spelling or grammar mistakes. Working in procurement is all about detail, organisation and planning – having a CV that has basic mistakes does not say a lot about these skills. Read over your CV and then have a break and re-read again before getting another set of eyes to have a final proof read. 

Highlight what's important 

Work experience and qualifications are what most recruiters are looking for, so pay particular attention to getting these sections right. In addition to your degree, highlight any qualifications and training related to the job you are applying for, including external and in-house procurement training you have had. If you have strong IT and/or language skills make sure these clearly stand out on your CV – these skills can be highly important in procurement roles and will give you a real competitive advantage. Highlight if you are a member of CIPS or another procurement affiliation.

Get in touch today if you are looking to advance your career in the dynamic & exciting procurement sector.