So what qualities sets a high calibre supply chain candidate apart from a mediocre one? A high impact cover letter is a good start.
Without doubt the conundrum “to cover letter or not to cover letter” continues to be a consideration for most applicants. For HR managers and recruiters however, written effectively, a cover letter has the power to sum up, in a single page, the reason why one applicant should make the shortlist.
Of course, it doesn’t tell the whole story - that’s your CV’s job - but it can emphasise your personal brand and set you apart from hundreds of other candidates.
Whether you have been in the industry for most of your career or are considering moving into a role within supply chain for the first time, you should aim to cover off the following skills and attributes in your cover letter. To position yourself as knowledgeable, experienced and relevant for the industry, focus on these key areas:
If you are applying for managerial level roles (and above) in supply chain, you should also consider including actual examples that demonstrate how you:
“Most supply chain people aren’t great networkers. There is an opportunity for ambitious supply chain professionals to be more socially active and engage with professional networks in order to secure a new role quicker and be ahead of the competition”
Now and in the future, technological innovation will continue to positively impact efficiency and productivity within the supply chain industry. Businesses will evolve in new ways to innovate and will be looking for talent who can initiate and implement it.
As transportation and communication costs decrease, logistics and global supply chains will improve capabilities and develop new markets. In turn, job opportunities will open up and drive business growth forward.
So, beyond the basics, why not take some innovative license now and add your personal trademark into your cover letter for your job of the future. Building ‘brand appeal’ is essentially writing about yourself like advertisers’ profile new product or services - focusing on the features and benefits - of your capabilities.
Great ‘brand appeal’ builds on a generic description about yourself, for example, “qualitative skills” making it more conversational and relatable, so, “a problem solving and logical communication style that is critical for supply chain management because….”
Building a picture of your innovation capabilities through demonstrated experience will provide future employers with invaluable insight into how your skills will fit in with their future strategic plans.