Hi everyone, I need some advice on my job situation. I received an offer from a pharmaceutical company near Rome (Italy), and I’m trying to decide whether to accept it or stay in my current job. Here are all the details:

Personal Profile

I’m 25 years old, have a Master’s degree in Industrial Engineering, and have one and a half years of work experience.

Current Job

Role: Continuous Improvement Specialist at a multinational beverage company in Northeast Italy. Contract: Fixed-term (soon to become permanent). Salary: €31,300 gross annual salary + €2,600 bonus. Future Prospects: Potential to become a shift manager with a €37,000 salary and, in the long term, a managerial position. Work Environment: A well-structured multinational company with opportunities for internal growth. Location: I currently live in a remote village in the Po Valley, about 500 km from my hometown.

New Job Offer

Role: Demand Specialist at a pharmaceutical company with about 2,000 employees, making it a smaller organization compared to my current one. Contract: Apprenticeship. Salary: €36,200 gross annual salary + €2,600 bonus. Responsibilities: A more analytical role, focused on supply chain rather than operations. Location: The company is 60 km from my hometown, so I would be much closer to home.

Concerns and Considerations

Pros of the new offer:

Higher salary. More analytical and strategic role. Pharmaceutical sector, which offers better stability and potentially more career opportunities. Closer to my hometown, improving my quality of life.

Cons of the new offer:

Moving from a multinational to a smaller company, which may have fewer long-term growth opportunities. Apprenticeship contract instead of the permanent contract I’m about to receive. Questions

Which option would be better for my career development? Is moving from a multinational to a smaller company a risk or an opportunity? Does it make sense to negotiate the offer, considering I only have 1.5 years of experience?

I appreciate any insights or advice.

Happy Friday folks,

Here is the curated list all the important stories from the world of Supply Chain this week:

• Trump Orders Trade Policy Review President Trump has directed federal agencies to conduct a comprehensive trade review, with a focus on China. The review is due by April 1, 2025. While no executive orders have been signed, the administration is considering a 25% tariff on Mexico & Canada and a 10% hike on existing China tariffs. Colombia has already reversed a policy on U.S. deportation flights after Trump threatened trade restrictions.
• Costco Workers Vote to Strike Over 18,000 Costco employees have voted to authorize a strike if a new contract is not reached by Jan 31. The union demands higher wages and better benefits, citing Costco’s $7.4 billion profit in 2024. A strike could disrupt supply chains across 50+ U.S. locations.
• 15,000 U.S. Store Closures Expected in 2025 Coresight Research projects 15,000 store closures, more than doubling last year's 7,325. Inflation, e-commerce growth, and supply chain inefficiencies are forcing retailers like Party City, Big Lots, Kohl’s, and Macy’s to downsize. Only 5,800 store openings are expected, continuing the decline of brick-and-mortar retail.
• Walmart Sells Robotics Business to Symbotic Walmart has sold its Advanced Systems and Robotics division to Symbotic for $200 million, with a $520 million investment to expand automation. The deal will automate 400 Walmart stores and add $5 billion to Symbotic’s backlog, strengthening Walmart’s logistics and e-commerce fulfillment capabilities.
• FTC Sues PepsiCo for Price Discrimination The FTC has sued PepsiCo, alleging it favored Walmart over smaller retailers with exclusive pricing and promotional deals. The case, filed under the 1936 Robinson-Patman Act, claims this practice led to higher prices for non-Walmart shoppers. PepsiCo denies wrongdoing.
• UPS to Cut Amazon Shipments by 50% UPS has announced plans to reduce its business with Amazon by more than 50% by 2026. The move is part of UPS’s strategy to focus on higher-margin shipments, as Amazon’s shipping volumes have been diluting profitability. Following the announcement, UPS shares dropped 7%.
• Amazon Halts Drone Deliveries in Two Cities Amazon has temporarily suspended Prime Air drone delivery services in Texas and Arizona after two recent crashes in wet conditions. The FAA is reviewing software updates before operations resume. Amazon maintains that the crashes were not the primary reason for the pause.
• Egg Prices Surge Amid U.S. Shortage A severe avian flu outbreak has led to the culling of 136 million birds, significantly reducing egg supply. As a result, egg prices have climbed to $4.15 per dozen, up from $1.48 in 2021. Supermarkets are seeing increased demand for private-label eggs, while consumers brace for prolonged price hikes.
• Private Label Sales Hit Record $271 Billion Sales of store-brand products reached $271 billion in 2024, growing 3.9% YoY—outpacing national brands. The biggest growth came from refrigerated goods (+7.5%) and general food (+4.3%). Retailers like Costco (Kirkland), Walmart (Great Value), and Whole Foods (365) are capitalizing on shifting consumer preferences for value-driven alternatives.
• Trucking Industry Expected to Rebound in 2025 The American Trucking Association (ATA) forecasts 1.6% growth in U.S. truck freight for 2025, following two years of decline. Industry revenues are projected to reach $1.46 trillion by 2035. However, fluctuating freight conditions and rising fuel costs remain key risks.

Hi all, can you suggest any learning materials for supply chain network design. I want it to be practical so that I can apply it to my job. Currently, I am aware of 'Supply Chain Network Design' by Michael Watson and will be going through it. But are there any more similar resources (books or courses)?

Also, if you have worked in this field, what else do you suggest that I can do to learn to handle a project end-to-end?

Hey guys, just started my job in supply chain and I was told I need steel toe shoes. Nothing else was specified. My supervisor is looking for the requirements but isn't sure what I need. Do any of you guys work for the DOD that know what the requirements of shoes I need? I know I need steel toe that passo ASNI but any other requirements? I'm working specifically Medical Supply Chain. Thank you!

Is February too late to get a supply chain internship for the summer?

Hi there,

Anyone selling their CSCP/CLTD books in India? Please DM! I am looking for study materials for myself.

Hello all, Hope all is well!

I'm doing my first internship this summer and have received two offers, but I'm hesitant to decide which is better. One is a procurement role, and the other is a supply chain technology intern position.

I know people often say, "Choose what interests you" or "Pick what aligns with your long-term career goals." However, since this is my first internship, I don’t yet have a clear direction within supply chain management.

Note:

• 1st offer: One of the biggest companies here, 10-minute commute, with the flexibility to work online, hybrid, or in-office, more innovative, up to date systems.
• 2nd offer : A smaller company, not as innovative, 35-minute commute.

Any comments, insights or tips are appreciated. thanks

1st offer:

This is an ideal opportunity for someone who is seeking to gain professional experience while pursuing a Supply Chain Management, Information Systems, Business, or a related field degree. As the Supply Chain Technology Intern, you will work closely with the Product team and have the chance to develop transferable skills and experience for your resume at a top Canadian retailer! Your responsibilities will include supporting in the reviewing of plans and various administrative duties.

Supply Chain Technology Intern, Role Highlights:
• Support Product Management: Assist the Product Manager in overseeing and enhancing:
• Replenishment Systems: Ensure stores are stocked efficiently and accurately.
• Transportation Systems: Help manage and optimize the flow of goods from warehouse to store and warehouse to customer.
• Warehouse Management Systems (WMS): Support the management of inventory and order fulfillment technology within our fulfillment and distribution centers.
• Testing and Quality Assurance: Assist with system testing and validation to ensure seamless integration and performance of technology solutions.
• Reporting and Analysis: Collaborate with the team to prepare reports, analyze data, and provide insights that drive decision-making.

Supply Chain Technology Intern, Candidate Requirements:
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Advanced skills in Microsoft Excel; familiarity with reporting tools is a plus.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills.
• Enthusiasm for learning about supply chain systems and technology.
• Familiarity with retail and e-commerce supply chain distribution and replenishment, inventory management, and transportation management is considered an asset.

2nd offer:

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Create purchase orders for both ordered products and specific items needed for job tasks, responding promptly to field team requests.
• Maintain optimal inventory levels by regularly monitoring stock and reordering as needed.
• Verify pricing for ordered items, suggesting cost-effective alternatives without compromising quality when possible.
• Notify staff upon item arrivals and accurately update the inventory management system.
• Coordinate delivery driver activities for pickups and deliveries.
• Address customer tool requests promptly through in-store interactions, phone calls, emails, or text messages.
• Maintain effective communication with the parts department, promptly addressing any issues related to parts, including backorders, supplier concerns, product defects, or extended lead times.
• Participate in monthly H&S inspections and support all H&S initiatives, policies and procedures.
• Foster a collaborative team-oriented approach, recognizing that collective efforts contribute to the achievement of daily, weekly, and monthly goals.

Requirements:

• Currently enrolled in a business program with specialization of supply chain management, or related field.
• Must have a valid G2 or G license with reliable transportation to get to and from work.
• Ability to work Monday to Friday from 8:00AM to 5:00PM.
• Excellent data entry skills and customer service experience.
• Ability to maintain optimal inventory levels and reorder as needed.
• Ability to work in a team environment.

So I’m currently in school for supply chain management, and I got an opportunity to work as a Pharmacy Technician in the logistics department specifically. The starting pay is $15 an hr and after certifications itll be $20 an hr, I’ll also be moving too.

What I’ll be doing is: Order management/fulfillment, inventory management and tracking etc. they said the most I’ll have to lift is like 30lbs and I’ll be on my feet all day. Is that normal?

So my long term goal is to be a Procurement Specialist (I want a remote job international) but i haven’t gotten any other job opportunities.

There’s a good chance I’ll get the job too.

Do you think it’s a good stepping stone?

Within my current work environment I see a potential for the AR/VR (Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality) training to be useful for the supply chain. Many companies are investing, integrating or using it for education.

What are some pain points you believe could be addressed with AR/VR training in supply chain and why?

Dear all,

I just wanted to write this post to relate my first experience as a demand planner, which in the end happened to be really bad sadly. Please take this with a grain of salt, as a lot is linked to company context and not the position istelf. I know a lot of you see demand planning as the ultimate graal, the best position to do in supply, but sadly is a little bit darker.

I joined a really big cosmetics company as a demand planner four months ago for a mission of two years initially. It was my first full time role out of college, I never did demand planning before. i handled a portfolio of around 1000 skus.

I actually resigned on the mission and will leave it in four months, which will grant me a first 8 months experience on my resume, which is actually is good. I will have good recommandation letters written by n+1 and n+3 and the company allows me to dedicate all this 4 month time to only look for another job. It means no work involved, no relation with the team (and it is a relief to be honest). The story ends, thanksfully, in a good way.

I will go through point by point on why it was disappointing experience for me.

For a bit of context, my team has a the lowest kpis in europe (forcecast accuracy, bias). 7% forecast accuracy on launches, 30% on baseline products. It is met with a lot of pressure from upper management and sadly this pressure went down to me, a fresh newbie four months ago. It was also understaffed and the portfolio split was really not well done by my manager (some people had 5 brands while other only one).

• Sadly, the demand planning position has to face company politics, and often doesn't really have a voice.

As I was in a big cosmetic company, you can imagine supply chain is not the service people give the most importance to. Sadly it is reflected also with demand planning. As the forecast is validated by the general manager, and as he gave most importance to marketing vision, what we said never had any importance. We could point out that the brands were under or over forecasted, it was never taken into account. It is the same with budget allocated to brands. As we could't go over budget

The demand planner role is to put in place models that forecast future sales, models that are rational and base themselves on the cleaned past history. But in the end, these models didn't have any importance because we always ended up tweaking them to align on marketing or sales vision. I put proportional factors on nearly every quarter to make them aligned to marketing vision. I can't count the number of times I thought "i could hand the software to marketing people and they could put the forecast themselves".
In the end, our role became bulls****, as it didn't have any impact.

I think in companies where the supply chain plays a bigger part, it could be actually better.

• Marketing people are a hell to work with.

Usually, their creativity and their all over the place way of working is making things non efficient. Unclear instructions, wrong numbers and figures, stubborn caracter, take you for granted because they can get away with anything. It actually makes the demand planning position really difficult.

• Unorganized and all over the place company.

My company had so much unclear and complicated processes it took weeks to get used to it. I had two internships before in companies where everything was structured perfectly and really efficient. Here it was a nightmare. They had so much work they answer to me at 8pm and then I had to skip lunch the day after because my deadline was shortened.

• I was met with manager with high exceptations.

I was two months in the job, and my manager said that I was making too many mistakes. At that time, I was still trying to understand what we talked about and I was already put on a pip. I passed it but then things went down the hill. Constant bullying, manager that gives you feedbacks during meeting with marketing and sales. They wanted me to be autonomous and operational in two months, when it is normally a senior position and that I never did demand planning before. Every mistake, they jumped on it to tell me I was not good enough. It was constant hell going to the office every day and I couldn't handle it anymore. I never had any support coming from HR (well I had later).

This manager was so bad and so insecure, once in a meeting with the General Manager, someone noticed there was a mistake in a table made by the intern. Instead on taking it on her (as every normal manager would), she threw the intern under the bridge and said it was his mistake by quoting his name (he was not present during the meeting).

This office became hell very quickly because of the constant stress and bullying I faced from this incompetent manager.

This is a big summary, i didn't relate everything in it. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out.

Do you feel it is lacking or falling behind since this is an ever changing industry? Given my experience working in supply chain management I see a lot professionals in the space retiring in the next 15 years. Most people I have worked with are very experienced and long-term employees of 15+ YOE that are amazing to learn from and work alongside.

However, I see a sharp demand coming soon for professionals with barely any new grads or entry level employees. There could be massive shortages in talent. Curious what you all are experiencing in your professional environments?

I'm building a solution for my team that will automate quoting from BOQs and BOMs using AI. If we can then create quotes faster then hopefully this can increase sales. If anyone else has this problem i'd love to chat or if you've found a solution.

I’m currently a supply chain management and operations student pursuing a bachelor’s

I also have experience being a mechanic so I know a lot about cars, parts , etc maybe that would help me at a parts manufacturer

also I’ve worked my way up to manager at a gas station. Doing paperwork, managing the store, inventory management, and book keeping

So after i graduate, I heard the best way to break into the industry is to work at a warehouse then work your way up. What do you guys think?

Also is it hard to find an entry level job?

Thanks guys! Have a good day.

Edit: Tldr/ Title / This is not a post asking for a resume or help writing one. /

Hello, I noticed while developing my resume and checking job listings in supply chain that my job title is not industry standard nor is my vocabulary developed enough. Could someone help me find a job title and maybe some better terms/defenitions? Job duties include:

1)Inventory Management

2)Receiving and Issuing material

3)Material handling

4)Clerical duties

5)Coordinating with Manufacturing and Engineering in finding appropriate material/substitues based upon technical documents and avaiability

6)Coordinating with MRP amd Manufacturing Planning to order material from central warehouse based upon demand

7)Tracking material in production and on shipment for delivery to receive and issue to Manufacturing

8)Working with Manufacturing Planning to mantain production orders / BOM's

9. General skill utilizing ERP, PLM, and Microsoft suite programs

Feel free to ask questions.

Howdy ya'll.

I currently work in a supply chain technician role at a hospital but I feel like I'm ready for more.

I've been in the position for a year and just feel like I'm capping out on things to learn. This is my first position of any kind outside of hospitality which I've been in for 10years. I also only have an associates degree from my local community college. The knowledge gained in this first year was exponential but has really tapered of in the recent months.

I'm looking to make an advancement in the field as the options within the hospital setting are semi limited. In this search I'm finding lots of lead roles such as operations director, some sort of 'senior/manager' position or really take your pick of many other jobs that call for a BS as the minimum education qualifier.

Does anyone have suggestions to someone new in the field but is ready for a step up? Thanks.

Hello all,

I (29M) now have 6 years in supply chain experience, 3.5 as a logistics coordinator with a small importing company and 2.5 as an ocean import specialist with a freight forwarder (70k salary in MA). I have a bachelors degree in International Maritime Business.

I’m determined to take the next step in my career for a higher paying position. Was recently laid off after we lost a major client but I was already looking for another job. I have received offers for the same position and salary but I don’t want to be right back where I was over 2.5 years ago. What are some potential paths/positions that might be available to me given my resume? I have experience with cargowise and assisted with some customs entries so I’m thinking maybe Trade compliance but I don’t have any certifications. Any advice is helpful.

Hey everyone,

I’m currently facing a major setback in my logistics career, and I could really use some advice from those who’ve been through similar struggles. I have extensive experience managing complex transportation projects across Europe, including specialized cargo and supply chain optimization.

I’ve been trying different approaches—networking, reaching out to companies, and even leveraging my German and English language skills—but it feels like I’m hitting a wall. The logistics sector is competitive, and it seems like companies are either sticking with their existing partners or cutting costs wherever they can.

For those of you who’ve been in this situation before:

• How did you break through and start landing clients?
• Any specific strategies that worked for you in the logistics sector?
• Are there any lesser-known ways to get in front of the right people?

I’d appreciate any insights, whether it’s about cold outreach, leveraging LinkedIn, or finding niche markets. At this point, I just want to get back on track and regain some momentum.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

Hi all,

I have been working as a procurement analyst for the past 2 years at a construction materials company. My work usually involves creating data sources, dashboards/data requests for our procurement department . I have worked mostly with the indirect team. Although my work is mostly technical I do my best to understand what my target audience needs from the project/how would it help them.

I have a masters in business analytics and a tableau desktop certification. I’ve worked for 2 years in a market research firm before masters.

I plan to work here for 1 or maybe more years(dependent on visa status) and was wondering are there any certifications/courses I could do for career development specifically in supply chain.

For a long term I intend to stay in supply chain(present in all industries), with my analytics background, I believe it’s helpful. I’ve seen a lot of posts here where people want to upgrade on analytics, but my question is opposite.

I have a business where we go pickup a certain type of item, and we charge per piece to take it off their hands.

Right now i have one driver who does the pickups and brings it back to our yard and then he brings back the cash and we count the items to make sure it matches.

I’m planning on scaling this with another truck but need an efficient way to mitigate any potential fraud/theft with the driver(s) stealing business or cutting some behind the back deal with my clients.

I already have contracts with the clients and pay my driver well, but need something that allows this whole process to become less manual and allows me to prevent any loss of business

Happy Wednesday everyone,

Please use this thread to post related news articles and discuss them, ask questions pertaining to your managed categories within your industry, and/or discuss any other industry news. Rule 3 still applies here, do not advertise your business or service.

Hi everyone, I'm 28 years old and currently looking for a new job. I've been working 6 years as a Freight Forwarded in a transport warehouse (Permanent contract). But I'm totally bored and see no opportunités for growth. That's why I'm considering a career transition into Supply Chain.

I have a Bachelor's Dégrée in Quality, Industrial Logistics, and Organisation, so I already have a fondation in Lean Management, Six Sigma, and overall Supply Chain principles.

Now my question are :

• Can I leverage m'y expérience in transport for a future rôle in Supply Chain ?
• Would it be relevant to obtain a Green Belt and one of APICS certification ?
• Lastly, I would need to complete these certification while keeping my currently job (I have a permanent contact, so I might not lose that security).

Do you have any advice on managing this transition ? Thanks in advance for your insights !

Hello all! For a quick background: I have 6 years of experience as a Vendor managed inventory specialist for a industrial supply company. I’m in a great role but unfortunately it’s a dead end with no upward movement in sight. I’m a father, single income with a wife and child at home. I work two jobs to make ends meet and am trying to figure out a way to further my career. Should I take the CPIM exam? I had plans for starting a bachelors degree for 2025 but I really need a faster option considering I’m the only income and will be for a long time (wife is in poor health). Any of you smart redditors have any ideas for a path I should take? Any input is really appreciated.

Hello folks,

I have total 6 yr experience in procurement and supply chain but my career is not growing. Is I have to do data analytics course or some same realated stuff to get growth.

Does blue Yonder allow to set receiving threshold on GR’s? For reference - my company uses SAP and our 3PL warehouse uses Blue Yonder. We’d like to put a +/- 10% receiving tolerance on specific SKU’s. The warehouse is pushing back and saying this isn’t possible (warehouse claims tolerances can only be applied across the board) but I’m skeptical that’s how the system works.

• is this possible y/n ?
  • what information can I provide for them to research and understand how to manage this?
• what parameters does blue yonder have on receiving tolerances?
• what are other options for receiving more or less quantities than listed on PO? (Buffer stock with supplier not an option)

Hi everyone,

Please utilize this weekly thread for any student survey's, academic questions, or general insight you may be seeking. Any other survey's posted outside of this weekly thread will be removed, no exceptions.

Thank you very much

Hi all! So I recently started a new position and am having trouble staying organized and prioritizing. We are currently using Microsoft Great Plains as our ERP/MRP system and it is very limiting on what and how we can do things. Because of this everything is very manual. I am currently a production planner but also tasked with expediting, problem solving, and data management.

The volume of work is huge and multiple that by the amount of issues with each order, lack of visibility, constant status requests, special projects, and so on.

I am wondering how other stay organized with so many moving targets. It’s my responsibility to manage past dues, on time delivery, on time to start dates, customer service updates, and multiple other things.

I am so new that I am not sure what issues need to be handled vs what problems will work themselves out on their own.

As far as organization I am trying to time block but it seems like there are constant fires leading me to not be able to do my job.

My main question is how do you stay organized with such a large influx of data, emails, teams, and in person requests and succeed.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

I have a little under a year of experience coordinating the freight for a 3PL across 3 of their main accounts. I mainly use freight forwarding, and sometimes plan dedicated truck routes with 1 to 4 stops if they are profitable through one of our carriers. I recently quit that job, and am having trouble looking for another job that is similar. I’m not sure if i’m using the wrong key words, or looking in the wrong places, but I can’t seem to find any freight related jobs in Logistics/SCM for entry level people. Any advise will be helpful! I have a BS in Applied Arts & Science and also studied Actuarial Science for 3 years prior to switching my major. I also used to work in Finance, in the stock market. I enjoy coordinating freight, but I’m open to anything in logistics as long as it’s not manual warehouse labor. I’m a young woman so I want to find a company I can stay at a long time & actually get promotions & raises. Please help :)

I haven’t been able to land any interviews since graduating, and it’s been discouraging. Every time I look at job postings, companies seem to require certifications like CSCP, Six Sigma, Oracle, and others. I just invested thousands of dollars into earning my MBA, and now it feels like these certifications are worth more than my degree.

A little background on me:

I've worked in warehousing and distribution for nearly 10 years now (I am 27 years old). I've held many jobs as an order picker/selector, as well as a warehouse manager for a small ecommerce company, a warehouse manager for a much larger beverage distribution company, and currently am an operations supervisor for a 3PL that provides services to a multi-national convenience store chain. I've been at this job for 2 years.

I've driven some serious improvement at this company. I've achieved a headcount reduction of 4 since I joined, and have consistently kept 25-30% under budget on labor. I've used a variety of small improvements to make this happen. I've also driven improvements across other areas that have led to us consistently achieving our KPIs that we previously struggled on. I believe I am a talented, analytically minded individual. My biggest issue at this company is I've optimized everything I can and am bored out of my mind.

I had no formal educational background other than an associates degree from a community college, but next month I will be graduating with my BSSCOM (Supply Chain and Operations Management) degree.

My question is:

I want to move out of the warehousing / distribution portion of the supply chain and into more analytical roles. I want something challenging with the highest ceiling for growth and potential compensation. I've thought of demand planning and procurement as these two seem like areas with a huge opportunity to really make a contribution to a process/company. At this point, my question is: what roles should I be looking for, given my background, and what can I do now to make myself the most valuable candidate in the future? I am considering an additional BS degree in Data Analytics, since I know that data analysis is vital to many supply chain roles. What other educations / courses / degrees could I pursue to make myself a uniquely qualified and sought-after candidate in todays job market?

Thanks everyone for reading and any advice you can give!

I’ve been working in supply chain planning roles for several years and hold a degree in supply chain management. My experience includes areas like forecasting, inventory management, and process optimization, which have given me a strong analytical and strategic mindset. Lately, I’ve been thinking about transitioning to finance, possibly FP&A or some type of supply chain finance) because I enjoy working with numbers, analyzing data, and contributing to decision-making from a broader business perspective. For anyone who’s made a similar move, how was the transition? How is the day to day? Compensation possibilities? Or anyone who came from finance to supply chain?