Procurement professionals who are unhappy in their current roles need not suffer in silence, a seasoned industry observer, Elaine Porteous, has argued. Instead, by inviting them to complete a personal gap analysis could help them to progress in their careers and improve job satisfaction.
Procurement recruitment consultancies aim to create win-win scenarios, placing competent candidates in new procurement jobs and boosting the productivity of end clients with a great recruit. But some procurement professionals experience periods of dissatisfaction and stagnation. So, how can recruiters help candidates who want to progress but have not acquired the necessary skills to make the next step in their procurement careers?
Writing in Procurious, the social network for procurement professionals, Porteous is clear: recruiters should ask prospective candidates to conduct an honest, introspective self-assessment. This will help them to pinpoint any knowledge gaps between the skills they currently have and those they need to advance their career.
From this point, an unhappy employee can plot their course towards a thriving career. Once prospective employees know what they need to learn, they can begin to acquire the knowledge that will be vital to future progression.
Quoting Abraham Lincoln’s famous remark that the best way to forecast the future is to create it, Porteous writes: “Be realistic about your current capabilities. Then go and fill the gaps.”
Candidates who can demonstrate that they have had engaged in self-improvement by investing in their knowledge resources are like gold dust. Using the current dissatisfaction as a spur to engage in further education or continuing professional development opportunities can unlock the doors that seem barred at present. Most of the more attractive procurement and supply chain jobs require tertiary education or professional certification. However, if funds are tight, there are plenty of free training opportunities available online that will pave the way to success.
Including these steps in a future CV will speak volumes, turning current dissatisfaction into professional growth and fulfilment.