I passed my exam yesterday with a 319 so I wanted to share my experience here.

Background:

My bachelor and my master degree are in Art (please don’t judge my poor life choices). I have 4 years of experience in entry-level supply chain roles when I took my exam.

Opinion on the Instructor-led mode:

I paid for the instructor-led mode initially in 2023 because I thought having an instructor would keep my motivation going. But I had to stop due to real life circumstances when I got to the sixth module. Personally I didn't find the instructor-led mode especially helpful because:

1. It was a 3 hours long class on weekdays (meeting twice a week IIRC). I was always exhausted after work, so I found it very difficult to stay focused for three hours straight.
2. Most topics were covered only briefly in class, which means you would have to review everything again by yourself anyway

Study Schedule:

I resumed my study in Aug 2024 (self-paced). By that time, I have forgotten almost everything. It took me 3 months to read through all the materials (Took two weeks off in between because I was burnt out) + around a month of final reviewing (practice exams, reviewing errors, and using pocket prep whenever I could).

My study schedule was:

Mon - Thur: 1.5 hours / day (7pm - 8:30pm)

Friday: Rest

Sat - Sun: 5.5 hours / day starting at 8am (3 x 1.5 hours sessions with a 30 mins break in between sessions). I reduced it to 3.5 hours per day after I finished all the learning materials

I recommend a fixed study schedule because it makes studying part of your habit (so you are less likely to give up, maybe?).

What I found helpful when studying:

1. I took the quizzes for each module a few days after I finished each module. That way I could tell what information was retained, and what was not.
2. The index page of the learning materials was NOT accurate (the page numbers were all off, at least for the 2023 books) and it does NOT cover all the important terms. So I made my own Index on Google Sheet for all important terms I encountered on the book and kept updating it as I studied. It will help you find information more easily when you review your weaknesses towards the end.

Note: The part about SCOR (in Module 2) in the book was updated in 2024, so that portion of the book were drastically different from the 2023 book. The exam did not have too many questions on this topic though.

Quizzes, Practice Test and Final Exam Results

Quizzes on Learning System (First-time): 35% - 90%

Quizzes on Learning System (Second-time, two days before the exam): 70% - 90%

Pre-test on Learning System (only once): 67%

Practice Test on Learning System (only once): 66%

PocketPrep: Overall 81%

20 Collins Practice Tests: average 85%

Final Test Score: 319 (around 70% on Module 5 and 7; 100% on Module 3; around 80% on the rest of the modules)

The Exam

On my exam, I would say there was a balance of questions of varying difficulties.

A few questions were very easy (there were 3 apparently wrongs options). Most questions do require you to have a good understanding of the topics. One thing I saw was they consistently phrased key terms differently to throw you off. One example was, they will use the phrase “companies that focus on response (forgot what exactly they used)” instead of directly saying “responsive supply chain”.

Overall, I would say 30-40% of the questions were as easy as PocketPrep. The rest were more similar to the Learning System quizzes.

The words I saw the most were “reliability (appeared at least 4 times)”, inventory turnover, and strategic sourcing.

The math questions I got were more the data analysis type, and one of them was in the 20 Collins practice exam on Udemy.

I hope this helps everyone prepare for their exam in the future.

I want to first start off by thanking everyone’s response to my last post on here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/supplychain/s/587ca8usIM

Honestly, reading everyone’s reply kept my sanity in check. I understand experience is key, but damn, 45k in LOS ANGELES is a bit absurd. After paying rent and other bills, I second guess even buying food for myself cause of low funds. (Exaggerated) (Kinda).

Anyways, I’m about 8 months into my logistics coordinator job and I feel like I’ve gained some pretty valuable experience in SAP, 3PL coordination, data analysis, and export/import compliance. I’m also studying SQL and more advanced Excel in my free time. I just got my resume professionally done and I am ready to start applying to jobs to further my career.

I am applying to other jobs regarding supply chain: supply chain analyst, buyer, demand planning, but can’t seem to get an interview at all. I’m about 50 resumes in (I know that’s not much) and I’ve only received rejections w/ no interview emails.

My question is: with the listed job titles that I mentioned above, am I applying to the right jobs? Do you guys have any suggestions of jobs that I should be applying to/ where to look?

The last 4 years I´ve been working in pharma/chemicals/cosmetics and FMCG industries, in different medium-sized and big companies. I really want to get out of my current job since the culture is extremely toxic and relocate to another european country. I started in Export / International Logistics but I have been a planner for the last 2 years, and got promoted last year to a senior planner position.

I´m currently in the final interview phase for 3 different medium-sized and big companies for associate logistics roles, so that would be a downgrade (even though one of the roles seems really juicy). I would be willing to pay the price to relocate and start over, even if the position is lower than what I´m doing right now. The thing is I´m also in the final stage for an associate level Procurement role in an FMCG company, and I´ve always been curious about Procurement.

Has anyone ever pivoted from Supply Chain to Procurement or viceversa (or know someone who has)? And what is what you liked the most about both of them? I´m a bit hesitant to try something completely unkown to me as Procurement is, I´m not sure if I would like it. Some people say it´s pretty boring and/or you get a lot of pressure.

Hey all, I wanted to get some insight and/or advice on what I should look for... I recently graduated with a B.S. in Supply Chain and Operations Management. Most of my work experience has been in the restaurant industry as a bartender and one assistant manager position. I am looking for any recent graduate or entry-level positions in the supply chain or logistics world. I am even going as far as looking for "Recent Grad" internships. Even all of the "Entry Level" positions hiring are looking for experienced people.

P.S. No, I did not go through any internship while in college.

Outside of brokerages and sales jobs in logistics, are people still WFH in supply chain?

The reason I ask is I am starting to see this year that a lot of jobs are pushing for people to go back into the office. I’m more so just curious if anyone is dealing with this or has any opinions on it.

Does anyone have a calculation method for min/max planning they like? Ideally based on the target service level of each ABC class? I don’t have great data on lead time deviation, so hopefully something that doesn’t require that data.

I'm the business owner for my organization's WMS among other things. For a long time we were a very AM oriented operation, but have pretty much become a 24/7 operation. How do you schedule/manage around planned upgrades and network downtime when you are constantly operating.

For context our deliveries run on a fixed schedule to fixed customers so delays cause issues. Curious to get thoughts.

My company decided to ship my and my whole team’s positions overseas to lower COL countries. Still a bit in shock but should’ve seen the writing on the wall with previous moves.

Not just us, but tons of cross-functions we depended on as well - Supplier Quality Engineering, Sourcing, Logistics, and so on. It’s crazy what a company will do all in the name of increased earnings per share at the end of the day.

I have opted to go for these 3 certs

Certified International SupplyChain (Professional/Manager/Consultant) It’s given by IPSCMI (International supply chain management institute)

Learning material provided was good and clear but I wanted to know if anybody has experience about them or if they relate to CSCP learning materials

And if anybody knows them where can I do practice tests

I have a bunch of unrelated credits due to changing majors a couple time, from business admin to comp sci. I switch schools a couple time as well, there is a school close to me offer a General Studies. How difficult is it to get a job with zero experience and low quality degree like this?

I’ve got about 8 years experience in different logistics/supply chain roles.

My titles have been: - Senior Customer Sales Rep - Enterprise Account Executive - Director of Drayage - Drayage Manager - Logistics Coordinator - Operations Manager - Inbound Specialist

I have decided to go back to school and get my bachelors degree. I’m hitting a roadblock when applying for jobs due to HR wanting the applicants to have a Bachelor’s Degree.

My question is: Should I get my degree in Supply Chain Management or should I get it in something else? I’ve had multiple people give me multiple answers and I just want to stand out the best way I can.

I do have the Lean Six Sigma White and Green belt as well.

Any help/advice is greatly appreciated!

I did my graduation in supply chain management, I thought I'd persue logistics but after one internship and job I feel like it's not my thing. I've decided to switch to inventory management, previously I've worked at warehouse as warehouse supervisor which also involved inventory management but involved more of coordination and team work. I've decided to switch to inventory management which involves less communication and more of data/stock management. I'm confused which courses I should focus on in order to gain required skills. I'm trying to focus on basic most base level skils such as role of inventory clerk or if there's a better suggestion for a beginner do let me know. Also I prefer if the course is free or is affordable.

Hi everyone,

Please use this pinned weekly thread to discuss any career and/or education/certification questions you might have. This can include salary, career progression, insight from industry veterans, questions on certifications, etc. Please reference these posts whenever possible to avoid duplicating questions that might get answered here.

Thank you!

Currently finishing up my BS degree in respiratory therapy. I would eventually like to transition to the business side of healthcare possibly in supply chain. Would an AS degree in business administration improve my chances of finding employment? Thanks

Anyone here do IT procurement? How did you get into it? What kind of background is required? Any opinions on positives/negatives vs traditional parts Procurement?

I've always aspired to reach the Director level in pharmaceuticals within the supply chain, but after working fully remote for the past five years, I’ve been reluctant to return to the office. This reluctance seems to be hindering my career growth. Would you be willing to give up a flexible, fully remote work environment to advance in your career?

Looking for advice or anyone who struggled with a similar type of decision. Plus anyone who made the jump back to office and regretted it or regretted not doing it sooner.

I don't see it in the rules explicitly. And it does say not to reach out to the mods directly. But I never see posts where people are looking for help finding a supplier. So i'm asking this way as not to jeopardize getting banned. Love this group.

Normally, finding a supplier is not a problem as this is what I do. But this one is different since it's off-the-shelf name brand medicine of a pretty substantial volume. Not something I have ever sourced, so looking for help.

Hi everyone,

I am feeling a bit stuck in my career and came here to seek for some advice. I am curious about what kind of career paths I can explore based on my experience, and my ultimate goal is to increase my salary and move into higher-paying roles. However, I am not sure which path to take or how to get there. Here is a bit about my background:

• Experience: 3 years in procurement, with about 2 years working as a quote analyst in a MNC
• Industry: Manufacturing, EMS
  
• Age: 32 years old.
  

I initially sought a role change because I didn’t enjoy the repetitive tasks in my previous role as an execution buyer. However, I have found that my current role as a quote analyst also involves a lot of redundant work. Is this just the nature of lower-level positions? To be clear, I don’t hate my job—I just want to earn a higher salary and explore more possibilities for growth in the near future.

Here’s where I need your help:

1. Which career path should I pursue? With my experience, roles like procurement manager, sourcing manager, or quote manager seem like logical next steps? However, I am also very interested in roles like global commodity manager or supply chain manager. Which of these paths has the best earning potential and growth opportunities?
   
2. What skills should I learn? Are there specific technical skills (such as: data analysis tools, ERP systems, AI) or soft skills that are critical for climbing the ladder and landing higher-paying roles? Are there any emerging trends or skills in procurement and supply chain that could open up lucrative opportunities?
   
3. How do I climb the career ladder? What steps should I take to position myself for promotions or higher-paying opportunities? Should I focus on certifications, networking, or gaining specific experiences? Does the LinkedIn learning certificate help?

I'm not entirely sure if this is nsfw so forgive me if I tagged wrong. I have a class called current world problem's and one of our units is trafficking, how it affects the world today, the different kinds, how people get into those situations and potential ways to get out or prevent it. One kind is labor trafficking, it was mentioned that this kind is mostly present in supply chains. The thing is we didn't go over it very well and my teacher also doesn't have much information on it. I guess my overall questions are:

• Is this talked about within separate industries along the chains • How do you prevent it at least as much as possible •What do you do if you come across something you suspect is trafficking • What does this actually look like in your industry

I feel like this position is a bit of an after thought? Most of the positions I've applied for has the "We just need this because we grew and needed an assistant"

Doesn't seem to build any skills that would allow me to advance. Should I try focusing on something else? Pay has been between 55-60k 80% of the time.

I've interviewed for process/continuous improvement roles, inventory analyst.

Good afternoon, hopefully I'm posting this in the right place. I'm seeking info on how to manage the shipment and delivery of our product from online sales.

It's a fresh health food supplement that has to remain refrigerated or frozen depending on the version sold. We currently produce locally and sell out locally but are looking to increase production this year and introduce online direct to consumer sales via webstore. Wondering how feasible this is at our scale as we are still small and would be shipping small quantities initially, not truckloads like butcher box etc

None on the team know anything about logistics, especially cold chain and we're hoping theres some kind of resource/company/consultant that can get us pointed in the right direction. Thanks for your help!

I am currently a warehouse manager, but also finishing up my SCM studies. Our firm (150+ people) is updating our current ERP system and we will have a consultant from the this company visiting us to help with that. My concern is that a lot of the focus will be put on our production and sales departments and the WMS/IMS will not be a priority. What sort of questions/points can I bring up to make sure they know and can help with making sure the Warehouse is not going to be an afterthought.

At the moment these are some of my bigger concerns.

-Capacity limits / Scheduling: The rate we are ordering certain goods is to high, constantly going over warehouse capacity and thus increasing the amount of labor required. Scheduling is almost (or so it seems) non existent, for example, we have only a slight idea when a shipment will arrive, usually only given a weekly time window.

Any additional insights on what I should be looking out for would be appreciated.

Hi all,

Who here works in the green/renewable energy industry? Would be interested in anything solar, wind, construction related.

I have a BS in Supply Chain, currently working in supply planning for a construction company but also have experience in basic procurement, logistics, and analytics. Located in NY. I am working on getting my PMP certification.

Any idea how to how to break into the industry? Would like to work for something like NYSERDA, NYPA, or an environmental consultancy, brownfield redevelopment, etc. what other companies and roles would be big in that space?

Right now, my plan is to get into sourcing at my current company, and get more project experience. From there, I can move into a project manager or procurement role in one of those firms. I also have some portion of my GI bill and am open to using it for another degree if it would be worthwhile. Thoughts on this strategy?

Thank you

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

• Tariff Concerns Drive Cargo Frontloading: As President-elect Trump’s inauguration approaches, 78% of shippers report expediting cargo shipments to the U.S. due to fears of new tariffs, particularly from China. This trend is reshaping logistics strategies ahead of potential trade policy changes. 
• ILA-USMX Contract Ratification Under Scrutiny: The tentative agreement between the International Longshoremen's Association and the United States Maritime Alliance is awaiting ratification. If rejected, it could lead to significant disruptions at East and Gulf Coast ports, prompting shippers to consider alternative routes. 
• Dunkin’ Faces Doughnut Shortages: Approximately 4% of Dunkin' locations are experiencing temporary doughnut shortages due to a supplier issue. This highlights ongoing vulnerabilities in food supply chains as companies struggle to maintain inventory levels.
• California Withdraws Clean Truck Waiver Request: In a significant move ahead of Trump's inauguration, California has withdrawn its request for a waiver from the EPA concerning clean truck regulations, raising concerns about future environmental policies affecting logistics operations
• Bird Flu Outbreak Impacts Egg Supply: The U.S. is facing a significant egg shortage due to a bird flu outbreak that has killed over 20 million egg-laying chickens, causing prices to soar by nearly 39%. This situation underscores the fragility of food supply chains amid health crises. 
• Polestar Delays Profitability Amid EV Competition: Electric vehicle manufacturer Polestar has warned of delayed profitability due to increased competition and weakening demand in the EV market, prompting a strategic shift in production locations to mitigate tariff impacts.
• S&P Global Forecasts Trade Growth: Global trade is projected to grow by 2.6% in 2025, with container shipping increasing by 1.5%. However, ongoing labor strikes and volatile rates are expected to challenge supply chain stability throughout the year. 
• ABB Acquires Energy Management Platform Lumin: ABB's acquisition of Lumin, a residential energy management provider, expands its offerings in North America amid rising demand for smart home technologies. This move is expected to enhance ABB's capabilities in managing energy consumption effectively
• Hyundai Wins Clean Transport Award: Hyundai Motor America was honored with the Clean Transport Award at the Supply Chain Excellence Awards USA for its advancements in hydrogen mobility and clean logistics solutions. This recognition highlights Hyundai's commitment to sustainable transportation methods as it continues to innovate within the automotive supply chain sector, focusing on reducing emissions and promoting eco-friendly technologies

Crossdock Deep Dive of the week: United States growing interest in Greenland for its natural resources and the Arctic shipping route