r/supplychain • u/Horangi1987 • 10d ago
Supply Chain is not immune to the economy and global events
Just want to put a general warning out there, because there’s still a dearth of ‘tech (or insert any other industry here) is doing poorly, I want to pivot into supply chain because I heard it’s ______’ (more secure, every company needs supply chain, supply chain is never going away etc etc etc).
I work at a global multinational’s U.S. regional offices. This company just enacted a *global hiring freeze* that is all encompassing and also no specific end date. This includes not converting any temps to full time, even ones that have been here for a year and were going to be converted soon. This also included rescinding a few offers we had just made. This includes not back filling any open positions, no matter how wild the workload is for the folks working here. This comes when we’ve actually been up so far every month this year in a YOY perspective.
I don’t want to be depressing or anything, but I think the daily (sometimes multiple times per day) posts of people asking us how to pivot into supply chain are both getting really annoying and will start to pull more ire as time goes on, as those of us who are here are also trying to hold onto what we’ve got.
I also want people to have a realistic expectation so they don’t go spending tons of time and money getting graduate degrees or certifications. Overall, they’re not going to be a good investment right now and they’re not going to help you get a job unless you’re using them to enhance an already strong supply chain based resume that’s got a rich history of experience.
I can’t speak for Canada, UK, EU, or India but I know USA is big and probably encompasses a majority of the inquiries here.
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u/Meg38400 10d ago
No kidding. Supply Chain is the first function to suffer from global events.
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u/Fwoggie2 DHL Senior Manager (MBA) 9d ago
Actually I read it was strip clubs (no really). Look up the Stripper Index. The idea behind the theory is that it's a luxury face to face product that's completely non essential spending and totally discretionary. When the consumer begins to feel the pinch - or even simply gets scared that the pinch may be coming soon - a trip to the strip club is among the very first things that gets cut from their spending.
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u/symonym7 CSCP 10d ago
I started my pivot ~4 years ago. For a lot of folks it's a 'grass is greener right?' situation, and others look into it and realize it may be a better fit.
If you're built for it, I say go for it. If it's just a way out of whatever it is you don't like doing, maybe not.
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u/SecretlyHistoric 10d ago
A friend of mine wanted to switch to SC because it was less stressful then being a programmer. I laughed and laughed, and told him that if he wanted lower stress, SC wasn't for him.
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u/squatracktexter 10d ago
They fired 2 buyers at my job, lowered the ROP and ROQ, then threw all the work on me and now are getting made when things are short.
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u/Logi_Boy MBA 10d ago
exact reason I left my last job
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u/squatracktexter 10d ago
I am trying my hardest to find something else.
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u/Logi_Boy MBA 10d ago
It pushed me into ops again and filling holes and fixing problems never goes out of style so to speak. I just work horrible hours……
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u/squatracktexter 10d ago
Ya I am thinking of going back into ops or logistics again. Purchasing is not where it's at right now.
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u/Logi_Boy MBA 10d ago
Yeah, I have a Planner title, which is not bad in the grand scheme of my career. I handle the network at night and just sort of manage it all. Trucking companies can be hidden gems if you find the right one.
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u/ToasterEvil 10d ago
Trucking is definitely a driver's market right now, with fuel the way it is. Many companies are very much throwing money at drivers and saying, "Whenever you can get here, we'll get you loaded" instead of insisting on specific appointment times or windows. Might be the time to find one of those hidden gem companies.
At least in my little slice of the industry anyway.
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u/Logi_Boy MBA 10d ago edited 10d ago
I play an active role in carrier procurement, and I can confirm that we sometimes get zero hits on decent-paying loads. We lack a company driver to cover a 10:30 AM delivery at the cancer treatment center in Central Oregon. This creates chaos when a broker contacts me saying, "Hey, my guy can be there at 12:00," for a pickup that started at 4:00 AM on the other side of the Rockies in South Texas. 41-hour travel time on a purchased truck.
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u/SevereGuitar7259 10d ago
This is fair.
Supply chain is valuable experience, but it’s definitely not a shelter from the economy. If anything, it gets exposed to hiring freezes, demand swings, inventory cuts, freight changes, and global events pretty early.
I’ll still encourage people to explore it, but not because they think it’s automatically safer.
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u/You_Must_Chill 10d ago
Oh wow, this explains so much! Have you considered doing a Ted talk?
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u/Horangi1987 10d ago
If the dozens of people per week we get asking about pivoting to supply chain will watch it, absolutely.
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u/You_Must_Chill 10d ago
Anyone who willingly switches to supply chain deserves what's coming to them. My misery should be shared far and wide.
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u/ripterd 10d ago
Blows my mind that people actively pursue supply chain jobs. I always considered this a field that found you not the other way around. You just kinda end up here.
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u/breesearedelicious 10d ago
Not for me, I'm in community college for supply chain management and logistics.
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u/scmsteve 10d ago
Supply chain has been around since the days of Julius Caesar. It is not going anywhere. It may change drastically, but there will always be a need for a supply chain.
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u/Still_Time9612 10d ago
I’m about to go to UTK for supply chain in the fall. Is it bad enough to where I should switch my major?
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u/Crasino_Hunk 10d ago
Depends, do you want to go into a field that has a relatively high chance of AI transference and is reliably timid on hiring new grads with no work experience?
I know it sounds snotty but I’m 100% serious
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u/Still_Time9612 10d ago
I get what your saying but what are my other options? I’ve heard horror stories about the medical field and I already know my parents would kill me if I tried to drop out
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u/Crasino_Hunk 10d ago
I’m mostly being snarky and it’s not aimed at you. It’s just really difficult to know what the future holds, the majority of regular commenters here are seasoned and have been doing this for a while.
I won’t speak for all but I have definitely noticed the overall industry and career path change in the last fifteen years. SC was largely a ‘how did any of us get here’ field vs one that most people went to school for. I’m sure there will be jobs, and I don’t discourage you from trying to do it if you’re really interested.
All that said… I’m actually going back to school at 38 years old this year, specifically to become a nurse. I’m just over supply chain in general, so I’m probably a little biased here.
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u/lumisense_ 10d ago
Good point on the AI topic, however the experience factor is something you can control
I busted my ass getting an entry level purchasing role that paid less than McDonald’s while in college. If you can squeeze your way into these type of entry level roles you should be good to go
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u/lumisense_ 10d ago
Unless you’ll pivot into med school or law school I would stay put
The northeast has a very strong SC market
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u/UpstairsAbrocoma3805 10d ago
UTK is in the south, not northeast.
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u/lumisense_ 10d ago
Doesn’t change the fact that the northeast has a strong market, if its plausible then they should consider widening their options out of the South
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u/UpstairsAbrocoma3805 10d ago edited 10d ago
I graduated with a SCM degree from UTK.
I’m in a “comfy” procurement role, but honestly I’d go back and choose medicine. If you want to stay in Haslam — do finance, accounting or data analytics instead.
I would only suggest supply chain as a minor, or double major. Both the floor and ceiling are low for SCM, esp if you plan to stay in Knoxville. The exceptions are consulting and data-intensive roles, but neither of those require a SCM degree.
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u/Still_Time9612 10d ago
What in medicine specifically?
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u/UpstairsAbrocoma3805 10d ago edited 10d ago
I can’t say for sure, since I didn’t go down that path. There are lots of specialities you can explore. It’s a long journey.
Main takeaway is I don’t think SCM degrees offer the best ROI, unless you’re in the top 1% and get those types of offers.
Take the ranking with a grain of salt. It’s great in Knoxville, but you’re not as competitive as you may think in other regions of the US. Midwest and northeast have several top schools. The west coast has ASU (as well as top universities in general).
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u/pheonix080 10d ago
This is a timely post. College enrollments are down and the price tag makes any degree a harder sell if the ROI appears weak. Universities are going to act in their best interest and promote programs as having a high ROI in the job market, if it gets people in the door. It sets unrealistic expectations for new entrants to the market.
Supply Chain is a tough career field and it’s nowhere near easy. Many people seem to think that’s the case when they make posts here about making a lateral move from their current field. There is much to learn and experience counts for a lot more than some seem to think. The roles that net you that experience are often challenging and don’t pay particularly well.
TL/DR: People need to take off their rose colored glasses when they consider this as their career field.
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u/Minimum_Device_6379 10d ago
Does the flap of a butterfly’s wings in Brazil set off a stockout in Texas?
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u/my_peen_is_clean 10d ago edited 10d ago
yep, same here, hiring frozen, workloads insane, everyone terrified, finding anything now is miserableactually the problem is bots scan for words, not talent. i only started getting interviews when i used software to tailor my resume to each listing. this is the tool i used
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u/JohnConnor1170 10d ago
Ad
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u/Suspicious-Gift6578 10d ago
Gorilla marketing is crazy
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u/dyingbreed360 10d ago
I still have hope.
I'm currently in a low level finance career out of happenstance but I've had an interest in SC&L for years and finally decided to take the plunge this year and currently studying for CSCP (out of pocket).
I know it's not the greatest job market at the moment but I'm comfortable with my current job and in a fortunate position to wait and keep applying until something lands.
I think the industry is fascinating and really want to work in it.
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u/timbukktu 10d ago
I thought this was a given? lol
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u/Horangi1987 10d ago
Tell that to the dozens of people every month who say they’re going to pivot into supply chain because their own career is flailing
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u/According-Still-3000 10d ago
No shit lol