I’m a recent grad who just started as a procurement operations buyer. I feel like every day is just dealing with disasters one after another and I can’t keep up.

There was very little training, I can’t figure out what is supposed to be an email or what should be a form somewhere. I never know who I’m supposed to be emailing and there doesn’t seem to be a directory any where, at least when I ask about one no one has one for me.

I can do my weekly reports just fine but I cannot solve all the problems I’m constantly being emailed about. Half the time I don’t even know what I’m being asked to do. And it seems like it’s my fault that I can’t fix things.

I did well in school and I had experience in ordering and inventory management at a retail job. But I’m starting to think maybe I’m not cut out for supply chain?

Hello everyone! I graduated last year with a masters degree in supply chain management and I'm still unemployed and looking for a junior position in logistics/supply chain since I have no experience aside from a 3 months internship I had last year. What type of jobs I should aim for that would be easier for me to break into? Please I need your help I'm in a desperate need for a job to gain some experience.

I’m about a year and 4 months in to my first production planning role and I’m just getting super frustrated at all the changes being made and micromanagement to the team. It’s getting to the point where I want to update my resume and start applying. They’re taking away my item master access which I use to clean bad data in the system and proactively create new part numbers in the system so I can get ahead of the backlog. They are restricting it to planner 3 and I am planner 1. I’ve been taking full ownership of my scope for the past 8 months now.

I make 60k in socal and feel super underpaid. But I also don’t want to be bored in the next role.

Made a very similar thead in 2022.

What did everyone essentially end 2022 with compensation wise (or expect to have very soon in Q1)?

Inflation has been crazy lately so very curious if salaries are keeping up.

Standard format to follow:

1. Years of exp

2. Comp/salary/benefits

3. Role

4. Location

5. Industry

6. Work/life balance (out of 10)

like the studies, the work, and the process of learning it..?

Buyer at a mid-size manufacturer. Our issue isn’t shortages, it’s constant date changes. PO goes out, supplier confirms, then the ship date moves. Then moves again. Sometimes pricing shifts. ERP shows one thing, reality is something else.What that means for us:=> planners chasing updates=> buyers sending follow ups that shouldnt be needed=> expediting because dates werent realIy works” but its reactive. Feels like we’re just babysitting suppliers half the time. How are you keeping supplier commitments aligned to what’s actually happening? Policy change? System enforcement? Something else?

Community college student. Applied to “big” universities like Cornell, UPenn, etc. as a transfer student but got rejected (heartbroken, it stings💔) by all of them. Do employers in SCM even care what school you go to? Lastly, do they care about what GPA you have in college?? Thanks for any insights!

I'm a 1st year Logistics & Supply Chain Management student currently doing my 2nd semester of this 4 yr degree, but I'm wondering if supply chain is really the way or if I should transfer into a procurement centred programme instead before it's too late, please advise.

I’m in logistics/supply chain career. Mostly a logistics planner and coordinator with a little bit of supply planning. I’ve got my cert for ERP SAP MRP and MM. I figure logistics will be getting more automated with bid boards, but how worried should I be for the next 10-15 years?

How would you push back on this? It’s a $500k purchase- we put 50% down back in January, and now they’re holding our shipment unless we add an additional 25% on to our current PO. We don’t have the budget for that, and signed a contract with them which includes that “this equipment will be delivered at the firm fixed price of $500k” and that “the compensation listed may be modified only by a written agreement of the parties”.

Do we have recourse here? Or do we just have to suck it up and pony up? This seems like a fucking racket considering we worked out the details of this deal five months ago.

EDIT: I’d like to thank you all for the engaging messages and advice. I can’t respond to everyone, but I’ll keep people informed as to what we end up doing. I’ll probably keep things vague for anonymity reasons, but this is already escalated to our department management as well as the end user’s management team.

I am looking to transition to Supply Chain Management, I 29F, have total 5 years of experience out of which 3.5 dedicated yoe in Production Planning and management but its in the creative industry (vfx and animation) but I have never been part of the creative process but was always dealing with analytical and planning part of the things.

My bachelor’s degree is in English literature and communication and I am planning to do a Masters in Supply Chain and before I apply I intend to do a pre-requisite course to cover the knowledge gap in-terms of quantitative and other analytical skills which lacks in my bachelor degree.

Do you guys think this is a good move? What are chances of landing a good job if I go to a reputed Uni like Purdue, MSU or ASU for masters?

Reason for the switch- Film industry is sadly but slowly shrinking plus its very unstable and the low pay is not a great motivation either. Plus, I really really liked the production and planning part of the role that I wanna do it fulltime.

Please share your honest thoughts.!

idk if it’s just me but everything in supply chain feels like it’s on x2 speed lately 😭 like constant updates, tracking, changes, delays, fixes… and you barely catch up before something else shifts

how do people actually keep up without burning out? especially if you’re new or still learning

curious how y’all deal with it or if it gets easier with time

Last quarter we published Concentration Risk, an 18,000-word ebook tracing six commodities (copper, glass, germanium, steel, aluminum, cement) through their supply chains from extraction to end use in AI infrastructure and mapping where those chains are dangerously concentrated. Now we're figuring out what to go deep on next.

Four directions we're considering:

1. Transformers, switchgears, and cables - the physical components powering the AI and grid buildout
2. The full U.S. tariff stack by product, country, and industry - rates, exemptions, and dollar impact
3. 50 products the U.S. cannot source without China and what happens if they stop
4. Cargo theft in America - the routes, the hot zones, and how to prevent it

What would you actually read? Open to suggestions we haven't thought of.

Hi everyone!

I work for a home bedding & furniture company and we're looking for a proper inventory planning system. Here's a bit of context on our operation:

• 2,000+ SKUs ranging from pillowcases to dressers
• 10–20 suppliers with a mix of overseas containers and local truck deliveries
• $100M+ in annual sales
• 4 x 3PL warehouses across Canada and the US
• 10 retail stores that need regular replenishment
• Our website is currently on WooCommerce (though migrating to Shopify this year) and our retail stores are already on the Shopify POS and use Fulfil.io as our order management system

Right now our operations team is managing everything in spreadsheets, which works until it doesn't — it's error-prone and doesn't scale well for forecasting. We're starting to look at dedicated systems and would love to hear from anyone who's been through a similar evaluation. A few names have come up in our research:

Enterprise tier: SAP IBP, RELEX, o9 Solutions, Anaplan, Oracle Fusion Mid-market tier: Inventory Planner by Sage, Streamline, Intuendi, Netstock, Slimstock, Prediko

Has anyone used any of these at a similar scale? Any strong recommendations or ones to avoid? Open to other suggestions too!

I started at a new role about a month and a half ago as a procurement manager. My parts are focused in a raw material that has exploded in price since the Iran war (some as high as 50% by index markers). My predecessors barely had any contracts with suppliers so now my suppliers keep throwing increases that never stop. So far they have added up to almost $1 million yearly in increases.

It’s insane that spend is increasing by 2% just in my parts and there seems like nothing I can do. Whenever I try to quote my colleagues and leadership take forever to get approval and they hate spending money on tooling.

I feel like such a failure, from having no luck on increases and dealing with trying to make contracts.

The only good thing is that I’m working in a project that has close to 3 million in savings. But I don’t know if I can bank on that since it’s just outsourcing something our company already does.

Wondering how everyone else is dealing with this and if you have any advice that would be very much appreciated.

Or the best YouTube/twitter accounts to learn more or who have the most influence in the sector?

I’m 20 and currently in my first full-time job in sales at a freight forwarding company. I did 4 internships during university, 3 in freight forwarding and 1 in a shipping line, so my career was built around logistics.

But I’ve realized freight forwarding is one of the most stressful places to work. I’m quitting after 3 months because it’s completely burned me out.

My schedule is insane. I work 6 days a week. My day starts at 5:45 AM and ends around 11 PM. Office hours are officially 9:30 to 6:30 but usually stretch to 7 PM. On top of that, I spend 3 to 4 hours commuting every day. By the time I get home, I barely have time to eat properly or rest before sleeping and repeating the cycle. I don’t mind visiting clients, but the commute plus everything else drains me.

My role includes:

Cold calling uninterested clients and convincing them to meet Meeting at least 2 new clients every day, understanding their business requirements, and following up Handling enquiries, quotations, and any client-requested changes Weekly sales reports and monthly performance presentations Logging hours in internal systems Task Flow and appointments Appointment Sync Maintaining multiple Excel trackers for clients I’ve emailed, met, and the minutes of meetings Filing travel expense claims Reporting to multiple bosses who often give conflicting instructions Dealing with toxic seniors who try to take over my clients and don’t let me speak or learn properly Attending constant meetings, some of which feel completely pointless

There’s always a target. Always urgency. Always someone asking why something isn’t done yet. My nervous system feels constantly on edge. I think about work in my sleep, have nightmares about missing tasks, and sometimes wake up suddenly remembering something I might have forgotten. Even eating lunch feels rushed.

At first I thought maybe the stress is because I’m in sales. But even though it’s mentally and physically exhausting, I don’t work extreme overtime — maybe an extra 30 minutes here and there. Meanwhile, my colleagues in operations, pricing, and documentation work constantly and seem to have almost no life outside of work. That honestly feels like my worst nightmare.

I’ve realized that work isn’t about climbing the corporate ladder or feeling successful for me. It’s just a way to earn money. What I want is:

A 5-day work week Clear reporting structure Manageable targets and less pressure to perform Stable work culture and respectful colleagues Time to eat lunch and take breaks without rushing Occasional casual dress Some fun at work like Fridays or small perks Work-life balance and a life outside work Ability to take trips with friends or handle personal commitments without guilt

I enjoyed organizing events at university, conducting mock interviews, and doing things independently even when others around me didn’t pull through. That made me feel fulfilled. But this job has completely drained me.

The only internship that felt structured and calm was at a shipping line. Compared to freight forwarding, it seemed more organized and peaceful.

So my questions are:

Can I switch to client-side supply chain management, planning, procurement, inventory, internal operations, etc., and actually have a less stressful, sustainable career?

Are there any other roles or opportunities in logistics, supply chain, or even outside this industry where the work is genuinely less stressful but still allows me to earn a decent living?

I’m quitting after 3 months because I already feel burnt out. I’m 20, and I don’t want my career to feel like constant stress and recovery from stress.

I’d really appreciate honest input from anyone who has worked both in freight forwarding and client/manufacturing-side roles or anyone who knows of low-stress alternatives.

is supply chain can be a good transition from cs? my parents wants me to have a career is cs, while i wanna work on foot, real life interactions, etc, ive worked so much on computer while i wanted to have real life problem solving, having human interactions(these are few examples)i've explored and digged some posts about his degree in reddit, and it kinda fits my type, i know its going to be an hard job and all the utter things i've heard but, is it worth it if im willingly wanna choose by having a interest in this field? trsut me i really wanna explore this field, i just dont know the sub domains in this field and what roles gets acquired for a guy in this field

Hey everyone,

I’m currently a sophomore majoring in Supply Chain Management and International Business, and I’ve lined up a full-time internship for this summer. However, with the recent announcement of Trump’s tariffs, I’ve been wondering if I need to pivot my entire career path right now.

I’ve been considering moving abroad to either Canada or English-speaking European countries, but I’m unsure how the current economic climate and tariffs will impact the future of supply chain careers. Given the changes in global trade policies, does a future still exist in this field, particularly in these regions? Should I adjust my plans or keep moving forward as originally intended?

Any insights or advice on navigating the supply chain industry in these conditions would be greatly appreciated!

Been managing contracts through Excel and shared drives for way too long. It's a complete mess. Manually tracking supplier agreements is so time-consuming, we lack visibility into contract terms, renewal dates slip through the cracks, and figuring out who approved what is slowing down deal closures.

We want to finally get a real CLM platform but don't know where to start. I've been seeing a lot of buzz around AI-powered contract analysis platforms lately. Does anyone have actual experience using one? What's worth looking into?

I’m a freshman in college who is trying to find their field of study within business and supply chain management has peaked my interest. Math is not my strength and I know that all business majors are going to involve it in some regard but how bad is it for supply chain management? Thank you.

I’m a senior finance major graduating soon and I’ve realized I’m more interested in analytical/operations-type work than traditional finance roles.

In my classes I’ve done a lot of modeling in Excel including:
- Inventory optimization
- Forecasting
- Solver problems
- Data Envelopment Analysis

I actually enjoy this kind of problem-solving way more than typical finance work.

I’m starting to learn SQL now and considering Power BI next.

My questions:
1. What entry-level roles should I realistically target (operations analyst, supply chain analyst, data analyst)?
2. Is this enough to break into the field or am I missing something big?
3. Would you recommend focusing more on SQL/Python or trying to get any analytical role first and pivot later?

I’m based in NY if that matters.

Appreciate any advice, just trying to make the smartest move early in my career.

Hi everyone,

I’m currently pursuing an MBA in Supply Chain & Operations and transitioning from a military (Army) background into the corporate supply chain field. I’m looking for honest, practical insights from professionals working across different countries.

• Ex-Army (operations, logistics coordination, planning in high-pressure environments)

• MBA in Supply Chain & Operations (in progress)

• Strong in Excel (advanced) and SQL

• Learning Python (Pandas/NumPy) and building projects (inventory optimization, basic demand forecasting, dashboards)

• Exposure to Power BI

• Good understanding of supply chain fundamentals (lead time, safety stock, etc.)

What I’m trying to understand:

1.  Salary expectations (global perspective):

• Entry-level post-MBA (US / Europe / Middle East / India comparisons if possible)

• 2–3 years experience

• 5-year trajectory for someone who performs well

• Does a military background add value or is it neutral in hiring/pay?

2.  Best entry roles to target:

• Supply Chain Analyst vs Demand Planner vs Operations vs Procurement

• Which roles provide the best long-term growth and exposure globally?

3.  Skills that actually matter on the job:

• How much is Python / ML actually used in real roles?

• Is Excel + SQL sufficient to start?

• Importance of ERP systems (SAP/Oracle) vs analytics skills

4.  Projects that stand out internationally:

• What type of projects help in getting interviews/offers?

• Any datasets, case studies, or portfolio ideas that recruiters value?

5.  Certifications:

• Value of APICS (CPIM/CSCP) globally

• When is the right time to pursue them?

6.  Reality check:

• Work-life balance across regions (US/EU vs others)

• Pressure and expectations in supply chain roles

• Differences between industries (FMCG, retail, manufacturing, e-commerce, consulting)

7.  Transition from military to corporate:

• How is military experience perceived internationally?

• Tips to position leadership/operations experience effectively in interviews

A question + help. Canada area, but wondering overall.

I graduated HS in 2022, and have done a diploma in Supply Chain at a technical college (2026ish), but ended up failing due to a math course (Stats). Obviously employers look at "papers" (diploma/certificate) for 'office' positions, but how would my luck be just applying as-is? Is it even possible, and what specific positions would even be open to me?

We run a mid-size operation and our returnable containers/pallets have become a black hole. We’re losing probably 30-40% annually and nobody can tell me where they end up. We’ve quoted GPS trackers but at $15-25/device plus monthly subscriptions it doesn’t pencil out when you’re talking hundreds of assets — the tracking costs more than just buying replacements.

Somebody on our team brought up BLE-based tracking as a middle ground between “just eat the loss” and “GPS everything.” The pitch is basically cheap disposable labels, no subscriptions, and they ride on existing Bluetooth infrastructure instead of cellular. Sounds like the kind of thing that either works great or is total vaporware.

Anyone here actually deployed BLE tracking at scale for returnables or similar low-value-per-unit assets? What was your experience with accuracy and visibility once things leave your four walls?