I highly recommend using a case study as part of your interview process for your next hire.

I only have a few clients that have used case studies, but I’ve found them really effective in hiring for supply chain and logistics.

How to create a case study? Just pull some data from a recent problem your team was facing, and give it to the candidate as a problem for them to solve. Ask them to do some basic analysis, and see what recommendations they come up with.

This works well across most roles in supply chain. For transportation, perhaps give the candidate some information on carrier scorecards or a routing problem for them to solve. For warehousing, you may want to give them a tour of the facility and get them to give you some ideas for improvement, or maybe pull a KPI report for them to review. For demand planning or inventory planning, simply pull up some data for them to analyze.

Here’s another tip – try to leave out some key information to see how the candidate responds. They will either have to make certain assumptions or ask for clarification. Either way, it will give you insights to their problem solving process.

Using a case study effectively allows interviewers to assess problem solving, analytical skills, software skills, ability to present a compelling business case, as well as attention to detail. If you give the candidate a time limit and/or present their recommendations to a panel, you can even assess their ability to manage time effectively, as well as their ability to work under pressure.

If you’re a hiring manager, have you ever used a case study as part of your hiring process? If you’re a job-seeker, have you ever been asked to complete a case study in a job interview?