17 Inventory Controller Interview Questions and Answers

Inventory controllers are responsible for overseeing the inventory of a company. They work to ensure that the right products are available in the right quantities and that the inventory is properly organized and accounted for.

In order to be successful in this role, you need to be able to effectively communicate with other departments within the company, as well as be able to handle and organize large quantities of products. You also need to be able to stay up to date on inventory changes and trends.

In order to help you prepare for your interview, we have put together a list of common interview questions for inventory controllers and provided some sample answers.

Are you comfortable working with numbers?

This question can help the interviewer determine if you have a strong background in accounting and inventory management. Use your answer to highlight any relevant experience or education that helped you develop this skill set.

Example: “I’ve always been good with numbers, but I also enjoy working with them. In high school, I took an advanced math class where we learned about algebra and geometry. This class was challenging for me at first, but I worked hard to understand all of the concepts. Eventually, I earned my highest grade ever in math. My teacher encouraged me to take more advanced classes, so I enrolled in AP Calculus during my senior year. I enjoyed learning new ways to solve problems using calculus.”

What are some of the most important skills an inventory controller can have?

This question can help the interviewer determine if you have the skills necessary to succeed in this role. Use your answer to highlight some of the most important skills and how you developed them over time.

Example: “The two most important skills an inventory controller can have are attention to detail and communication. These skills allow me to ensure that I’m recording all inventory accurately and communicating with my team members about any discrepancies or issues we may encounter. In my last position, I was able to develop these skills by working alongside a more experienced inventory controller who helped me learn the best ways to record inventory and communicate effectively.”

How would you deal with a situation where the inventory count is off?

This question can help the interviewer assess your problem-solving skills and ability to stay organized. Your answer should show that you are able to use critical thinking, prioritize tasks and manage time effectively.

Example: “I would first make sure I understand why the inventory count is off. If it’s because of a mistake in counting, then I will correct the error by re-counting the inventory. If there was an issue with the software or hardware used for the inventory count, then I will report this to my supervisor so they can take appropriate action. In either case, I will document what happened and how I resolved the situation.”

What is your experience with using inventory management software?

This question can help the interviewer determine your experience with inventory management software and how you use it. Use your answer to highlight your knowledge of inventory management software and any specific programs you’ve used in the past.

Example: “I have worked with several different inventory management software systems throughout my career, including SAP, Oracle and Microsoft Dynamics AX. I find that each system has its own unique features, but they all allow me to manage inventory efficiently. In my last role, I primarily used Microsoft Dynamics AX for inventory management because it was a more cost-effective option than SAP.”

Provide an example of a time when you had to negotiate with a supplier to get a better deal on products.

This question can help the interviewer understand how you might handle supplier negotiations in your role as an inventory controller. Use examples from previous experience to highlight your negotiation skills and ability to work with suppliers.

Example: “In my last position, I had a supplier who was consistently overcharging us for products. After speaking with them about it, they said that our company’s order size wasn’t large enough to qualify for their lower pricing tier. So, I worked with my team to increase our monthly orders by 10% so we could qualify for the lower pricing tier. This saved our company thousands of dollars each month.”

If the inventory on hand doesn’t match up with sales records, what would be the first thing you would investigate?

This question is a great way to test your analytical skills and ability to think critically. When answering this question, it can be helpful to give an example of how you would investigate the discrepancy and what steps you would take to solve it.

Example: “If there was a discrepancy between inventory on hand and sales records, I would first look at the time period that the discrepancy occurred in. If the discrepancy happened over a long period of time, then it could be due to human error or a system glitch. However, if the discrepancy only happened for one day, then it’s likely that someone may have stolen from the company. In either case, I would immediately report the discrepancy to my supervisor so they can begin investigating as well.”

What would you do if you noticed that a new shipment of products was labeled incorrectly?

This question can help interviewers understand how you would respond to a mistake and how you might use your problem-solving skills. Use examples from previous experience where you noticed mistakes or errors in labeling products, and explain what steps you took to correct the issue.

Example: “In my last role as an inventory controller, I noticed that we received a shipment of red shirts instead of blue ones. This was because the company had ordered blue shirts but accidentally labeled them as red. I immediately contacted our sales team to let them know about the error so they could inform customers who were expecting blue shirts. Then, I worked with my team to find a way to make up for the lost revenue by ordering more blue shirts.”

How well do you understand the shipping and receiving processes?

This question can help the interviewer assess your knowledge of inventory control and shipping processes. Use examples from past experiences to show that you understand how these processes work and are familiar with them.

Example: “I have worked in several warehouses where I was responsible for receiving shipments, organizing inventory and sending it out to customers. In my last position, I also helped organize incoming shipments and ensured they were properly stored until we could process them. I am very familiar with the shipping and receiving processes and know how to use them to keep track of inventory.”

Do you have experience preparing reports for upper management?

Interviewers may ask this question to learn more about your experience with reporting and how you interact with management. Use your answer to highlight any specific skills or techniques that helped you prepare reports for upper management in the past.

Example: “In my last role, I prepared monthly inventory reports for my manager every Friday. My manager would then use these reports to create weekly updates for our CEO. I learned a few tips along the way that have helped me streamline my process of preparing these reports. For example, I started using an inventory software program that allowed me to track all changes to inventory levels throughout the week. This made it easier for me to compile accurate reports each week.”

When is the right time to start replenishing inventory?

Inventory controllers need to know when it’s time to start ordering more inventory. This is a crucial part of the job, and interviewers want to make sure you understand how to determine this. When answering this question, explain that there are several factors that go into determining when to replenish inventory. Explain that you would consider these factors in order to decide when to place an order.

Example: “There are many factors that go into deciding when to replenish inventory. For example, I might look at sales trends over the past few months to see if they’re increasing or decreasing. If they’re decreasing, then I’ll likely wait until the next month to replenish inventory. However, if sales are increasing, then I may choose to replenish sooner than usual. Another factor I take into consideration is whether we have enough stock on hand to last us through the end of the quarter.”

We want to ensure that our inventory is always at the right level. What is the ideal inventory level for each product?

This question can help the interviewer understand your inventory management skills and how you determine what products to keep in stock. Use examples from past experiences to explain how you determined ideal inventory levels for each product.

Example: “In my last role, I had to decide which products we should have in stock at all times. We used a formula that took into account customer demand, sales history and lead time to determine the ideal inventory level for each product. This helped us ensure we always had enough of our most popular items on hand while also saving money by not having excess inventory.”

Describe your experience with inventory audits.

An interviewer may ask this question to learn more about your experience with inventory audits and how you handle them. They want to know if you’ve ever had to complete one before, what the process was like and whether or not you enjoyed it. If you have experience with an audit, share details of the process and how you completed it. If you haven’t done an audit before, explain that you’re excited for the opportunity to do so.

Example: “I’ve never been involved in an inventory audit before, but I’m looking forward to learning more about the process. In my previous role as an inventory controller, we did a physical count every six months. We used barcode scanners to scan each product’s barcode and record its location on our inventory software program. It took us two days to complete the count.”

What makes you stand out from other candidates for this position?

Employers ask this question to learn more about your qualifications and how you can contribute to their company. Before your interview, make a list of three things that make you unique from other candidates. These could be skills or experiences that are relevant to the job. Share these with your interviewer so they know what makes you special.

Example: “I have extensive experience working in an inventory control department. I also have excellent communication skills, which is important for this role because I will be communicating with many different departments within the organization. Finally, I am highly organized and detail-oriented, which helps me stay on top of my work.”

Which inventory management systems have you used in the past?

This question can help the interviewer understand your experience with inventory management systems. You can answer this question by naming a few inventory management systems you’ve used in the past and briefly describing what they do.

Example: “In my last role, I used SAP for inventory management. This system is very comprehensive and allows me to track all of our inventory levels at any time. It also helps me manage orders and shipments, which makes it easy to see when we need to reorder products or send them out to customers. Another inventory management system I’ve used is Oracle NetSuite. This system is great because it’s cloud-based, so I can access it from anywhere. It also has many features that make managing inventory easier.”

What do you think is the most important thing to remember when managing inventory?

This question can help the interviewer understand your inventory management philosophy. Your answer can also tell them about how you prioritize tasks and manage time.

Example: “I think it’s important to remember that inventory is a living document, meaning it changes constantly. I always make sure to update my records as soon as possible when items are received or shipped out of stock so we have accurate information at all times. This helps me avoid any mistakes in counting inventory later on.”

How often should you update inventory counts?

This question can help the interviewer evaluate your inventory management skills. Use examples from previous experience to show how you update counts and when you do it.

Example: “I usually update inventory counts once a month, but I also check them weekly or bi-weekly depending on the business’s needs. For example, if we’re running low on an item, I’ll check the count more often. If there are no issues with inventory levels, I’ll only check monthly. This helps me save time by not checking in between each count.”

There is a discrepancy between the inventory count and sales records. What would you do?

This question is an opportunity to show your problem-solving skills and ability to work independently. Your answer should include a step-by-step process of how you would identify the discrepancy, research possible causes and implement solutions.

Example: “I would first verify that there was no human error in counting inventory or entering sales records. If I find no errors, I would then check for any discrepancies between the computer system’s data and physical inventory. For example, if the computer shows we have 100 units of product but only 90 are on hand, I would investigate whether the other 10 were damaged or sold to customers. If so, I would need to record these transactions as losses.”