Episode 1: AI vs Reality: What's Actually Broken in Supply Chain Recruiting

Why do so many supply chain hires flame out in their first year? And why does finding good talent feel impossible right now?

In this first episode of the Procurement Pulse, we break down what's actually broken in supply chain recruiting, and what companies that consistently hire great people are doing differently.

Host Friddy Hoegener, Co-Founder and Head of Recruiting at SCOPE Recruiting, along with co-host Evan Cave, Sr. Supply Chain Recruiter, talk about the reality behind the hiring process. Both worked in the supply chain before becoming recruiters.

Evan spent years at Randstad, one of the world's largest recruiting firms, before joining the company. He's seen both sides: the corporate machine that prioritizes speed over quality, and the boutique approach that actually works.

Before starting SCOPE Recruiting, Friddy was a global category manager at ABB, managing $80-90 million in procurement across everything from mobile phone contracts to aluminum casting. He's been the hiring manager trying to find the right person, and now he's the recruiter trying to deliver them.

Together, they explore why the best supply chain professionals never apply to job postings, which roles AI will actually eliminate (and which ones are safe), and the simple scorecard system that stops hiring managers from talking past each other in interviews.

What We Discuss:

00:00 Welcome to The Procurement Post

1:16 Evan's Background: From Gym Manager to Recruiter

3:53 Problems with Large Recruiting Firms

7:44 Why Speed Hurts Quality in Recruiting

8:38 Finding Passive Candidates

14:10 Friddy's Background in Supply Chain

18:08 Why SCOPE Hires Former Supply Chain People

20:42 Which Jobs AI Will Replace

24:18 Skills to Stay Relevant with AI

28:28 Problems with LinkedIn's AI Matching

33:46 Using Scorecards to Remove Bias

38:56 Large Companies vs. Small Companies

43:01 What's Coming in Future Episodes

Connect with us:

SCOPE Recruiting

Connect with Friddy

Connect with Evan

About Procurement Pulse: Real conversations with supply chain and procurement professionals who've been on both sides—building teams, solving problems, and staying ahead of what's coming next.

About SCOPE Recruiting: Every recruiter at SCOPE is a former supply chain professional. Freddy and Melissa, both former ABB global category managers, started the company because they were tired of recruiters who didn't understand the roles they were filling. The result? Better matches, higher retention rates, and fewer headaches for everyone involved.

If you're building a supply chain team and the usual recruiting approach isn't working, check out scoperecruiting.com