Recruitment for the FMCG industry is a competitive business. Is an industry segment that is home to some of the world’s biggest brands, such as Procter and Gamble, Unilever, Nestle, Coca-Cola, and Heinz. The FMCG industry is also highly competitive in terms of graduate recruitment. If you want a career in this industry, you should look for a company that has a good reputation in the field.
The term “fast moving consumer goods” typically refers to goods that are inexpensive, fast-moving, and easily replaced. As an industry, it is a broad category that encompasses a wide variety of goods frequently purchased by consumers. Most common items are usually packaged and sold at a low price and are generally highly demanded. As such, its inventory turnover rate is high also making it a fast-moving consumer sector.
If you want to work in the FMCG segment, it is important to develop your commercial acumen, and you should have good interpersonal skills. If you are not good under pressure, FMCG might not be the right career for you. It moves at a rapid pace and requires you to be motivated, timely, on point, organised and efficient. Master these skills and find an area of FMCG where your skills will add value, and the rewards can be immense.
What Skills Are Required for FMCG Sector Jobs?
Below you will find a small sample of roles recruitment for the FMCG industry is usually focused on. Just bear in mind that this is an extremely small list of examples as there are so many far too many roles within the FMCG sector to mention in one article.
Sales: As a salesperson, you are responsible for guiding and supporting the buying experience of customers. In this industry, you should have a positive attitude and be able to empathise with customers. You should also be able to demonstrate how the products or services will help the consumer.
Management Positions: you should have a strong analytical background and some experience in strategy and planning. However, it is important to note that the value of these skills comes from how you will use those insights for commercial success. And as management roles within the supply chain are so varied, there is usually a role that suits your skills. Warehouse management, logistics management, quality assurance manager, financial office, sales management and many more. If you want to earn the big bucks, then managing an entire supply chain for large corporations should be your goal.
Supply Chain Management: If you go down this career path, then you will need to be a highly organised individual. Planning, supporting and implementing supply chains is no easy task. It requires building relationships, spotting every opportunity to reduce costs without negatively affecting the customer experience and being excellent at navigating a variety of communication systems and sometimes even cultures.
Marketing: Another important skill is creativity. This skill is critical in the retail world as it helps businesses come up with new ideas and discover customers’ needs. It is also vital in retail buying departments and marketing departments. A good customer service experience is essential to ensuring that the customer has a positive experience with the brand. So, if you have these skills, you’re likely to have a successful career in the FMCG sector.
Data Analyst: Market research and data analytics go hand in hand. A good data analyst will be able to analyse data and present their findings in a clear report. The skills that will be required for this job include SQL, programming, and communication. If you are passionate about data and its applications, you may want to consider a career in this field. You can use your knowledge of data analytics to assist in making informed decisions. If you have an analytical mind, you might want to consider becoming a data analyst or research manager.
A Guide to the FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods Industry and Its Characteristics
Choosing which part of the FMCG industry to get involved in depends on you. If any of the above-mentioned roles appear to suit your personality or skill set, you could be well suited to a career in this field. And one of the best ways to decide if you could make a success in the FMCG sector is to understand the industry as a whole and the companies involved.
Eventually, your aim is to specialise in a particular consumer goods field which you can discuss with recruitment for the FMCG industry experts to find the best career path for you.
Some examples of fast-moving consumer goods include food, toiletries, and cosmetics. The term “fast moving consumer goods” is also used to describe products that have been on display for less than a year. But these goods can be more than a few months old.
As for the low unit costs of FMCGs, this allows retailers to maintain lower inventories, which helps them to pass along lower costs to customers. These goods are also widely distributed and must have a short time span between production and consumption, which makes them highly competitive.
One of the most common types of FMCGs, and probably the best example is food. Foodstuffs like meat, vegetables, and dairy products are high on consumers’ grocery lists. This usually results in manufacturers needing to maximize their profits on the most expensive items.
Another aspect of FMCGs is their accessibility. Many consumers are looking for more variety, which means that FMCG companies need to expand their product offerings. The products can also be available in different packaging, which means more options for consumers. FMCG companies see this as a good business opportunity. And since there are so many products in the FMCG category, it requires multiple production sites and factories in order to produce enough of them.
