How to Land Your First Operations Management Job
Follow these steps to prepare for the job search process!
Career Profile (Salary, Job Titles, Grad School Data)
The Operations Management major develops concepts and skills for crafting innovative ways to deliver a firm's goods and services. A process management major typically combines a thoughtful, goal-oriented approach to projects with the business skills necessary to manage systems, people, ideas, and capital. Graduates might start as an operations or strategy consultant, a project manager, a supply chain analyst, or a quality management professional.
How is Operations Management Different from Supply Chain Management?: The major difference between supply chain management and operations management is that supply chain is mainly concerned with what happens outside the company – obtaining materials and delivering products – while operations management is concerned with what happens inside the company.
Professionals in this field oversee the day-to-day operations of goods, services, and employees. Managers are in charge of executing company goals. Most new hires will enter into a management training program that will last between 18-36 months.
Procurement – The contracting of goods and services with an emphasis on supply source development/analysis, goal setting, bidding, negotiations, and ethical considerations.
Logistics – Responsible for performing market analysis of vendor competitiveness, support analysis for contract negotiation and review, tracking vendor performance, executing modal analysis, analyzing cost, risk, and service, analyzing transportation asset utilization and optimizing distribution networks.
Supply Chain Analysis – Work with third-party suppliers and contractors with emphasis on supply/demand market analysis, supply source strategy development, management information systems, financial analysis, bidding and negotiating, contracting, supplier relationship management, and performance management.
Consultants perform database analysis, financial modeling, general business analysis, research, and generate reports for the client or project team. In addition, consultants are actively involved in the application and transfer of specific skills and knowledge to the client.
Follow these steps to prepare for the job search process!
When using job search platforms, such as Handshake, utilize keywords to find appropriate positions the industries you are interested in.
Below are titles Gies Alumni have had:
Know How to Find These Opportunities
A simple way to get started is by learning more about the companies that hired Gies students in the past. Once you have identified your target companies, follow these companies on Handshake to be informed about opportunities and info sessions, in which you can network with recruiters and professionals.
Below are employers who have hired Gies OM students:
Customize your Resume & Cover Letter
It's important to customize your application documents for the industry/position you will be pursuing. Highlight your relevant experience by incorporating desired skills and qualifications into your application documents. How does your experience align with the skills the employer is seeking?
Some of the important skills you may want to highlight: