What To Know About A Career In Operations Management

What To Know About A Career In Operations Management

Many people have aspirations of working in operations management, and this is for a good reason. Operations managers are amongst the most important people in any organization as they play such a key role in the daily operation and make sure that the operation is running as efficiently as possible. There are certainly many benefits to working as an operations manager, but it is also not the easiest role to thrive in, and there are a few things that you need to be aware of before embarking on this role. So, if you are eyeing a role in operations management, then read on for all that you need to know.

It Is Rewarding

One of the biggest benefits of a career in operations management is that it is rewarding. As someone that plays such an integral role in tweaking and improving all areas of the operation, you get a great sense of satisfaction seeing your hard work pay off and the business succeeding due to your work. Career satisfaction is one of the most important things in life and can make a big difference to your overall wellbeing, so this is certainly one of the benefits to think about if you are considering a career in operations management.

You Need Strong Business Knowledge

Operations managers need to have the business savvy and know-how the company that they work for operates. This business knowledge will help you identify the best ways to improve the company and overcome the challenges they might have, whether this is processes, personnel, equipment, and technology or financially. In addition to general business knowledge, you also need to know the company that you are working for like the back of your hand, including the goals and aims of the organization.

It Is A Lot Of Hard Work

As you might expect, working in operations management is a lot of hard work. This is not the type of job where you can put your feet up and chill out as it is such an important role, and you will be handling so many different aspects of the business. A few of the typical daily duties that an operations manager will face include:

  • Designing business operations
  • Supporting sales staff
  • Analyzing financial data
  • Supervising employees
  • Working with senior management

This means that an operations manager needs to have an excellent work ethic and be self-motivated. You never know what each day will entail, which can make the work interesting, but it is also demanding and can be challenging.

You Need To Have Excellent Communication Skills

There are many important skills that an operations manager will need. One of the most important skills is good communication skills as you will spend most of your time communicating whether this is with staff, senior management, or other stakeholders. Therefore, you need to be a good communicator in terms of speaking and presenting your work and writing reports. Additionally, a good operations manager will also be an excellent listener – you need to be able to gather information from others and then use your expertise to make the best decisions.

You Must Be Able To Develop Strong Relationships

Following on from this, as someone that works with people throughout the organization, it is essential that you are able to build strong relationships with employees. People need to be able to trust and easily communicate with an operations manager, so you will want to work on your interpersonal skills and learn how to make a good impression on people if this is an area that you struggle with. Additionally, keep in mind that you won't always be able to please everyone and sometimes your decisions will frustrate staff. This is something that you need to live with and understand that as an operations manager, you will always be putting the company first and finding ways to make systems and processes as efficient as possible.

You Must Be A Problem-Solver

Operations management is, essentially, problem-solving. You will be spending your time identifying what issues the organization is having and then finding ways to resolve these issues. Having strong business knowledge will be important for this, but you also need to be a problem-solver and able to think outside the box to find the best solutions to issues. Therefore, it is helpful to develop critical thinking skills if you want to be an operations manager, and this is what could help you to stand out from the crowd and find the highest level of success with this role.

The Job Market Is Strong

The Job Market Is Strong

Statistics from the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics show that the job market is strong for operations managers and general managers, and this is predicted to continue in the coming years. It is estimated that there will be 210,700 job openings between 2016 and 2026, with means that now is a good time for anyone seeking a job in operations management to start training. When the market is strong, it should not be too hard to find work, you should be able to find work in the location that you want to work, and you can benefit from good job security. In a time when many people have been losing their job due to COVID-19, a role that is in demand with good job security is a major benefit.

There Is Good Earning Potential

Leading on from this, there is also good earning potential with a career in operations management. According to BLS data, the median salary for an operations manager is $100,410, which is much higher than the national average. There is also the potential to earn a lot more money than this, especially those that work in the financial, securities, and investment sectors. Obviously, this will be an appealing factor to those that are financially driven. Still, even those that are not will benefit from earning an above-average salary that would allow them to lead a comfortable lifestyle.

You Can Work In Many Sectors

Operations managers can work in all kinds of different sectors, such as manufacturing, engineering, service providers, banks, and even retail. This is another benefit because it means that there are usually roles available, plus you can find a sector that interests you. Working in an industry that interests you will make work much more interesting and enjoyable, which can make a big difference to how you feel about work and improve your life in many ways.

You Can Take An Online Masters

It is a smart move to invest in further education when it comes to operations management, which will help your resumé to stand out and allow you to command a higher salary. You can take an operations management degree masters online that will develop all of the key skills and knowledge that will be required to thrive in operations management. Upon completion, you will be ready to make positive changes to businesses and help them to increase efficiency at the highest level.

You Need To Stay Current With Tech & Software

As an operations manager, you will need to identify the best ways to increase productivity and efficiency. Therefore, one of the key aspects of this role is ensuring that you know the best and latest tech and software that can be used. Keep in mind that tech is constantly evolving and changing, so you need to make a continuous effort to stay up to date, which will require ongoing work.

You Have To Make Difficult Decisions

One of the hardest aspects of the job is that you will have to make difficult decisions that benefit the business. Sometimes, these decisions will be tough, and people may not like what you decide on. In other times, the decision might backfire, and you need to be able to live with the circumstances. This means that operations management is not a role that is suited to those that are indecisive, and you need to have confidence in yourself in order to succeed.

You Need To Be Able To Separate Work & Home

Another important thing to be aware of with this role is that sometimes it can be hard to keep work and home separate. This is because the work that you are doing is so important and usually requires a lot of thought and planning. While this makes the work interesting, you also need to consider that it is stressful, and you need to find ways to switch off after work so that you do not end up working at home and experiencing burnout. Operations managers need to be able to relax, enjoy their time off and give enough time and energy to other parts of their life.

These are a few of the main things that you need to be aware of as an operations manager. Hopefully, this post will give you an idea of whether or not this is the right job for you and what skills and attributes you need in order to find success in this role.

Thank you for reading!

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