Feels like I hit a brick wall.
I quit my job so that I can take a break from the toxicity. Mainly, I wanted to get a role in Supply Chain - mostly, procurement or logistics planning for any major Airlines manufacturer (or) just Manufacturing or Logistics company.
I spent 10 years in my previous org, to graduate from an associate to a Trainer to a (mid-level) Manager. When I became a Manager, I find out I need certifications to move internally. If I am trying to apply for a role externally, I need X years of experience which I don't have obviously. Plus, they need SCM specific certification.
I realized that I cannot achieve my goal, atleast not in the immediate future. I'm trying to upskill myself for a PMP certification. But even for Project Manager roles, I see that they ask for experience, which I am not sure I can qualify.
The wheels of the bus go round.. and round, I guess?
Talking product sense with Ridhi
9 min AI interview5 questions
I don't know how much knowledge you have in SCM. But I worked there and let me assure you, SCM isn't as glamorous as you think. The procurement divisin that you mentioned, is mere chasing of parts/goods. The logistics that you talk about is merely talking to truck drivers. Majority of the time is as clerical as it can be.
The planning part is limited to 1 week in the whole year. Many people confuse SCM with sourcing and vendor development. Even there, identify and develop a new vendor will be limited to 1/2 a year rarely. I talk wrt manufacturing.
It's a high stress, clerical job at the most. A job that do ant require any education IMO.
FYI. Hitachi in Japan hires arts grads for this role. Not even bsc. Forget BE. In my team in India, we had people from IIT Roorkee, KGP...
Hey, I do apologise for not responding sooner. I appreciate your perspective. I understand that it's a repetitive, high stress job, but isn't everything consolidated into CSM? I'm sure, one person would managing everything given that AI does most things for you. Like procurement, vender management, logistics?
Isn't that how it is now? I was just looking at one of the manager positions for SCM and they wanted someone with 5 years experience in SCM or Procurement.
Planning does not offer much as demand management is only a small part of overall category management. Ideally you want a strategic role such as category or supplier management so that you manage the E2E relationship and drive the whole deal from market and cost analysis to sourcing, running and awarding the tender to managing the supplier.
There are certifications from CIPS, APICS etc.. and these are only needed to show you have the basic knowledge of supply chain and can manage things. It's the softer skills of stakeholder management, communication, creative deal-making etc.. that matters more so focus on improving your storytelling, curiosity, relationship and communication skills rather than the certificate.
At this level, you can go for certification but it's not needed to go up in your career.
Move into the strategic aspects of supply chain like market intelligence, performance management etc.. so that people see the value you deliver and you can articulate the same.
Procurement in itself, is a dead-end as it's a cost-saving function only. You want to move to the profit center of a company with P&L responsibility so become well-rounded with other operational roles too
You make some interesting points. I wanted to get into this role is because I feel that's something I'm good at. I honestly wasn't happy at my previous department. I want to do something which I understand. I'll definitely look into Category Management. But something I need to do is meet the experience, which I do not have. That's the bummer.
Why r u looking for logistics specifically?
I'm naturally curious about how that industry works. I think I'm more interested in that over anything I did in that last 10 years. I wanted to do something associated with shipping like Maersk, for example or something with Airline manufacturing/logistics. I'm naturally inclined there. Also, logistics will always exist (am I right)?