Career in Operations management

Operations management as a subject deals in ensuring meeting customer standards while obtaining products in the most efficient and cost effective manner. There are number of possible career paths for operations management graduates and any management course. An Operations assistant usually works in a variety of industries where he/she provides administrative support along with clerical tasks that aid the daily business operations of an organization. They typically report directly to an operations manager or to a supervisor. An increasing number of prospective MBA students are now aiming to specialize in operations management. The most common job roles for operations management MBA graduates are rotational programs focusing on either Supply chain management course, Logistics, Procurement or other operational areas. Companies hiring the most graduates for operations include Amazon, Bank of America, Cummins, Caterpillar, Emerson Shell, UTC and Flipkart to count a few.

There are a few tips for students to prepare themselves for a career in operations management prior to entering their MBA Course. Having an education in the STEM field is a great start to career in operations. Students can also seek opportunities to strengthen their background in process improvement methodologies like Lean and Six Sigma.

Now what type of course work, projects and internships should MBAs do during their program in order to get an operations management job after graduation? At Lloyd Business School we firmly believe that during the first year of MBA a student should focus primarily on core course work and building a strong foundation of analytical and quantitative skills.

Next, what operations management skills are employees looking for and what can MBAs do to build these skills? Students can look at gaining Knowledge and understanding of good manufacturing practices (GMP) methodologies,six sigma, lean, process evaluation, change management and enterprise software applications like ERP, CRM etc as they are advantageous to students looking for operations careers. Students who are problem solvers, great communicators and work well with others are usually the ones that employers consider as right fit to an operations management job.

Now the next question comes, how does the operations management job search differ from the job search of other types of MBA jobs?

A job search in operations is different from other areas because the field is so broad. Operations can mean managing the supply chain for a brand like Coca Cola or working on the verification and background operations involving cheque clearances, managing transactions etc in a bank like ICICI.This basically means that operations have a different meaning to different companies. Students must be well prepared and knowledgeable about the company that they are interviewed in. For operation students that are comfortable in travel a career in consulting is also an option. Many firms that focus on process improvement are seeking students with a background in operations.

To conclude operations is a great field to be in and has ample opportunities to offer to aspiring management graduates. As operations is the key differentiator between companies of today’s era, every company that wishes to win over its competition devotes huge focus on its operations management.

With the right attitude and a prepared mindset choosing operations management as a specialization for MBA is an extremely good choice for those students who are looking forward to a very rewarding career.

Nikhil Sigchi Position: Assistant Professor (Law) Previously worked as a Criminal Lawyer for 6 months. Worked as a Para Legal in Legal Aid Camp organized by Dslsa in orientation with Law Centre II, held in Mangolpuri, New Delhi (2016).