Growing a Career in Manufacturing: Moving Forward
Part Two, Moving Forward (Read Part I – Developing a Professional Resume here.) So you have reached your short-term goals with your position in manufacturing. You feel you are ready for more, but how do you move forward? Here are 21 strategies that can work for anyone. A combination of them will provide your best footing for your next career step. Always do your best at whatever you do. Take less desirable assignments. Get exposure to various departments and jobs, especially ones on your path. Make a lateral move it if gives exposure and builds relationships. Develop mentoring relationships. Practice…
Growing a Career in Manufacturing: Developing a Professional Resume
Setting your sights on a career path in manufacturing? You must have lots of questions. How do you find the right position? How do you move up the ladder once you gain experience? How can you broaden your skill set? Exciting questions, yes . . . and maybe a little anxiety-provoking. Things aren’t so overwhelming if you start at the beginning – with the resume process. Build the right resume for you Foundations are critical. Do this groundwork at the beginning, and you can build on it as your career grows. The process is not difficult, but it does require…
Answering the Challenges Businesses Face: Part Three
Good communication skills are a critical component of productivity in business. It is why every job listing—even those in precision manufacturing–include good communication skills as necessary criteria. However, manufacturing firms have encountered a recent decline in communication skills as a reality in candidates and the marketplace. Whether from the deluge of technology and its predilections for abbreviations and symbolism or less demanding outcomes in the educational system, communication skills are not what they were a decade ago. Communication is a two-way process. Communication skills can be defined as the ability to convey verbal, nonverbal and written information from a sender…
Using Temps to Keep Production Going
Precision manufacturers face the same issue every summer – keeping up production in spite of absent staff due to summer vacations. No one wants to have the headache of coping with unmet product demand, so smart manufacturers have learned to reduce the risk of slowing down by using a contingent workforce. The contingent solution, of course, is not to off-shore production, but rather to seek those people in your region who can do the job short term. Looking locally for qualified contingent workers enables precision manufacturers to smoothly and seamlessly fill in those temporary vacancies and keep production humming along.…
Answering the Challenges Businesses Face: Part Two
Picture Monday morning and Joe Employee fails to show up for work…again. Moreover, he doesn’t call to explain his absence. Worst, you just blew a major customer’s trust since “missing Joe” put a significant crimp in production. Why do chronic “no shows” and “no calls” occur? The variety of reasons range from legitimate to loco. But you can manage that spectrum if you are prepared. First, prepare a comprehensive policy that is provided in writing to every employee which covers every form of absenteeism: time-off requests, sick time, family emergencies, unexpected incidents or lateness (like a car accident), military activities,…