I met with several managers at a career fair and I made the following observations. Note, the most common question now that I get from managers regarding feedback on students is: “How is their attention to detail?”. I think the reason for that is because many business professionals are working online/remote/hybrid and they are getting buried with data and communication (i.e., emails). So, how well do they manage all that detail? Personally, I think a lot of mistakes are being made that is creating supply chain chaos because people are not staying on top of all the details.

I met with several managers at a career fair and I made the following observations.  Note, the most common question now that I get from managers regarding feedback on students is:  "How is their attention to detail?".  I think the reason for that is because many business professionals are working online/remote/hybrid and they are getting buried with data and communication (i.e., emails).  So, how well do they manage all that...

Business Analytics Minor and AI (I think this minor keeps you from ever being a victim of technology). This is just my hard and fast sell on these skills sets. Please know that I do this simply to help you and it is never about judgement. Making sense out of large amounts of data is very important in problem-solving.

Subject: Read: Business Analytics Minor and AI (I think this minor keeps you from ever being a victim of technology).  This is just my hard and fast sell on these skills sets.  Please know that I do this simply to help you and it is never about judgement.  Making sense out of large amounts of data is very important in problem-solving.  “You get paid in direct proportion to the difficulty of the...

We make our students learn A3 through a project w/ a local company…Several of our students also complete their internships with an A3 presentation & report. Also, problem-solving is the #1 sought after skill set by employers…Hopefully, we are training our supply chain students to become consultants…to their own organization. We try to develop strategic skill sets (rather than tactical) combined w/ softer skills (i.e., problem solving, leadership, negotiation, project mgmt, etc.).

We make our students learn A3 through a project w/ a local company...Several of our students also complete their internships with an A3 presentation & report. Also, problem-solving is the #1 sought after skill set by employers: https://lnkd.in/e-7ftCCY. Hopefully, we are training our supply chain students to become consultants…to their own organization. We try to develop strategic skill sets (rather than tactical) combined w/ softer skills (i.e., problem solving, leadership,...

Our new promo video (not bad at all). Yes, the WMU Haworth College of Business is one of the best in the world. AACSB accredited (that means top 6% globally) & most programs are nationally/globally ranked. Why? My answer: faculty are obsessed w/ student success.

Our new promo video (not bad at all). Yes, the WMU Haworth College of Business is one of the best in the world. AACSB accredited (that means top 6% globally) & most programs are nationally/globally ranked. Why? My answer: faculty are obsessed w/ student success. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLzXjvN3v04&t=8s Examples:WMU named in Princeton Review's 2022 'best business schools'https://lnkd.in/gnRvmJwD. Also, Western named a Best College for Future Leaders by TIME: https://lnkd.in/eSSKmGg9.Accounting*Select 1% of business schools worldwide that...

Students with exploding job offers…The most recent is $85K base, 7% bonus eligible,15 days paid vacation, 12 US holidays, & a $7K signing bonus for being a previous intern (1 month to decide). Based on my observations: Employers that interview very selectively for internships & pay market value, tend to convert exceptional talent into full-time employees. In fact, they pay their interns a salary that is very close to what their full-time offers are. For example, from a student:

Students with exploding job offers...The most recent is $85K base, 7% bonus eligible,15 days paid vacation, 12 US holidays, & a $7K signing bonus for being a previous intern (1 month to decide).  Based on my observations: Employers that interview very selectively for internships & pay market value, tend to convert exceptional talent into full-time employees. In fact, they pay their interns a salary that is very close to what their...

Combined with a MFG recession (maybe flat best case), it might be time for price risk sharing in these buyer-supplier relationships. Also, get ready for another supply chain disruptor: no succession planning…Do not forget where most of the supply chain is: Small Businesses.

Combined with a MFG recession (maybe flat best case), it might be time for price risk sharing in these buyer-supplier relationships: https://lnkd.in/eRm5Cdxw. Also, get ready for another supply chain disruptor: no succession planning…Do not forget where most of the supply chain is: Small Businesses. https://www.supplychaindive.com/news/financial-risk-health-supply-chains-suppliers-buyers-pre-pandemic-Rapid-Ratings/708789/ Small Businesses Play a Big Role in Supply-Chain ResilienceFrom HBR article: https://lnkd.in/eY_zBxqz.“The U.S. has an opportunity to do more than just get its supply chains...

I would say this is the #1 reason my students change jobs (it’s their boss). Money becomes a factor when they can make > 20-40% elsewhere (which has been happening since covid). Assessing whether a potential future boss is a good fit for you is a crucial step during the interview process. It might be a little aggressive, but I encourage my students to ask: “How would you describe your leadership style?” The answer might help you gain insights into their leadership style, expectations, and compatibility with your own work preferences and career goals.

I would say this is the #1 reason my students change jobs (it's their boss). Money becomes a factor when they can make > 20-40% elsewhere (which has been happening since covid). Assessing whether a potential future boss is a good fit for you is a crucial step during the interview process. It might be a little aggressive, but I encourage my students to ask: "How would you describe your...

Demonstrating self-awareness during an interview is huge. I tell my students to always answer the “what is your weakness” question in the context of having a strategy to fix it (explain what you have done about it, actual RESULTS). For example, from the article:

Demonstrating self-awareness during an interview is huge. I tell my students to always answer the “what is your weakness” question in the context of having a strategy to fix it (explain what you have done about it, actual RESULTS). For example, from the article: https://lnkd.in/e3ctfpey.“The key to answering that question: You spend about 10% of it explaining the weakness and 90% of it explaining how you are working on weakness,”...

One example: Managing inflationary price risks in supplier-buyer contracts through indexing: Operational challenges and solutions…Work smart and be effective. How? Some Practices that Can Make Your Commodity Related Supply Chain Job More Fun and Rewarding ($$$ – think automation):

Very consistent with feedback from former students (they spend a lot of time manually updating spreadsheets): “Even as more organizations recognize the value of automating processes in controlling spend, many are not investing the necessary resources to do so…40% of procurement teams said manual and inefficient processes are holding them back from fully addressing C-suite’s critical business priorities.” https://www.scmr.com/article/the-disconnect-between-procurement-budgets-and-efficiency?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=twisc&oly_enc_id=3358G3995623A8W One example: Managing inflationary price risks in supplier-buyer contracts through indexing: Operational...

The top 15 supply chain management certifications:

The top 15 supply chain management certifications: https://lnkd.in/eVAeun_Y. Top Supply Chain Certifications and Training Programs Valued by Employers in 2024: https://lnkd.in/efTUd7NN. 11 Supply Chain Certifications To Advance Your Career: https://lnkd.in/g8d6Kva7. Do Certificate Programs Pay Off: https://lnkd.in/ewbRpRrw. https://www.supplychain247.com/article/supply-chain-credentials-career-advancement?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=education&oly_enc_id=3358G3995623A8W New: The Supply Management Certification for STUDENTS - The Associate Professional in Supply Management (APSM) certification allows active ISM STUDENT members to take control of their career development…https://lnkd.in/gVwq-e7t.The Institute of Supply Management has...