by Fronetics | Jul 6, 2016 | Blog, Logistics, Strategy, Supply Chain, Talent
The talent gap represents a professional opportunity for motivated individuals looking to advance their supply chain career.
The global supply chain is continuously evolving, offering new opportunities as demands shift and new technologies are born. But how do you evolve with it?
The key is knowing where to look and how to leverage your talent and skills to fit demand. Opportunities are abundant now, but they are also growing, according to the U.S. Roadmap for Material Handling & Logistics. It predicts there will be 1.4 million new jobs in the logistics and supply chain field by 2018.
In fact, the number of supply chain employees is expected to double by 2017, with a high demand for managerial talent. That equates double the opportunity for you to move your career forward!
Here are 5 key actions to advance your logistics or supply chain career:
1) Consider all the skills in your wheelhouse.
Evaluate and take stock of your skills and experience. Know how to articulate exactly what you bring to the table when you consider a new position. Your skills may also be highly transferable, so it is wise to be open to new opportunities. Finally, expand those skills with certifications that will give you a competitive advantage. Look for certifications that enhance your operations and supply chain management skills, like those through the American Production and Inventory Control Society (APICS).
2) Network within the industry.
Employers seeking supply chain talent have to be able to find you. Join associations like APICS, the Institute for Supply Management (ISM), and the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSMCP). You will gain access to career advice and be a part of a network of supply chain professionals. Join online interest groups and professional networking platforms such as LinkedIn. Follow industry blogs and make connections that relate to, and promote, your career aspirations.
3) Expand your software and technology skills.
This is a constantly evolving area in the supply chain, with new software emerging and a growing demand for talent that knows how to use it. Educate yourself within the software and technology space, and you will open many new doors of opportunity.
4) Know how to promote your soft skills.
Do you have problem-solving experience? A background in communication? Leverage those skills on your resume. Recruiters typically have a list of about 30 job skills that they look at when reviewing job candidates. But soft skills take priority because they produce the most successful new hires. These include: knowledge of basic business ethics, problem-solving acumen, and solid communication skills.
5) Let your differences shine.
You may not see much young or female talent in today’s supply chain industry, but don’t let that discourage you. In fact, this signals opportunity. Many companies are ramping up efforts to recruit (and keep) young talent. And women tend to be strong in many of the soft skills needed for the future of SCM. According to Shanton J. Wilcox, vice president, North America, and lead for logistics and fulfillment at Capgemini, “Many so-called tactical jobs will be replaced by positions requiring more interpersonal and relationship management skills.”
With the present challenges in securing supply chain talent, recruiters are actively searching for specific skills and new employees. You can answer to this demand if you know how to leverage, expand, and promote your skill set to the right people.
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by Fronetics | May 28, 2015 | Blog, Leadership, Strategy, Supply Chain, Talent
Cathy Morris, senior vice president and chief strategy officer for Arrow Electronics, Inc., talks women in the supply chain and offers up career advice
Men hold 95% of top level supply chain positions within Fortune 500 companies. Outside the corner office things aren’t much better; between 70% and 80% of positions within the supply chain industry are held by men. Cathy Morris, senior vice president and chief strategy officer for Arrow Electronics, Inc., defies these statistics. Morris discusses her career and the gender gap in an interview:
Only a small percentage of top level positions in Fortune 500 companies are held by women. Within the supply chain industry this percentage is even smaller. How did you get to where you are today?
I’d like to say that I chose the supply chain, but the reality is that I stumbled into it. I was working in finance as a corporate controller when the company for whom I was working was purchased by Arrow. My position was eliminated; however, an individual within Arrow came to me and suggested that I stay with the company albeit in a different department. He suggested that I take my practical experience in finance and my expertise in making businesses better and “do something different.” I did do something different – I went from being a corporate controller to running a series of warehouses.
Products can be made, money can be invested, ideas can be brought to fruition, but without the supply chain everything stops. The supply chain provides routes to market; everything hinges on an effective supply chain.
I decided I need to identify what I needed to know so that I could sit at the table. I invested between 12 and 18 months in roles, from logistics to sales, throughout the company. When I started each role I identified what I could learn from the role, what I could contribute, and what milestone I could attain.
As one of the few women in the supply chain and one of the few women in an executive position what challenges have you experienced?
While I have had incredible mentors few have been women. There are, as you said, not a lot of women at the table. I would say that 90% of the time I am the only woman in the room.
What can women who are in the supply chain do to support each other and how can the supply chain attract more women to the field?
It is the responsibility of women to invest in each other and to help each other. This is important in building a better organization. A better organization is not about the numerical statistics related to diversity. A better organization is about better decision-making. Diversity is essential for companies; diversity enables better decision making and diminishes group think.
Change starts from the top down. If you are interviewing for a position and everyone is of the same gender and race, be bold – ask if inclusion is a top priority for the company. Ask what the company is doing to increase diversity.
The supply chain needs to be rebranded. The perception is that when you work within the supply chain you are a second class citizen. The reality is that in the absence of an effective supply chain the entire value proposition of a Company falls apart. This is what we need to get out there.
What career advice can you offer?
Every career decision you make needs to reflect your personal goals; focus on the culture of company and how the position will enable you in your career.
When you leave a job it needs to be for a purpose. You should never leave a job because you don’t like it, rather you should leave a job because you have achieved what you set out to do within that job.
If you don’t like your job, sit back and assess why you don’t like. When you determine this, change what you don’t like about the job.
One of the most common reasons people leave their job is because they don’t like their boss. This is not a reason to leave. Bad bosses provide more learning than good bosses. With bad bosses you learn what not to do – this is invaluable.
You manage your own career. As long as you continue to manage your career you will be happy. Once you stop managing it, you’ll be unhappy.
Cathy Morris is the senior vice president and chief strategy officer for Arrow Electronics, Inc.. Morris leads strategic initiatives for Arrow, including global merger and acquisition activity. She brings nearly 30 years of experience in the computer products and electronic components distribution industry, having previously served as president of Arrow’s enterprise computing solutions segment after holding senior positions in support service, finance and corporate development.
Prior to joining Arrow in 1994, Morris held financial leadership roles in the banking and manufacturing industries. She is a board member and chairs the audit committee for Graftech International, and she is a member of the Global Leadership Council at Colorado State University and the YWCA’s Society of Women Achievers.
In March 2015 Cathy Morris, was named to the National Diversity Council’s 2015 “Top 50 Most Powerful Women in Technology.” This is the second consecutive year Morris has been honored with this distinction.
by Fronetics | May 28, 2015 | Blog, Leadership, Strategy, Supply Chain, Talent
Cathy Morris, senior vice president and chief strategy officer for Arrow Electronics, Inc., talks women in the supply chain and offers up career advice
Men hold 95% of top level supply chain positions within Fortune 500 companies. Outside the corner office things aren’t much better; between 70% and 80% of positions within the supply chain industry are held by men. Cathy Morris, senior vice president and chief strategy officer for Arrow Electronics, Inc., defies these statistics. Morris discusses her career and the gender gap in an interview:
Only a small percentage of top level positions in Fortune 500 companies are held by women. Within the supply chain industry this percentage is even smaller. How did you get to where you are today?
I’d like to say that I chose the supply chain, but the reality is that I stumbled into it. I was working in finance as a corporate controller when the company for whom I was working was purchased by Arrow. My position was eliminated; however, an individual within Arrow came to me and suggested that I stay with the company albeit in a different department. He suggested that I take my practical experience in finance and my expertise in making businesses better and “do something different.” I did do something different – I went from being a corporate controller to running a series of warehouses.
Products can be made, money can be invested, ideas can be brought to fruition, but without the supply chain everything stops. The supply chain provides routes to market; everything hinges on an effective supply chain.
I decided I need to identify what I needed to know so that I could sit at the table. I invested between 12 and 18 months in roles, from logistics to sales, throughout the company. When I started each role I identified what I could learn from the role, what I could contribute, and what milestone I could attain.
As one of the few women in the supply chain and one of the few women in an executive position what challenges have you experienced?
While I have had incredible mentors few have been women. There are, as you said, not a lot of women at the table. I would say that 90% of the time I am the only woman in the room.
What can women who are in the supply chain do to support each other and how can the supply chain attract more women to the field?
It is the responsibility of women to invest in each other and to help each other. This is important in building a better organization. A better organization is not about the numerical statistics related to diversity. A better organization is about better decision-making. Diversity is essential for companies; diversity enables better decision making and diminishes group think.
Change starts from the top down. If you are interviewing for a position and everyone is of the same gender and race, be bold – ask if inclusion is a top priority for the company. Ask what the company is doing to increase diversity.
The supply chain needs to be rebranded. The perception is that when you work within the supply chain you are a second class citizen. The reality is that in the absence of an effective supply chain the entire value proposition of a Company falls apart. This is what we need to get out there.
What career advice can you offer?
Every career decision you make needs to reflect your personal goals; focus on the culture of company and how the position will enable you in your career.
When you leave a job it needs to be for a purpose. You should never leave a job because you don’t like it, rather you should leave a job because you have achieved what you set out to do within that job.
If you don’t like your job, sit back and assess why you don’t like. When you determine this, change what you don’t like about the job.
One of the most common reasons people leave their job is because they don’t like their boss. This is not a reason to leave. Bad bosses provide more learning than good bosses. With bad bosses you learn what not to do – this is invaluable.
You manage your own career. As long as you continue to manage your career you will be happy. Once you stop managing it, you’ll be unhappy.
Cathy Morris is the senior vice president and chief strategy officer for Arrow Electronics, Inc.. Morris leads strategic initiatives for Arrow, including global merger and acquisition activity. She brings nearly 30 years of experience in the computer products and electronic components distribution industry, having previously served as president of Arrow’s enterprise computing solutions segment after holding senior positions in support service, finance and corporate development.
Prior to joining Arrow in 1994, Morris held financial leadership roles in the banking and manufacturing industries. She is a board member and chairs the audit committee for Graftech International, and she is a member of the Global Leadership Council at Colorado State University and the YWCA’s Society of Women Achievers.
In March 2015 Cathy Morris, was named to the National Diversity Council’s 2015 “Top 50 Most Powerful Women in Technology.” This is the second consecutive year Morris has been honored with this distinction.
