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Last Updated on December 28, 2020 by Work In My Pajamas
More and more people are looking to further their careers by going to college and studying for a master’s degree. Operations management is an expanding field that is attracting many graduates as it offers a wide range of careers and the demand for qualified operations managers grows year on year. In recent years, many college graduates have completed their studies but struggled to find employment in their area of interest, but operations management graduates do not have this problem.
If you are looking for ways to study for your Masters, consider Kettering University Online’s operations management masters degree which offers fully accredited tuition and the flexibility of online learning. Online education has helped many people take a step towards operations management as a career goal.
Here we are going to look at the various career options that are open to graduates of a Masters in Operations management, and discuss the kind of tasks and responsibilities you can expect if you choose to take your career down that path. Operations management is an exciting position to hold in any company, and the job roles it offers are often as well paid as they are interesting. Here are some ideas of what you can do with your Masters in Operations Management.
In This Post:
Logistics Management
With a Masters in Operations Management, you have an excellent qualification for managing a company’s logistical department. Getting products and supplies from one place may sound simple, but with so much of a business’s efficiency relying on timing and stock levels, success in this job is crucial. Large companies may have fleets of trucks or planes that each need to be filled to their optimum capacity and their routes planned in the most cost-effective way possible.
Even with the aid on complex computer programs and algorithms to assist a Logistics Manager, the decision making required and the complexity involved make this job very exciting, and a successful day at the office can be very rewarding. If you enjoy planning and execution, people management and math, then Logistics Management is the perfect way to take your operations management career forward.
Inventory Control Management
Inventory Management is perhaps the most important part of a business operation. Most businesses rely on products, and these products need to be assembled or manufactured before being stored and sold. A company having the right levels of inventory on a manufacturing level will determine how much of its finished product can be brought to market. On a sales level, how much stock a company may have warehoused will determine which products it will have for sale and when. Getting this balance wrong could be the difference between success and failure for the whole business.
Someone who has a Masters in Operations Management that can successfully control inventory is an invaluable asset to a company. If a company holds too much stock, it can affect its ability to spend money as too much stock is sitting unsold. Conversely, if it doesn’t hold enough of its product, it cannot satisfy its customer’s demand and cash flow will dry up. Companies will often treasure a good inventory control manager and work hard to keep hold of them.
Working as a Consultant
Consultancy is also a route a graduate with a Masters in Operations Management can take. Many companies hire consultants when faced with challenges or projects that they feel they cannot handle alone. Often a fresh pair of eyes or the opinions of someone from outside of the company can bring a new perspective to discussions and push things forward in a way the company could not have done without their help.
Working as a consultant is often very highly paid, but over short-term contracts. This means that someone working as a consultant will move from job to job after just a few months or even weeks, and will often have to find consultancy work themselves to keep them consistently employed. Though challenging in this regard, consultancy can offer greater rewards to compensate for periods spent without work.
Supply Chain Management
Supply chain management is a popular choice among recent graduates with a Masters in Operations Management. Supply chain managers are often referred to as buyers, or purchasing agents, and it is their job to identify products that the company needs and negotiate the prices they will pay. Many see this a bit like shopping, only someone else is paying! Some companies even require purchase agents to find products for them to sell to their consumers at the end of the supply chain.
Working as a buyer will sometimes involve travel to meet suppliers and try products. It is possible to see the world while working as a supply chain manager, as you visit manufacturing bases and negotiate pricing with your suppliers.
Administrative Services Management
Within every large company is a large administration department. In administrative services management, a graduate with a Masters in Operations Management would be responsible for making sure the other departments in the company have everything they need to operate. This can include more mundane tasks, like ensuring all offices have enough stationery supplied, to much more important details such as ensuring accurate record keeping and making sure the company is maintaining its facilities in compliance with all federal and state laws.
A Masters in Operations Management can offer you an opportunity to excel in an expanding sector, and bring with it the possibility of travel and a highly paid and respected career. Taking your career to the next level can seem intimidating at first, but by focusing on the outcome, we can maintain our composure. With the current demand for people qualified with a Masters in Operations Management being so high, stepping up into higher education need not cause you as much anxiety.
With the support available to students, the mentorship that colleges can offer, and the latest technological advances, a Master’s degree is accessible to anyone, and with the excitement and opportunity a Masters in Operations Management can bring, a future in operations management may be closer than you think.
