Myth: Operations Careers are Only Found in One Industry
The truth about operations jobs is that they exist in almost all industries. Performing an operations jobs search may lead the qualified individual to believe that only financial operations jobs exist or that only high-tech operations jobs are available. Every industry has operations managers, and often uses management and entry level individuals to oversee or carry out their day-to-day operations planning and supervision. Operations managers in almost any industry are in high demand, well paid and often in charge of one area of a large operation such as administrative, production, manufacturing, financial and more. Today's word is too complex for many businesses to assign one individual the responsibility for all aspects of a large company's operations.
Myth: Operations Jobs Require a Degree
The truth about operations careers is that entry-level operations positions may substitute work experience in the field for education. Most operations positions require a degree for advancement though as any operations jobs search will show. The highest paid individuals in operations positions generally will have a degree in business, or in the field they are working in as well as leadership and financial education such as an MBA. That is because these positions require not only getting a grasp of day-to-day functions but also the ability to understand budgeting and draft policies as well as to help direct the direction a company will take in the future. What this means in practical terms is that this field will usually require a four year degree as well as a flair for management in order to enter it confidently. Moreover, the most successful and highly paid individuals in this field are leaders and communicators. While a job seeker can certainly enter operations with less than a college degree, in terms of advancement in this career field, higher education is an advantage. If managing a plant's operations or managing an IT operation is the goal then an undergraduate degree in those areas may be an advantage, but for higher-level positions business administration and leadership, knowledge is very often required.
Myth: Operations Careers Are All In One Salary Range
The truth about operations jobs is that the salaries offered vary more widely than perhaps any other field. The reason behind this is that operations employment is a broad term that can span many industries and many levels of responsibility. Generally, a good rule of thumb is the more managerial responsibilities and leadership and supervisory responsibilities required, then the higher the salary is going to be. As with all generalities, this is not always true. Some fields are more in demand, some require more specialized technical knowledge as some operations jobs searches will reveal, and they cover all different levels. The truth also is that as long as there are projects, plants, industries and companies there will be a demand for operations personnel. The definition of the job and the salaries offered are directly dependent on two things, the scope of the job duties and the industry requiring them. When there are more managers than there are jobs, then salaries normally decrease. When the need is for an operations specialist with a specific education, job experience, knowledge of the field and leadership ability is high, then salaries are commensurately higher.
A sufficiently experienced and or educated individual can find operations jobs in almost any industry. Financial, administrative, production, sales, IT, research, and more are opportunities in operation employment. Almost any size company will have a manager in charge of operations, although the name may change and they may be called a plant manager, a production manager, or a financial manager the jobs can be considered operations and the salaries are commensurate with the amount of experience, success and education a candidate brings with them. An operations jobs search even in a tight hiring market will usually produce far more results than any other field because there are so many possible positions open to a qualified operations career professional. You can find even more job listings with www.OperationsCrossing.com. There are thousands of listings available. Get your FREE trial today!
