posted
I have a skill which I have developed throughout the years, and I wonder if it is marketable. At the last 3 jobs I've had, not counting teaching, I have made vast improvements to the way the jobs are done. I re-write and write manuals, I update the job functions to include the computer--requiring me to spend a LOT of time setting up the computer system, but in the end, the people who come after me are able to reap the benefits and do their duties much faster, I implement new ways of doing things, and I basically make the position run as efficiently as possible. (For one of those three positions, I created it from the bottom up.) I love doing this, and when I'm working on these projects, which are self-assigned, I'm the most dedicated to my job, with high productivity.
How can I turn this into a selling point or even a career? I would love to be hired by different companies to revamp and update current positions, but I'm not sure how it would work or what I would call myself. I've heard of efficiency experts, but, as far as I know, that usually involves ergonomic issues. I would want to be more involved in creating databases, manuals, and procedures for the job that are better than the current system. Are any of you familiar with such careers/positions? So far, I've done this from within the position--I imagine it would be a lot different from the outside.
Feel free to use this thread to talk about skills that YOU have and to get ideas into what sort of career you can build from it.
Posts: 2880 | Registered: Jun 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
Be a consultant. What you are describing is PRECISELY what consultants are hired to do. There are many consulting companies, and they hire people from all sorts of backgrounds. You're in grad school, right? When you graduate, put together a resume that illustrates what you described here, and contact consulting companies. The one I know of is Bain & Company, but there are others. You could also start your own, but I'd suggest a few years apprenticeship in a larger firm to learn the business so when you go out on your own you'll have contacts, a better resume, and the invaluable experience. Posts: 26077 | Registered: Mar 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
What you're describing is either "efficiency consulting" or "process improvement." You can indeed make a career of it, but you'll need to build either a body of work and contacts or obtain appropriate pieces of paper that say you know what you're doing. Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
| IP: Logged |
posted
Thanks for the tip. I looked up consultants and efficiency experts in Google, and I found this page: http://www.workjoke.com/projoke55.htm It's humorous.
I'm working on my English masters--it's not really relevant to this job idea, but then, it's not relevant to much. (I'm feeling cynical about it.)
I would love to focus on small businesses, and to never utter the word synergy (among others). Posts: 2880 | Registered: Jun 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
I knew a bunch of Bain consultants in Dallas. All were hired from undergrad, and their degrees were economics, political science, English, mathematics, and chemical engineering. Your masters in English will be fine for being hired by a big firm, as long as your grades are good. They said it didn't matter what the major was, as long as the prospective employee excelled in it.
Bain doesn't do small businesses, I don't think. They do companies like airlines and companies looking to expand overseas. The average amount of time a junior employee works for them is two-three years, I think. They also pay very well. I know it seems like I'm plugging this, but for what you want to do, I think a stint as a junior consultant at one of the major firms is a good idea. You'll get that piece of paper saying you know what you're doing (a resume with that experience on it) and you'll be paid well in the meantime.
I'll bet there is a consulting firm that focuses on small businesses that would love to have you. If you're serious about finding them, I can ask my dad for some names of firms. My dad has a small business and he gets calls all the time offering consulting services.
Posts: 26077 | Registered: Mar 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
I wouldn't mind working with a firm for a few years, but my real goal would be to work for myself. Process improvement really sounds like what I've already done. I'd love to be able to work with my husband in the business. He, among other things, could write tailored computer programs that are needed for the businesses we work with. I definitely would prefer small-time. I'm not into the corporate world and it's jargon. I think that would drive me crazy.
The past three jobs where I've done this happened to all have been in libraries. The first one was actually while I was a student worker at the university library when I was an undergrad. I worked 20 hours a week during the year, and 40 hours a week during the summer. During my time, I made great improvements in procedures and the manual and worked on several computer projects. After proving myself there, they gave me a promotion and I built the Electronic Reserve department from the ground up. That was fun. Back then, the whole system was new to everybody and someone had to put procedures in place and figure out how to work the software, etc. They told me that years later they were still using my manual--although I'm sure they've had to update it by now.
In my current position, I created a interactive database from a mess of files in deplorable condition to maintain our Serials records. It's quite a cool system. I've changed things, and put us on the track towards eliminating a lot of our paperwork. We could actually stop using the paper right now, but we're continuing with it for a year just in case.
I know those things are small time and maybe not very impressive to an outsider--but that's the sort of thing I'd like to do. I don't want to be the type of consultant they make fun of in that link I posted above. I don't want to make people lose their jobs--I'd rather focus on one position at a time and make it more efficient.
Posts: 2880 | Registered: Jun 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
I think that's a great idea, and I bet you'd be very good at it. I do think it's better to get some work experience at another place before striking out on your own. A couple years would be plenty.
Posts: 26077 | Registered: Mar 2000
| IP: Logged |
quote: An efficiency expert concluded his lecture with a note of caution. "Don't try these techniques at home."
"Why not?" asked somebody from the audience.
"I watched my wife's routine at breakfast for years," the expert explained. "She made lots of trips between the fridge, stove, table and cabinets, often carrying a single item at a time. One day I told her, "You're wasting too much time. Why don't you try carrying several things at once?"
"Did it save time?" the guy in the audience asked.
"Actually, yes," replied the expert. "It used to take her 20 minutes to make breakfast. Now I do it in ten."
posted
MidnightBlue, why is that so funny? I meant that they're probably using completely different software now.
Posts: 2880 | Registered: Jun 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
I guess you'd be able to predict better than I would since you worked there, but a lot of places just don't get around to updating manuals and things, unless that's someone's specific job. Also, if a system is working fine as it is, or even if it isn't, updating it isn't usually much of a priority. It tends to get put on the "to do someday" list.
Posts: 1547 | Registered: Jan 2004
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Katarain: Feel free to use this thread to talk about skills that YOU have and to get ideas into what sort of career you can build from it.
I like ice cream a lot. And I am always thinking of flavors that I wish they would make for me. I could work for Ben & Jerry dreaming up new ice cream flavors.
posted
There are jobs like that, Tante. I wonder how you get into it.
There was a cool show on the Food Network where they had several people competing to create new flavors for some ice cream company--I don't remember which on. And I didn't see the finale, so I don't remember who won... But.. it was neat.
Posts: 2880 | Registered: Jun 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
Wow, it was really confusing for a while there, reading posts by Katarain and katharina right next to each other.
I have nothing to add, at least not anything substantial. I just wanted to say that the guy in "Cheaper By the Dozen" (book, not that embarassment of a movie) was an efficency consultant or something like that.
Like I said, nothing substantial.
Posts: 2827 | Registered: Jul 2005
| IP: Logged |
Printer-friendly view of this topic
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Laugh]](graemlins/laugh.gif)
![[ROFL]](graemlins/rofl.gif)
![[Evil]](graemlins/evil.gif)
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
