Upcoming Events

Please see the PDM link for the monthly Professional Development Meeting schedule.

 

Greetings to APICS MITE!

 

 

Wow! Are you holding on tight? What a roller coaster ride! The economy, housing, stock market, jobs, concerns about what tomorrow will bring. Whew! For those of us in Supply Chain, Purchasing, and Operations careers, there is no better time than NOW to make sure your skills are sharp, that you exhibit leading edge thinking, and have an expanding network of professionals that share your passion.

 

APICS MITE is committed to supporting and expanding your professional development. We're just about to launch our 2011-2012 season of professional development meetings (PDMs). Let's review the schedule as it currently stands:

Sep 20: "How to Conduct A Successful Job Search" - Mike Moody

 

Oct 18: Tour of NISSAN's Part Redistribution Center in Mt. Juliet - expect a 2:30pm start for this working tour

 

Nov 15: Tour of the A.O. Smith operations in Ashland City - see how they have impacted the global water heater industry

 

Dec 13: "Problem Solving" - Dr. Kimball Bullington - we all think we know how to solve problems, but if so, why do so many 'solved' problems resurface?

 

Jan 17: "Environmental Capabilities & Practices in Manufacturing" - Teresa Betts - a report out from a Ops PhD candidate on her research - APICS MITE has encouraged this work

 

Feb 21: "Leading Change" - Dave Nelson - change, the only constant.do you effectively lead change?

 

Mar 20: "Purchasing Pitfalls: A Discussion on How to Avoid Supplier Conflicts and Legal Problems" - Dickinson Wright - Joint meeting with ISM

 

Apr 17: "New products to Market" - David Chisolm - How do new products get launched? How can we better support these efforts?

 

May 15: Joint Meeting with CSCMP - Speaker / Tour being firmed up

 

Now, the only thing we need to make these meetings a success is YOU! Look for PDM announcements about 2 weeks prior to the meeting date.

 

We look forward to seeing you at our PDMs.

 

Please direct any inquiries, comments, and feedback to your APICS MITE Board of Directors, which includes:

 

Dale Pinnekamp, President - president@apicsnashville.org

 

Mike Moody, VP Programs - programs@apicsnashville.org

 

Rhonda Gething, Treasurer - treasurer@apicsnashville.org

 

Ty Tabernik, VP Education - education@apicsnashville.org

 

James Kilby, VP Membership - membership@apicsnashville.org

 

Jeff Bialac, VP Communications - communications@apicsnashville.org

 

Mike Eagley, VP Employment - employment@apicsnashville.org

 

Karen Ludlum, Member at Large - programs@apicsnashville.org

 

I look forward to meeting with you on September 20th.

 

Sincerely,

 

Dale Pinnekamp

 

APICS MITE President

 

 

Join us at our LinkedIn Group site for APICS MITE: http://www.linkedin.com/groups?mostPopular=&gid=2072047

 

 

Now for a thought starter. Consider the following article as we approach our September meeting.

 

 

Are You Ready for an unexpected Job Interview?

 

Most job seekers wait to polish up their interview skills until they are looking for a new position. Important interview opportunities, however, can present themselves at any time. For example,

 

.Unplanned internal job openings: There is a sudden opportunity to advance your career from within, and your boss recommends you as a candidate for the job. Are you ready to communicate your contributions to the organization?

 

.A recruiter calls: The position sounds like just the career move you've been wanting. Will you say the right things to win the job or will you blunder your best chance?

 

.A former colleague introduces you to his boss: They are building an exciting new division for their company and looking for new staff. Will you entice his interest in you as a must-have new team member?

 

Those who continually grow in their careers are always prepared for these situations. Their interview skills are sharp at all times. To know if your skills are sharp enough to handle a surprise interview, see if you can answer the following three questions:

 

1. Can you concisely state your value proposition in 30 seconds or less?

 

A value proposition is meant to intrigue your listener with a quick overview of your skills, expertise, and industry know-how. If you can offer a precise summary of why you are the perfect candidate for that job, you are more likely to get to the second or third interview. A concise value proposition can make a critical difference in winning you a new position.

 

2. Do you know your top five accomplishments, and can you communicate their impact to your employer's bottom-line initiatives?

 

A list of your top accomplishments will allow a potential employer to imagine what you can do for him or her. Accomplishments give employers a way to associate your skills with their needs-and a reason to remember you. Be prepared to list your top skills and show how they can help meet corporate needs.

 

3. Are you prepared to answer your own toughest interview questions, or do you hope they just won't come up?

 

Don't leave yourself vulnerable to questions like "If you're doing so well in your job, why do you want to leave?" A good recruiter or hiring manager will see you sweat and stutter and squirm; you'll lose their confidence and destroy a chance to get your dream job. Think about the questions that will be your biggest pitfalls-and be prepared to answer them.

 

Be prepared to answer all these questions and more. With those answers in hand, you'll be ready for the unplanned interview so that you take your career from mediocre to marvelous with "always-ready" interview skills.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Deborah Walker, Certified Career Management Coach

 

email: Deb@Alphaadvantage.com