Considered pursuing a career in manufacturing? This interview will take you through the ups and downs you can expect, what it takes to land the job, what you can expect to earn and more. This is a true career story as told to DiversityJobs and is one of many interviews with individuals in the manufacturing profession which among others include a senior vice president of supply chain management and everything in between.
I work in a small factory that manufactures shoe orthotics. I got my start basically because I knew the owner of the factory, so I was really lucky. I had gotten laid off of my job a few days before, and I needed a job. That was almost 25 years ago. I like the job, but more importantly, I like the people I work with; I suppose that is why I have stayed.
I really didn't need anything but on-the-job training. My employer wanted to make sure that I had graduated from high school at the time and that I had good reading and writing skills. He also wanted to make sure that I could follow directions.
I've seen a lot of people come and go over the years. A job in manufacturing is not for everyone I guess. Some people do not like the monotony of it, and I can understand that in a way. I work the imprinting machine, although I have been trained on all the other machines in the factory. My job is to imprint the company logo on the orthotics before they are done on the assembly line. Because I have been at the factory so long and because I have been trained on the other machines, I may also help to train new employees or do quality control. If someone is running behind on their job, I can step in to help them, too.
I really do like my job. I like to come to work because I know as a team we can accomplish just about anything. I like working with the team and doing my job. I like the satisfaction I get knowing together, we make quality products for people who really need them. It also makes me happy to know I might be able to help out someone who really is struggling or is having trouble. It is important, too, to help out the slower workers because any sort of hold up can cause problems on the line. If someone is struggling, it pays to help out because we work until the job is done. If we are not finished with an order at 3:00 PM when it is quitting time, we do not get to go home until the job is done. This bothers a lot of the younger guys, but I know if we all work together and help each other out, we can usually finish by 3:00 PM.
I don't really get a lot of time off as compared to people in other fields. When I talk with my friends who have jobs in other fields, they tell me that they get about a month of vacation or so. I get a few weeks. It really doesn't bother me, though - I'm not really in this field because I wanted a lot of vacation time. We work until the job is done at the factory and we also work on a Saturday if we need to get an order out. My friends think this is crazy, but it is the way it is. My father also used to work five and a half days a week when I grew up, so I guess I'm used to that sort of a work schedule. Usually, if we have to work on a Saturday, we only have to work a half day.
It can be difficult at times to work so many hours, but I do make a good salary. This also means my wife has been able to stay home with the kids. Even if I have to work late or work on the weekend, she can take care of things at home. Then again, when I get off of work, my time is my own. I know some of my friends with professional jobs technically don't have to work on the weekends, but they are answering business calls and e-mails during the weekend and in the evenings. In my book, that is still work, even if you are at home. If you ask them how many hours a week they work, they would probably say 40. But if you add up the e-mails and phone calls, I bet they are working about six days a week. So, it all evens out, I guess.
Because I work for a small company, I don't get the best benefit package. However, there are other benefits for working for this company. We can carpool because we all live close. We also can cover for one another and help each other out. So, if I need to be somewhere for an appointment or something, I can usually get one of the guys to cover my station for me until I get back.
If a friend of mine was interested in this job, I'd ask them the things that they like to do. If you just like to sit in front of a computer or talk on the phone, this is not the job for you. If you like to work with your hands and like the satisfaction of putting out a quality product, then a job in manufacturing is definitely for you.
JustJobs.com is a job search engine that finds job listings from company career pages, other job boards, newspapers and associations. With one search, they help you find the job with your name on it.Read more » articles by this approved business partner | Click here » if you’re a businessAssembly line worker image from Shutterstock
Is your job search turning into a grind with no end in sight? It may be time to take a step back and reevaluate your entire approach.
In cold weather climates, the beginning of spring is a time to clean the house and get organized—a practice known as spring cleaning. Through the years, spring cleaning has taken on a larger meaning with people using the time to organize and declutter things in their lives.
For professionals on the job hunt, a little spring cleaning (metaphorically speaking) could be a great way to reinvigorate your job search. Here are a few strategies your job search spring cleaning should include.
Reevaluate Your Job Search Approach
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Make a list of the last handful of jobs you applied for and see if you can identify any positive or negative trends. Consider things like:
How did I learn about this job?
How did I apply for the job?
Did I earn an interview?
What was the ultimate result?
A lot can be learned about your job search approach just by answering these questions and identifying patterns. For example:
Negative Trends
You discovered five jobs through job boards, applied to all of them via the job boards, and never heard back from any of them.
The common pattern here is applying through job boards. This isn't to say that job boards don't serve a purpose in the job search process, but they have their limitations, and you can't run your job search entirely off of them. When you apply through a job board, there's a good chance that your materials will never get past the applicant tracking system (ATS) and never be seen by an actual person.
One simple fix is to research who the hiring manager or recruiter is that posted the position and email your materials to them directly.
The more efficient fix would be to take a proactive approach by putting together a bucket list of companies that you want to work for and start making connections on LinkedIn with people who work at those companies. You may already know some people who work there or have connections that can refer you to some individuals.
This is a great way to network your way onto a company's radar.
Positive Trends
You applied to three jobs via referral, were invited to two job interviews, and made it through multiple rounds of interviews for one of the jobs before being passed over for someone with a little more experience.
The pattern here is that getting referred to a job by a professional acquaintance is a great way to land a job interview. This indicates that you're leveraging your network well and you should continue to focus on your networking efforts.
The next step is to review the interview process and determine what went well and what needs to be improved. Sometimes the interviewer will provide feedback, and that feedback can be valuable. However, not everyone is comfortable with giving feedback.
Chances are you probably have a good idea about areas of improvement and the skills you need to gain. Put together a plan for addressing those shortfalls.
The good news in making it deep into any interview process is that it indicates that the company likes you as a potential employee (even if the timing just wasn't right) and the experience could be a roadmap to a job with that company at a later date, or another similar opportunity elsewhere.
Give Your Resume & Cover Letter Some Much-Needed Attention
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Are you continuously sending similar resumes and cover letters to each job opening with only minor adjustments? If so, your strategy needs some serious spring cleaning.
The reason why it's so important to tailor your resume is that throughout your career, you acquire numerous skills, but the job you're applying for may only be focusing on 6-8 of those skills. In that case, those skills must rise to the top of the resume with quantifiable examples of how you successfully used those skills at previous jobs.
Remember, recruiters go through hundreds of resumes. They need to be able to tell from a quick glance whether or not you're a potential candidate for the position.
While updating your resume, you could also spruce up your LinkedIn profile by highlighting the skill sets that you want to be noticed for by recruiters.
As for writing a good cover letter, the key to success is writing a disruptive cover letter. When you write a disruptive cover letter, you're basically telling a story. The story should focus on how you connect with the particular company and job position. The story could also focus on your personal journey, and how you got to where you currently are in your career.
If your resumes and cover letters aren't unique, now is the time to clean things up and get on track.
Build Your Personal Brand
Just because you're looking for work doesn't mean that you don't have anything to offer. Use previous career experiences and passions to build your personal brand.
Ask yourself, "How do I want other professionals to view me?"
Pick an area of expertise and start sharing your knowledge and experience with your professional network by pushing out content on your LinkedIn and social media accounts. Good content can include blogs, social media posts, and videos.
By sharing content about your experiences and passions, you slowly build your personal brand, and others will start to notice. The content could lead to good discussions with others in your network. It could also lead to reconnecting with connections that you haven't spoken to in years, or making new connections.
You never know when one of these connections could turn into a job lead or referral. The trick is to get on people's radars. So, when you're cleaning up your job search, be sure to build a plan for personal branding.
Maintain Healthy Habits During Your Job Search
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Your job search is important, but it's even more important to know when to pull back and focus on personal health and spending time with family and friends.
There are actually things that you can do for your own enjoyment that could help your job search in the long run, such as:
Grab coffee with a friend - It's good to engage in light conversation with friends during challenging times. And if your job search does come up, remember that most people have been through it themselves and you never know when a friend may provide you with a good idea or lead on a job.
Volunteer - Volunteering is a great way to get involved in the community and help others. In addition, if you develop a little bit of a career gap while looking for a job, you can always talk about how you filled that time volunteering, if you're asked about it during a job interview.
Continue to focus on other passions - Are you a fitness nut? Blogger? Crafter? Continue to do the things that bring you happiness. And if you're in a position to profit from your passion through a freelance job or side hustle, even better!
Spring is the perfect time to clean up and improve your job search so you can land the job you want. If you're struggling to find a job, follow the tips above to reinvigorate your job search—and watch your career blossom!
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This article was originally published at an earlier date.
Considered pursuing a career in manufacturing? This interview will take you through the ups and downs you can expect, what it takes to land the job, what you can expect to earn and more. This is a true career story as told to DiversityJobs and is one of many interviews with individuals in the manufacturing profession which among others include a senior vice president of supply chain management and everything in between.
I work in a small factory that manufactures shoe orthotics. I got my start basically because I knew the owner of the factory, so I was really lucky. I had gotten laid off of my job a few days before, and I needed a job. That was almost 25 years ago. I like the job, but more importantly, I like the people I work with; I suppose that is why I have stayed.
I really didn't need anything but on-the-job training. My employer wanted to make sure that I had graduated from high school at the time and that I had good reading and writing skills. He also wanted to make sure that I could follow directions.
I've seen a lot of people come and go over the years. A job in manufacturing is not for everyone I guess. Some people do not like the monotony of it, and I can understand that in a way. I work the imprinting machine, although I have been trained on all the other machines in the factory. My job is to imprint the company logo on the orthotics before they are done on the assembly line. Because I have been at the factory so long and because I have been trained on the other machines, I may also help to train new employees or do quality control. If someone is running behind on their job, I can step in to help them, too.
I really do like my job. I like to come to work because I know as a team we can accomplish just about anything. I like working with the team and doing my job. I like the satisfaction I get knowing together, we make quality products for people who really need them. It also makes me happy to know I might be able to help out someone who really is struggling or is having trouble. It is important, too, to help out the slower workers because any sort of hold up can cause problems on the line. If someone is struggling, it pays to help out because we work until the job is done. If we are not finished with an order at 3:00 PM when it is quitting time, we do not get to go home until the job is done. This bothers a lot of the younger guys, but I know if we all work together and help each other out, we can usually finish by 3:00 PM.
I don't really get a lot of time off as compared to people in other fields. When I talk with my friends who have jobs in other fields, they tell me that they get about a month of vacation or so. I get a few weeks. It really doesn't bother me, though - I'm not really in this field because I wanted a lot of vacation time. We work until the job is done at the factory and we also work on a Saturday if we need to get an order out. My friends think this is crazy, but it is the way it is. My father also used to work five and a half days a week when I grew up, so I guess I'm used to that sort of a work schedule. Usually, if we have to work on a Saturday, we only have to work a half day.
It can be difficult at times to work so many hours, but I do make a good salary. This also means my wife has been able to stay home with the kids. Even if I have to work late or work on the weekend, she can take care of things at home. Then again, when I get off of work, my time is my own. I know some of my friends with professional jobs technically don't have to work on the weekends, but they are answering business calls and e-mails during the weekend and in the evenings. In my book, that is still work, even if you are at home. If you ask them how many hours a week they work, they would probably say 40. But if you add up the e-mails and phone calls, I bet they are working about six days a week. So, it all evens out, I guess.
Because I work for a small company, I don't get the best benefit package. However, there are other benefits for working for this company. We can carpool because we all live close. We also can cover for one another and help each other out. So, if I need to be somewhere for an appointment or something, I can usually get one of the guys to cover my station for me until I get back.
If a friend of mine was interested in this job, I'd ask them the things that they like to do. If you just like to sit in front of a computer or talk on the phone, this is not the job for you. If you like to work with your hands and like the satisfaction of putting out a quality product, then a job in manufacturing is definitely for you.
JustJobs.com is a job search engine that finds job listings from company career pages, other job boards, newspapers and associations. With one search, they help you find the job with your name on it.Read more » articles by this approved business partner | Click here » if you’re a businessAssembly line worker image from Shutterstock
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