Tips for pros going up or out

By Damon Francis -- Purchasing, 3/8/2001

This Career Development column advised readers in the Oct. 5 issue that if they wanted to get ahead, that they should quit. Finding a better position at a different company and then possibly returning at a later date with a better title and a higher salary is a solid game plan in almost all industries in today's job market. Tech people are even advised to start looking for new positions every three months because they are in such high demand right now. This unique job market is necessitating new strategies for both employees and employers. Managers have to be on top of what is going on because purchasing professionals are moving in and out of the function, and companies for that matter, with more regularity than ever before.

Here are some tips to keep in mind before you change positions, and also some tips for managers to remember after someone has decided to pursue greener pastures at a different company:

Before (tips for perspective employees)

Knowing what employers are looking for is half the battle. Recruitment officers, human resources personnel and purchasing professionals agree that for upward mobility within the purchasing function, professional certifications, MBAs and graduate degrees in supply chain management or logistics are more important than ever before. "The most frequent baseline request we receive is for supply chain functionality, that is a purchasing professional who has broader materials, logistics/distribution, or systems exposure or experience. MostFortune500 companies have focused on streamlining and integrating all the separate links in their supply chain, so that a purchasing professional has to be promotable into a director of supply chain or a VP of supply management. E-commerce and/or ERP experience are frequently sought after. MBAs and professional certifications are also more important than they were five years ago," says Kevin Rohan, recruitment specialist at JP Canon Associates in New York.

"In addition to academic credentials (minimum bachelor's degree) companies are looking for skills in e-commerce initiatives, systems knowledge, and cross-functional team-building skills. As companies are transitioning to the global marketplace, a full understanding and experience with the total supply chain is essential" says Donna McMillan of McMillan Associates Inc. in Florida

After (tips for managers)

Managers, your most important responsibility is to build a quality, highly motivated team. When one of your employees voluntarily decides to leave your company, it puts you in a difficult, unenviable position. There are immediate considerations that need to be addressed, and your first instinct will always be to make a quick, clean break with that person. Clearly a replacement must be found to absorb the responsibilities of your unsatisfied talent, but don't completely write off the departing employee just yet, they can still be a valuable asset to your company, even after they leave the payroll.

Exit interviews can be a great resource and should be considered an investment. "We're seeing a growth in organizations implementing exit interviewing as a way of gathering meaningful staff feedback about why their talent is voluntarily leaving," said Jania Andreotti, vice president, in Drake Beam Morin's Boston office. DBM went on to report that exit interviews "can reveal problems that may otherwise go unnoticed and can provide helpful information for further company improvement in areas such as recruitment, management, supervision, job design, remuneration, or career planning and development. The exit interview can also help to ensure that you are parting with the employee on good terms and demonstrate for remaining employees that concern is being shown for staff."

DBM outlines several issues that will need to be considered when conducting an exit interview:

Who should perform the interview? Exit interviews should be conducted in person or by telephone with an independent third-party interviewer skilled in exploring sensitive areas.

When should the interview take place? Interviews should be conducted as soon as possible after the employee's resignation and again 4-6 months after they have left the organization.

What questions should be asked? It is advisable to script the interview questions so that feedback from different people can be compared and consolidated. Areas that should be touched on are: reasons for leaving, attraction of the new position, working relationships, management effectiveness and working conditions.

What becomes of the data? Often companies will conduct exit interviews and never use the information that has been accumulated. Instead of simply filing the data away, analyze it to improve problem areas that were identified.

"Exit interviews will not uncover or solve all of the issues within a company, however they do form a crucial part of any thorough retention strategy for organizations that truly value their people," says Jania.