Navigating the career world can prove daunting at times. Therefore, it makes sense for students and those starting out on their careers to seek the counsel of those who have been in the industry and who know what it takes to succeed in a particular path. My interaction with the operations manager at a leading bank was insightful and operand my eyes to the nature of the job and the requirements for success in that field.
I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Mr. Louis Hunter who is an operations manager of one of the leading banks in the country. He has served as the operations manager in his organization for the past 4 years. He opened up on a host of things such as the requirements for the job, the responsibilities involved, and why the role he currently holds is important to the organization.
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The Function of Operations Manager
The role of operations manager is perhaps one of the most important in any organization. The Holder is tasked with management of the entity’s resources and ensuring that they are applied in the most efficient manner to guarantee its success (Hill, 2012). Apart from that, the person has to ensure that the organization’s customers are serves in the best manner possible in accordance to the standards set out in the organization.
As the interview with Mr. Hunter proceeded, he outlined what his job description entails. In a nutshell, he was tasked with managing his bank’s operation and ensuring the effective delivery of services to clients. One of the key responsibilities that he had to fulfill was ensuring the development of a service culture among the staff of the organization in line with its strategic goals and aspirations (Hill, 2012).
The task of operations manager is result- oriented and one’s success is based on his or her outcomes. As Mr. Hunter noted, it is not possible for one to achieve the desired results alone. It is important to delegate the various tasks in one’s area and to ensure that the people assigned have the capabilities and resources to execute them. Therefore, one must have the ability to plan ahead and to assign the various tasks to his or her team for completion (Jones & Robinson, 2012).
Being in charge of operations implies that one has to be answerable for the day- to- day running of the organization. Therefore, an operations manager also has to supervise those him to ensure that they do what is required of them (Jones & Robinson, 2012). In the case of Mr. Hunter, he was mandated with assessing the performance of his staff and ensuring that everything is done in the right way. Consequently, he periodically reviewed transaction reports and accounts to make sure that the staff followed everything that was expected of them. He readily admitted that this was perhaps the most challenging part of the job since he would be held liable for any mistake or omission. To avoid such instances, he ensured that each member of his team had the necessary skills and competencies and that he empowered his people to make the necessary decisions.
The Organization Selected
The interview required one to select a particular organization and then interview someone working in operations management. I selected a local bank due to the ease of availability and proximity to my current location. Moreover, the organization chosen is one in which an operations manager plays a central role and is heavily involved in its everyday working. Ultimately, it turned out just as I expected since the operations manager that I interviewed revealed that he played a critical role in his organization. He provided me with useful insights on what it takes to occupy his position and to execute the demands of his task successfully. Therefore, the choice of a bank proved to be an inspired one
Reasons for Selecting the Individual
Ultimately, the reason for selecting Mr. Hunter was informed by a need to develop a deeper understanding of the role and requirements that come with a career in operations management. His four years on the job means that he has enough experience and information about the field and can be considered an authority. The conversation with Mr. Hunter thus proved to be quite enlightening and informative. The choice of Mr. Hunter was only natural as he has experience in the field and was well placed to answer any questions related to his line of work and to offer expert tips on how to succeed in the area.
The Questions asked
Undoubtedly, approaching the interview required one to have a set of questions which would be posed to the respondent to gather the required information. Therefore, I came up with this list of questions which I then posed to Mr. Hunter;
What is the role of an operations manager in the organization?
What skills and competencies are required for one to succeed as an operations manager?
Can you describe some of your day- to- day tasks?
Which is the one skill that you think is the most important for one to succeed in operations management?
What trends do you think will have the most impact on operations management in the future?
Reflections
The interview was without doubt highly informative. The interaction with Mr. Hunter provided many insights into banking as an industry and operations management. The first lesson I learnt was that banking was a business based on trust and building relationships. As Mr. Hunter stated, it is important for customers to feel that they can depend on the bank in their journey. The second lesson I picked on was that operations management is central to the success of the organization. It is a function that is heavily concerned with coordinating the processes and the other functions in the organization to make sure that everything falls into place (Cooke, 2012). The operations manager in any organization has holds a critical docket that is crucial to the proper functioning of the entity. He or she has to ensure that all the functions and departments in the firm are aligned towards the achievement of its strategic goals.
The Importance of this Assignment
It is every student’s dream to complete school and embark on a successful career path. Also, it is important to recognize that the world is becoming ever competitive, and that means that new entrants into the job market must work extra hard to give themselves an edge in the market. Shadowing those already in the industry and learning from them is one of the ways through which an individual can pick valuable knowledge that can then provide the required advantage in the market (Cooke, 2012). Hearing from those who are already doing it provides a unique perspective that one may never acquire in the classroom or from interactions with teachers. It helps one acquire a hands- on experience of what it takes to forge a successful career and the skills and competencies required.
Summary
The exercise of interviewing someone working in operations management turned out to be quite a learning experience. It also proved to be quite an eye- opener in more ways than one would have expected. Following the interview I had with Mr. Hunt I was able to pick on some important tips that should prepare one to successfully make the transition from student to a professional in the field. Apart from that, it also allowed me to have an idea of what it takes to have a career in operations management.
Follow- up Activities
The interview with Mr. Hunter proved to be quite a productive engagement. He did not only provide me with information on his work and what he does but also gave me some useful tips that I could apply to get ahead career wise. One of the most important pieces of advice that he gave me was on the importance of having a proper and updated resume. Therefore, I plan on having a thorough review of my resume to ensure that it is optimized to enable me have the best shot at landing a job. Secondly, Mr. Hunter also stressed on the importance of internships and any other form of experience that a student may get during or after studies. The conversation got me thinking about seeking an opportunity to get the necessary exposure and hands- on experience that an internship can provide. Therefore, I plan on getting a placement in the summer that would enable me to acquire some critical skills and learning for future engagements.
References
Cooke, J. (2012). Operations management : St Albans: Ecademy Press Ltd.
Hill, A. (2012). Operations Management: New York; Palgrave Macmillan.
Jones, P., & Robinson, P. (2012). Operations management : Oxford: Oxford University Press.
