Message from the President Dear Affiliate Members and Associates, It is hard to believe that the 2012-2013 board year is coming to a close. Our new year starts with the officers and directors taking their oaths at the May meeting. You will see 9 familiar faces and 5 new ones. We will also honor our scholarship recipients. The round table event features Mary Lewis as our facilitator, discussing “Consulting Services: Best Practices in Contracting and Statements of Work”. This will be our last general meeting before the summer break so don’t miss it! Allow me to back up to our April meeting for a moment. Dr. Kuehl was as impressive as we anticipated! We also had the largest attendance we’ve seen in some time. Kudos, Esmeralda, and thank you to all who attended for making it such a success! One bit of information we ran out of time to share is where you can sign up to receive the free BIB (Business Intelligence Brief), Monday-Friday via email. The website is www.aramada-intel.com . Eight ISM-Kansas City members attended the ISM Leadership Training Workshop and Conference in Dallas at the end of April. Many hours of training and conference classes were taken. The highlights were the keynote speakers, Drs. Condoleezza Rice and Hau L. Lee, from Stanford University. Remarkable individuals! Now we are back and will spend a great amount of time over the summer planning the next year. There is so much enthusiasm in our new and incumbent directors and officers. I hope you will join us with your support. And we always welcome your suggestions or help. Every committee can use Inside This Issue 1 Message from the President 2 Monthly Meetings Schedule 3-4 Job Postings 5 Diversity Corner 6-7 Mid-America Leading Economic Indicators 8 Article: “Getting Past the Screener And Into The Interview” 9 ISM-KC Board of Directors MONTHLY NEWSLETTER Institute for Supply Management – Kansas City, Inc. May 2013
Transcript
Message from the President
Dear Affiliate Members and Associates,
It is hard to believe that the 2012-2013 board year is coming to a close. Our new year starts with the officers and directors taking their oaths at the May meeting. You will see 9 familiar faces and 5 new ones. We will also honor our scholarship recipients. The round table event features Mary Lewis as our facilitator, discussing “Consulting Services: Best Practices in Contracting and Statements of Work”. This will be our last general meeting before the summer break so don’t miss it!
Allow me to back up to our April meeting for a moment. Dr. Kuehl was as impressive as we anticipated! We also had the largest attendance we’ve seen in some time. Kudos, Esmeralda, and thank you to all who attended for making it such a success! One bit of information we ran out of time to share is where you can sign up to receive the free BIB (Business Intelligence Brief), Monday-Friday via email. The website is www.aramada-intel.com .
Eight ISM-Kansas City members attended the ISM Leadership Training Workshop and Conference in Dallas at the end of April. Many hours of training and conference classes were taken. The highlights were the keynote speakers, Drs. Condoleezza Rice and Hau L. Lee, from Stanford University. Remarkable individuals!
Now we are back and will spend a great amount of time over the summer planning the next year. There is so much enthusiasm in our new and incumbent directors and officers. I hope you will join us with your support. And we always welcome your suggestions or help. Every committee can use additional volunteers. Pick your favorite committee and sign up! Did I mention committee members earn CEH?
Personally, I want to thank the Board for their service and the membership for supporting ISM-Kansas City this past year. Serving as your president has been a fulfilling, full-circle experience for me. (Ask me and I’ll tell you about it sometime). We belong to an outstanding professional organization! See you on the 21st!
Kriss Pearson, President
Inside This Issue1 Message from the President
2 Monthly Meetings Schedule
3-4 Job Postings
5 Diversity Corner
6-7 Mid-America Leading Economic Indicators
8 Article: “Getting Past the Screener And Into The Interview”
9 ISM-KC Board of Directors
MONTHLY NEWSLETTERInstitute for Supply Management – Kansas City, Inc.
Consulting Services: Best Practices in Contracting
Professional Development Event
Tue, May 21, 20135:30 PM - 8:00 PM Holiday Inn & Suites - OP West 8787 Reeder RoadOverland Park, Kansas 66214
Fees for this event:
MEMBERS (1.0000 POINTS): $25.00NON-MEMBERS: $25.00
May Dinner Meeting: Tuesday, May 21st, from 5:30 to 8:00PM
Facilitator: Mary D. Lewis
Topic: Back by Popular Demand –
“Consulting Services: Best Practices in Contracting and Statements of Work”
Last year, executives of the Kansas City Procurement Round Table (KCPRT) requested a facilitated workshop focused on exchanging ideas for drafting effective SOWs for consultants. Because some of the KCPRT members missed the June, 2012 session, ISM-KC will host a shortened encore event, led by Mary D. Lewis, who facilitated the original workshop. Contracting for services presents many challenges and when those services involve consulting, the ability to craft an effective contract or SOW may make the difference between a successful project and an expensive failure, or worse – unforeseen legal claims. In our May ISM Dinner meeting, we will exchange best practices and ideas as well as some of the pain points we’ve experienced with the consulting services category. From those who know best – your peers – find out what has worked, what hasn’t, and how we can all plan for success.
PAGE 3ISM-KANSAS CITY NEWSLETTER
Job PostingNew Job Opportunities Posted on ISM-KC Web Site, go
to: http://www.ism-kansascity.org/default.asp Log In Select Members Select Job Postings Click on each job for details
Sourcing Specialist - Sigma-Aldrich, Lenexa, KS Sourcing and Supplier Management activities regarding procurement of GMP raw materials (chemicals) and operating supplies for the Lenexa, Kansas Operations.BASIC QUALIFICATIONSEducation
• Bachelor’s degree in Business Management or related field • Minimum of 5 years sourcing/purchasing experience in a GMP manufacturing
environment • Ability to learn ERP sourcing/purchasing techniques • Proven technical proficiency with word processing and spreadsheets
Essential and Critical Skills:• Good analytical, business process analysis and problem solving capabilities• Apparent negotiation skills • Excellent communication, oral and written• Project Management skills – useful• Highly motivated and results-oriented
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS• Sourcing of GMP chemicals and other operating supplies to include; new source
investigations, qualification processes and on-going Supplier Relations Management of existing suppliers.
• Prepare and execute purchase orders and releases for new component qualifications. • Report in an actionable time frame to appropriate personnel any change in the supply
chain that might disrupt the processing of a customer order or negatively impact production schedule execution.
• Provide on-going Supplier Management support which would include such activities as; structured business reviews, performance scorecards, incident investigations and strategy planning activities.
• Provide on-going Supplier Management support which would include such activities as; structured business reviews, performance scorecards, incident investigations and strategy planning activities.
• Follows SAFC purchasing policy as defined in standard operating procedures and vendor manual.
• Provide sourcing support to all functional groups, support corporate supply chain management strategies, and serve on cross functional teams as required to support the development of strong business relationships with key suppliers.
• Utilize the corporate management information system to develop and maintain supplier information, quotes, lead times, and other records as required.
• Assure proper resource and asset management in a manner consistent with current good manufacturing practices and purchasing management ethics.
• Provide reports, information, analysis etc., as required, in a timely, professional manner.
• Support the Operations’ Functional Plan by developing, organizing, and implementing processes, procedures and practices.
• Assure proper accounts are charged for purchased materials, and work with accounting and end users to reconcile discrepancies.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
Sigma-Aldrich offers a highly motivational and rewarding working environment with attractive salary, benefits, retirement, relocation and incentive packages including tuition reimbursement. Sigma-Aldrich fosters the growth of employees in a culture of respect and dignity with ample opportunity for career advancement. For more information about Sigma-Aldrich, please visit its website at www.sigma-aldrich.com.Sigma-Aldrich is an Equal Opportunity EmployerPlease apply via our website.
PAGE 5ISM-KANSAS CITY NEWSLETTER
MID AMERICA MINORITY SUPPLIER DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL
(MAMSDC)
DIVERSITY CORNER
MAMSDC can help you and your company take advantage of the products and services offered by diverse businesses.
Let MAMSDC help you to:
Develop a Diversity Program for your company Locate diverse companies in the local area to meet your
product and service needs Locate diverse companies outside the area as well
In a time where most large companies only offer cookie cutter products and services, diverse businesses can offer custom solutions to meet your needs.
Mid-America Leading Indicator Healthy for April:Inflationary Pressures Cool Again
YouTube interview with Professor Goss can be seen here.
April survey results at a glance:
Leading economic indicator points to continuing growth for the next three to six months.
More than three-fourths of businesses reported that the federal spending sequestration has had no impact on their business.
Inflationary pressures at the wholesale level decline again. Approximately half of businesses surveyed have experienced or expect to experience
negative impacts from the Affordable Care Act.
For Immediate Release: May 1, 2013
OMAHA, Neb. – The monthly Mid-America Business Conditions Index, a leading economic indicator for a nine-state region, dipped for the month. The index continues to point to improving economic growth for the region in the next three to six months.
Overall index: The Business Conditions Index, which ranges between 0 and 100, declined to a solid 56.8 from March’s even healthier 58.2.
“Durable goods producers in the region continue to outperform nondurable goods manufacturers. Durable goods manufacturers reported strong growth in new orders from both domestic and international buyers. Despite this healthy growth, inflationary pressures at the wholesale level remain restrained,” said Ernie Goss, Ph.D., director of Creighton University’s Economic Forecasting Group and the Jack A. MacAllister Chair in Regional Economics.
Employment: After moving below growth neutral for January, the region’s employment gauge has climbed above 50.0 for the past three months. The April reading rose to 60.7 from March’s 56.3. “Companies in the region are increasing the pace of new hiring. For the entire region, I expect the employment to rise to pre-recession levels this summer. At this point in time, the region’s employment level is off less than one-half of a percentage point from pre-recession levels. Of course this differs by state with Arkansas, Kansas and Missouri lagging well behind the remainder of the states,” said Goss.
Wholesale Prices: The prices-paid index, which tracks the cost of purchased raw materials and supplies, sank to 62.6 from 64.1 in March. “Inflationary pressures at the wholesale level are clearly trending lower. Thus far, the Federal Reserve’s cheap money policy is elevating inflationary pressures, but only modestly. The bigger problem in Mid-America has been the Fed’s impact on asset prices such as farmland
which continue to expand at rates that should concern agriculture interests,” said Goss.
Confidence: Looking ahead six months, economic optimism, as captured by the April business confidence index, expanded to 59.9 from 58.2 in March. “Supply managers expect the upturn in housing to remain an important ingredient of the economic expansion. The federal spending sequestration is having almost no impact on the outlook. The last two months, we have asked supply managers how the federal spending sequestration was affecting their company. More than three-fourths of supply managers in March and April indicated that the cuts have had no impact on their company to date. Less than one-fourth reported only modest impacts. None of the businesses reported significant impacts,” said Goss.
This month we also asked supply managers the expected outcome from the Affordable Care Act. Approximately fifty percent have experienced, or expect to experience negative impacts. Only 2 percent anticipate positive impacts, while the remaining 48 percent expect little or no impact on their business.
Inventories: Regional inventory levels increased for the month but at a slower pace compared to March. The April inventory index slumped to 50.6 from March’s 58.1. “Companies in our survey have now expanded inventory levels for five straight months. This inventory accumulation will add to regional growth in the months ahead. This is another indicator of improving business confidence,” said Goss.
Trade: New export orders improved for the month. The new export orders index increased to a 54.5 from 50.9 in March. In another signal of an expanding regional economy, the import index advanced for a third straight month to 58.4 from March’s 55.0 and 53.7 in February. “Upturns in production have pushed supply managers to increase their purchases from abroad. While the increase in new export orders for the month is good news, we will need to experience several months of this growth to be confident that exports are once again adding to regional growth,” said Goss.
Other components: Other components of the April Business Conditions Index were new orders at 61.3, down from March’s very strong 65.4; production or sales at 63.2, up from 62.4; and delivery lead time at 48.5, down from 49.0 in March.
Survey results for May will be released on the first business day of the month June 3.
Follow Goss on twitter at http://twitter.com/erniegossFor historical data and forecasts visit our website at:http://www2.creighton.edu/business/economicoutlook/
Published May 1, 2013 | ByDeborah Walker (Phone: 360.260.4965) [email protected]
I had an interesting conversation a while back with a recruiter who made a comment about the surprising number of resumes she gets from people seemingly overqualified or from unrelated industries. Most of the resumes she tosses aside with disinterest. I share her comments in case you fit the profile of candidate she mentioned. If so, there are steps to take to make certain your resume is seriously considered when applying for a position outside your industry or for which you are overqualified.
1. Address the issue in your cover letter. State clearly your interest in changing industries. Express your knowledge of the industry and its challenges. Point out how your background experiences make you a great candidate. If you are seemingly overqualified, demonstrate your value: better perspective, more patient, and extensive industry knowledge.
2. If transitioning to a new industry, focus your resume on your transferable skills rather than routine responsibilities. Back up your transferable skills with illustrative accomplishments. Translate industry-specific jargon into general terminology. Give less “white space” to company names if they are commonly connected with your industry. White space is just what it sounds like: white area around words. Words or phrases surrounded by white space stand out and attract the eye.
3. If over qualified, downplay your managerial responsibilities and highlight your hands-on activities and contributions. Give less “white space” to your job title. Don’t quantify information such as number of employees managed, amount of budget overseen, etc.
Many job seekers feel that if they can just get the interview they can sell the interviewer on their qualifications. That may be so, but without a convincing cover letter and resume, the interview won’t happen. If you feel you’re being screened out unjustly, try these suggestions and see if you don’t get better results.
