ASSIGNMENT 1

Career Roadmap

by

Juan MENDEZ FRIAS

Work presented to
Ms. Lara Loze
In the course
SCMT 3200, Career Development for Supply Chain
and Operations Management

Durham College
September 26, 2019
SECTION ONE: RESEARCH
Upon completing a Myers Briggs test I discovered I have an INTP-T Logician
personality type1. According to the 16 personalities site that supplied the test this personality
type is characterized by an analytical approach to problem solving, abstract and creative
thinking, introversion, and intuition. Personally, I’m not a big believer in the accuracy of
personality tests because I feel that the human psyche is much too complex to map out into
concise classification. However, I did empathize with my apparent personality type’s tendency to
daydream and introspect, a quality which I feel I genuinely exhibit myself. Moving onto to the
suggested career paths of the website, my personality type is unsurprisingly expected to pursue a
STEM career, something which frankly bores me. I do agree with the desire to be in a dynamic
workplace that contains minimal repetitive tasks and a disdain for corporate hierarchy. So the
analysis does hit some marks.

On the Canadian Supply Chain Sector Council, I used the connector skills matching tool
in order to do a personal self-assessment on a sample career that would be of interest to me. The
occupation that I chose was Materials Manager from which I received a low score of 1822. A
closer look at my results showed that I had a good grasp on basic business principles but that I
was lacking in intermediate and high complexity applications. I’m not entirely surprised by my
results as I didn’t have time to study and prepare and therefore was good evaluation of my
instinct. Most of the questions I got right were directly related to my part-time work as a
shipper/receiver in manufacturing. Terms such as finished goods, work-in-progress, and bills of
lading are something I encounter daily in my occupation and were pretty engrained in me.

I found two job postings within my field of interest that relate to both procurement and
materials management. The first of which is the position of “Production Planner/Scheduler” at
Stone Lamina in Etobicoke ON3, found on Indeed.com. This is a full-time position with a $26 to
$32/hour salary range and self-reported “opportunity for advancement”. There is no explicit

1
https://www.16personalities.com/intp-careers
2
https://en.cscsc.essentialskillsgroup.com/pages/results_report.php?busandman&pid=841&d=2019-09-
26%2016:53:33
3
https://ca.indeed.com/viewjob?cmp=GCAT-Group-
Inc.&t=Production+Planner+Scheduler+Stone+Fabrication&jk=aeb3e24a8a537720&q=supply+chain&vjs=3
education requirement on the job posting but it does list a required one year of experience in
planning/scheduling. Responsibilities listed are issuing and coordinating work orders, preparing
master schedules, purchasing and monitoring material inventory, etc. The second job posting
which I found was through the governmental site jobbank as a Materials Manager at Nutralab
Canada Ltd, located in Scarborough ON. It is a permanent full-time position with a salary of
$42/hour with additional group insurance benefits. There is a minimum requirement of a College
or CEGEP education as well as at least 5 years’ experience in the field. Being fluent in Mandarin
is considered an asset. Required skills are “review and process claims against suppliers”, and
“plan, develop and implement purchasing policies and procedures” among others4.

SECTION TWO: CAREER OBJECTIVE, DEFINED

Overall, my career objective isn’t too ambitious and is primarily based on realism and
necessity I do not strive to one day become the CEO of a fortune 500 and base my self-worth on
the accumulation of capital. I want a sustainable and stable career which does not stagnate and
leaves room for growth. One that can support me financially and can guarantee independence for
years to come. A tolerable workplace with minimal toxicity and dynamic tasks and challenges is
ideal. Being stooped in monotony where everyday tasks are rinsed and repeated is something to
be avoided. Even more ideal would be a supply chain job within the music industry, specifically
the manufacture of musical instruments and equipment. Such a position would bring much of my
own personal interest and passion into my work life. An example of such a “dream job” would
be working at Yorkville sound in Pickering. Managing the production of Traynor amplifiers and
overseeing the logistics of the operation would be extremely rewarding because I deeply value
the product and the artists that create with it.

SECTION THREE: THREE KEY GOALS

The first goal and the most obvious is attaining a post-secondary degree relevant to my
field. Most positions in supply and operations management require a degree of higher education
specific to the field and won’t accept candidates unless through high degrees of nepotism. A
simple degree or diploma is acceptable but not ideal. Maintaining a good academic standing
measured by a high GPA or other accolades helps a candidate stick out from the fray. Having

4
https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/jobsearch/jobposting/31028507?source=searchresults
positive references from professors and being involved in campus extra-curricular activities is
also a useful benefit.

The second goal is acquiring work experience in my desired field. Any kind of
part/summer/full-time job that involves inventory management, production planning, shipping,
and receiving is instrumental to showing employers the aptitude that a candidate has. Many jobs
within the manufacturing or service industry has a lot of integration and openness between
departments and especially between supervisors and subordinates. A supervisor might entrust an
employee to effectively act and perform their tasks while they are away on vacation for example.
This can be used as clout to a prospective employer because it demonstrates one’s ability to
“wear multiple hats” and adopt many skills not specifically outlined in their job description.

The third goal is the acquisition of certifications related to materials handling,

procurement, or inventory management. Such certifications show to employers that an individual
is not only qualified by hearsay from a previous employer but by a respected NGO, provincial or
federal government, or an academic institution. These are not only valuable assets but also
sometimes mandated depending on the work one is applying for.

SECTION FOUR: STRATEGIES TO OVERCOME BARRIERS AND ATTAIN

GOALS
In my view, the two biggest external barriers that not only affect myself but millions of
recent university and college graduates are nepotism and the housing market. Previous
generations of baby boomers and Gen X’ers are sometimes keener on hiring family and close
friends instead of new candidates based on merit. This turns job searches into cults of personality
where getting the “foot in the door” often requires knowing the right people instead of being
entirely skills based. Real wages in North America have been stagnant for many years.
Speculation, interest rates, and the aftermath of the 2008 recession lead housing to become very
unaffordable for an increasing amount of people, which leads to further commutes from homes
to workplaces. These issues are systematic and cannot be fixed by an individual.
 Things that are within my control are my internal barriers such as my inability to
effectively manage my time, my aloofness and introversion, as well as my procrastination.
Alleviating these characteristics will help me achieve better grades, gain membership in supply
chain organizations, reinforce my performance at work, and expand my network with my
teachers, fellow students, and co-workers. Continuing part-time as a shipper/receiver throughout
my schooling could result in a promotion upon graduation or seeking new employment in
another company that offers a higher salary. Nonetheless, my experience in the aluminum
industry will be transferable into other industries because the basic skills of inventory
management, forecasting, and creating customs documentation are the same. Becoming a
member of the ASCM and obtaining a Certification in Production and Inventory Management
(CPIM) would be a significant asset to my resume and overall credibility. Academically I’m
pretty susceptible to procrastinating assignments and studying for tests, as well as often
forgetting due dates. A way to remediate this would be to acquire a personal agenda that I update
and check regularly in order to be punctual and assign times during the day dedicated entirely to
studying.

SECTION FIVE: EVALUATION OF PROGRESS

A good evaluation of my academic standing is through the grades tab in DC connect and
talking to my professors to know which areas I’m lacking and need work. This is an essential
part of ensuring that I’m following the necessary steps to attain my goal of graduating with good
academic standing from my program. In my professional life my productivity and cues from my
supervisor are good indicators on the state of my reputation. Checking to see no shipments are
behind, all receipts have been received through VIS before month end, and that old work orders
have been closed are good ways of measuring work performance. Setting projected deadlines on
acquiring my CPIM would be a good way to ensure I stay on top of that goal. I wouldn’t start
seriously tackling that challenge until after graduation and more years in the workforce but once
reaching those other milestones its importance I stay restless and continue to strive forward.
Another more general but I think effective method of evaluating one’s career objectives is in fact
openly talking about said objectives and aspirations with family or close friends. This select
group of people often view you with a certain esteem and can be very critical often reminding
you of things forgotten or broken promises.
Bibliography
16 personalities. 16 personalities. 2019. https://www.16personalities.com/intp-careers.
Association for Supply Chain Management. CPIM: Certified in Production and Inventory Management . 2019.
Essential Skills group. "Business and Management Results Report." competency report. 2019.
Nutralab Canada Ltd. jobbank.gc.ca. 13 August 2019. job posting.
Stone Lamina. Indeed.com. 12 September 2019. job posting.