Purchasing project manager skills for your resume and career

Gap years are interesting to me. There is a difference between someone who has ample monetary resources and voluntarily decides to take a "gap" year to travel the world, as opposed to someone who involuntarily takes a "gap" year because they legitimately cannot find a job.
For students who opt not enter the workforce immediately upon graduation, I would recommend that they utilize this time in a strategic fashion, primarily expanding their network, increasing their skills related to data analytics/analysis, and reading or researching within the broader business field as well as their particular field of interest. Expanding your network is always beneficial because of the value employers place on referrals. If students do not know where to start, I would recommend they join their applicable professional organization and begin attending events (virtual events can still help build relationships).
While specific job duties may differ, the ability to understand and utilize data is in high demand in virtually every job role. Having comfort with data-both quantitative and qualitative--can be a highly beneficial skill that many in the job market may not have to offer.
I also recommend continued reading and researching, as whenever you do enter the workforce you want to know what is going on. I am never surprised, but always disappointed when I ask my students if they heard the latest job numbers or if they saw a recent news article. It is hard to articulate your value to an organization's problems if you are unaware of what they are. Stay current.
Interestingly, I would not recommend that someone enroll in a graduate program simply to take up time. If you just love school, have a clear focus, or had already planned to enroll in graduate school prior to COVID, then proceed. However, if you are unsure about your interests or future career goals, enrolling in a graduate program may be a large investment of time and money that may not result in securing a job of interest upon completion.

Of course, supply chain professionals need to understand the basics of logistics, procurement, and operations. But if I had to pick just three skills that I think are going to be critical for supply chain graduates in the years ahead, I'd say 1) Data Analysis, 2) Systems Thinking, and 3) Project Management. The amount of data that's available is growing quickly, and we need people who can access and analyze it. Then, we need to understand what that data means, and how it affects all of the different functions within our supply chains. And finally, in order to use that data to make changes, supply chain professionals need to be able to launch and manage projects effectively.

Employers are increasingly looking for applied skillsets and additional certifications to set a candidate apart. Sacred Heart University has recently launched a remote work certification, which houses three modules - focusing on the remote worker, the remote team and the remote leader, providing the tools and resources to comfortably leverage and utilize virtual platforms at various organizations. Additional specialized training, certifications and more are great selling tools pending on the specific area of interest. Certifications are common in areas such as project management, sales, IT/network/software, Google application and more. The candidate needs to think, "What can I do that is beyond my coursework to show I am passionate about my field? How do I make myself stand out?" Certifications is an attainable way to do this.
In addition, soft skills continue to be equally important in today's job market. NACE (the National Association of Colleges and Employers) identified seven core competencies that employers seek from entry level candidates which include critical thinking/problem solving, oral/written communication, teamwork/collaboration, digital technology, leadership, professionalism/work ethic, career management and global/intercultural fluency.

The world of international business has changed a great deal in the past few years. Due to increased globalization, massive technological advances in online coordination, and the Covid pandemic, the need to develop project managers who can lead fully functioning global virtual teams (GVTs) has never been greater. Indeed, studies show that virtual teams are becoming the norm, and more and more multinational companies rely on GVTs to deal with their day-to-day challenges.
However, leading and working in GVTs poses unique challenges that traditional leadership approaches do not seem suited to tackling well. Such challenges include cross-cultural misunderstandings, lack of trust and spontaneity, poor communication, hard to focus and hold teammates accountable, all of which may result in low productivity. Therefore, to thrive in the international business world today, a manager may need an entirely different set of skills.
Perhaps the most important soft skill is cultural intelligence (CQ). CQ refers to the ability to relate and work effectively across different cultures, triggering a train reaction in GVTs. It first requires people to have an open mindset, which helps them realize that cultural differences are just differences and that every culture has its own way of defining "right" and "wrong." Just as the famous Confucius teaching goes, "all people are the same; only their habits differ." Indeed, when differences are seen as something neutral, the negative consequences of cultural bias can be minimized. CQ can also improve GVT communication effectiveness by better understanding visual and auditory cues such as body language and facial expressions so that GVT members will not form false impressions based on stereotypes. When everyone on your team is ready for open dialogue, GVTs can easily clarify shared team goals and guidelines, set clear expectations of each role, and foster trust along the way.
If CQ is the most important soft skill, then being tech-savvy would be the most important hard skill. Technological advances in online coordination/communication make global virtual teams possible and function well. As of right now, there are a lot of great online tools (e.g., Zoom, Google Meet, etc.) that integrate all key types of communication: conference call, breakout rooms, text messaging, file sharing, and online collaboration. However, simply being able to use various virtual meeting tools well is not enough because there's no one-size-fits-all tool for every team all the time. Being tech-savvy asks managers to steer the digital transformation in their teams promptly. It requires managers to constantly evaluate the emerging new technologies and make sure their choice of the tools "fits" their teams' needs over time, which may include members' network conditions, tool preferences, work style, tech skill levels, and the nature of the task/project.
Working in a global virtual team isn't necessarily only about challenges and lower productivity. It can become a valuable advantage and even build a 24/7 work cycle in teams, with proper training on CQ and technological skills.