Job outlook for workforce management analysts in the United States

What Workforce Management Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Michael Ciuchta Ph.D.: Obviously we are seeing a tremendous increase in AI and other digital technologies. These will become a more crucial skill set for many careers going forward. But I wouldn't downplay the role of what are traditionally seen as soft skills like empathy, communications, and judgment. Not only can these distinguish you from robots but from your human competitors as well.

What will help Workforce Management Analysts increase their earning potential?

Michael Ciuchta Ph.D.: If all you want is the highest potential starting salary, then you should aim for careers that offer them. But that is a shortsighted way to view things. For example, many careers that have tournament-like pay structures (think entertainment) often have very low starting salaries but the so-called winners enjoy outsized financial gains. If you are thinking about a more traditional career, I think it's important to make sure you are more valuable to your employer than they are to you. This means you have to market yourself, both to your current employer as well as to potential ones. Of course, this approach may not be for everyone and maximizing your salary potential is only one thing you should be considering when assessing job and career opportunities.

What will help Workforce Management Analysts increase their earning potential?

Fawen Zhang PhD: This is perfect! Thank you so much. We will be sure to feature your response in the article and send a draft over for your review before we promote it.

What Workforce Management Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Victor Menaldo: Interacting with AI and knowing how to best exploit it to get the most out of it: increase productivity and value added in whatever field one is in.

What general advice would you give to a Workforce Management Analyst?

Tove Rasmussen: Tove Rasmussen advises graduates beginning their career in the field to...

What Workforce Management Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Tove Rasmussen: Tove Rasmussen believes that the skills that will become more important and prevalent in the field in the next 3-5 years are...

What general advice would you give to a Workforce Management Analyst?

Timothy Rich PhD: Social science research skills, including research design and quantitative analysis, have broad applications (e.g. local government, think tanks, campaigns, non-profits, business) and students need to be comfortable with data. Writing skills aren't being replaced by ChatGPT, and students need to learn how to write for different audiences and not just for the typical final paper. That means being able to explain complex events or data and synthesize information to someone who has little knowledge about the topic. Students tend to distrust group projects, but learning to work in groups is also a transferable skill and an important one even if working remotely.

What Workforce Management Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Timothy Rich PhD: Think about the types of jobs that interest you and the skills necessary for those jobs early. So many students start thinking about post-graduation life spring their senior year, when it should be an incremental process much earlier. Another pieces of advice would be to talk to faculty and alum about your interests, find internship or research opportunities when possible, and try to figure out early your strengths and weaknesses. It's easy for students, especially high performing ones, to not fully consider what their weaknesses are. I encourage students to jot down what they see as their skills too and to share them with others. It helps them to identify what's a common skill versus something that might make them stick out.

What general advice would you give to a Workforce Management Analyst?

Professor Shonna Trinch Ph.D.: Being able to negotiate a salary is also a skill that students need to learn and one that is rarely taught in college. Students need to be able to ask for more than they are offered, but also take jobs at entry levels, prove themselves and then ask for an increase in pay six months into the job after they have shown that they are doing the work and achieving their goals.

What Workforce Management Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Stephanie Lain Ph.D.: I would advise graduates to be open to considering jobs in lots of different fields. The skills acquired through their major- such as problem-solving, critical thinking, and writing- are ones that transfer well to a variety of situations.

What Workforce Management Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Sean Cao: Acquiring in-demand skills and expanding institutional knowledge through industry experience can maximize salary potential at the beginning of your career. First, enhancing these skills through certifications, internships, and active involvement in pertinent projects can significantly boost your attractiveness to employers. Moreover, obtaining industry experience via internships provides invaluable practical knowledge and insights. Furthermore, networking within your industry can provide access to mentorship, recommendations, and insider information crucial for maximizing earning potential. Last, delving deeply into understanding your industry and specializing in niche areas can elevate your salary prospects.

What general advice would you give to a Workforce Management Analyst?

Dr. Paige Novak P.E. (Minnesota), BCEE: Ask questions, stay curious and open minded, take opportunities to learn and develop new skills.

What Workforce Management Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Mark Stehr PhD: At the start of your career, it's very important to land a role where you learn a lot and find good mentors. The additional skills will pay dividends as your career progresses.

What general advice would you give to a Workforce Management Analyst?

Prof. Marta Bengoa Calvo: Only by constantly learning and adapting. We live in a world which labor dynamics are in constant evolution, so we need to be ready to keep learning and adapt.

What will help Workforce Management Analysts increase their earning potential?

Dr. Maggie Siebert Ph.D.: Programming languages for reporting, querying, and optimizing/automating

What general advice would you give to a Workforce Management Analyst?

Dr. Jennifer Eury Ph.D.: For graduates, especially recent graduates, seeking to maximize their salary potential, especially when they are starting a full-time position, I encourage them to continue to keep learning. Stay current with industry trends. Take advantage of training opportunities available to you in your workplace. Talk with others, especially those who have worked in the field for some time, about ways to strengthen your skill set. I also encourage recent graduates to be willing to take on a new assignment, to be a part of a new committee – all in the spirit of continuing to learn more about their field. Over time, you can garner information power, or even expert power, and develop a reputation for being a valuable resource in your organization and field.

What Workforce Management Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Dr. Mark Evans: Don't stop learning. Treat your first job like more graduate school. Learn everything you can.

What will help Workforce Management Analysts increase their earning potential?

Abigail Richard Ph.D.: Students need to become lifelong learners. The fields of data analytics and computer science are constantly growing and changing. Students need to be adept at learning and teaching themselves new skills as technology evolves.

What soft skills should all Workforce Management Analysts possess?

C. Darren Brooks Ph.D.: While advancements in technology, artificial intelligence (AI), and data analytics occupy center stage in many areas of management practice, soft skills continue to be seen as equally or even more important skills for success in the field of management. Soft skills are typically described as personal attributes, qualities, and characteristics that enable us to interact more effectively with others. In most fields of management, our ability to communicate, work with, and interact with other people constitutes a significant portion of the work we do. Consequently, employers are focused on identifying candidates who possess strong skills are areas of communication (verbal, written, and non-verbal), leadership and followership, collaboration, an ability to work in teams, intellectual curiosity, adaptability, conflict management, problem-solving, creativity.

What soft skills should all Workforce Management Analysts possess?

Candace Esken Ph.D.: Excellent communication skills are absolutely essential for management analysts. Usually, these skills are best demonstrated during the interview process with little room for error. In addition, applicants should have strong interpersonal skills because much of their job requires them to work with managers and employees of various organizations. Furthermore, soft skills such as leadership, confidence, and time management are highly valued.

What hard/technical skills are most important for Workforce Management Analysts?

Candace Esken Ph.D.: The most important hard skills for management analysts are problem-solving, data analysis, and presentation skills. The central focus of their work revolves around solving problems for clients by analyzing large chunks of data and drawing meaningful conclusions. Analysts also spend a great deal of time creating sophisticated presentations to enhance communication with clients. Management Analysts should be especially skilled with excel and PowerPoint.

What skills will help Workforce Management Analysts earn the most?

Candace Esken Ph.D.: Analysts who have both sets of critical hard and soft skills, a tough combination to deliver, will have the most earning potential. Typically, once an analyst has proven themselves on several projects and built a credible reputation, they will have opportunities for increased earnings. Furthermore, analysts with an MBA degree typically earn a higher salary and receive larger signing bonuses.

What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Workforce Management Analyst job market given the pandemic?

Ron Aubé Ph.D.: Covid-19 raised awareness about the importance of trust and flexibility in the workplace. Organizations have been forced to explore options beyond traditional office solutions and learned to adapt for different tasks and projects while maintaining employee morale and productivity. Remote work and entrusting employees is not only possible, but necessary, as well as profitable. Companies found that employees can remain effective and productive, while enjoying increased job satisfaction and progressive organizations look for opportunities to arrange talent-sharing partnerships with other organizations.

Remote work has in some ways dehumanized employees and much remains to be done to prioritize the well-being of employees, treating them as people first and workers second. Personal factors promoting physical health and emotional well-being are trendy. Gartner (2020) finds that 32 percent of organizations are replacing full-time employees with contingent workers as a cost-saving measure. The workforce will be increasingly distributed requiring new forms of management and leadership at the top and ways to enhance job satisfaction. Furthermore, the cross-generational workforce curve is being reshaped as many workers aged over 65 are retiring due to infection concerns. While young workers are currently more likely to be in jobs impacted by the crisis, this exodus of older workers opens the door for them to step in.

Unlike typical recessions where the consumption of goods collapses while services remain largely stable, this pandemic has created the opposite. The service industries (entertainment, travel, lodging, full-service restaurants, elective healthcare, and childcare) have been the most adversely affected driven by the impact of social distancing (Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). Employment opportunities in production, transportation, storage, and selling of goods (excluding retail) are therefore expected to rise. Fueled by the new realities of social distancing and the increased need for digital collaborations in the workforce, fields related to artificial intelligence are growing at an accelerated pace.

Migration away from large urban centers is becoming noticeable as fewer people come to work and spend money in the city. As a result, the most significant drop in hiring has occurred in large metropolitan areas, while outside the cities, hiring is on the rise.

What general advice would you give to a Workforce Management Analyst?

Angela Grotto Ph.D.:

1. When job searching, be active and persistent - Network by setting up Zoom informational calls with professionals (alumni, people with whom your family work) to learn about jobs that you are interested in or to learn about organizations where you would like to work and then follow up with them; have someone you trust who is a professional review your resume and social media profile pages; carve out time every day to apply to jobs; use Handshake and LinkedIn as a resource; keep sending out applications; while job searching, volunteer or start your business project that showcases your skillset and then discuss it during your interviews.
   
2. When interviewing, be creative - Use experiences from your academic career to demonstrate your capabilities. There are many skills you learn in class that are transferrable to the professional world. For example, as a student, you likely had to pivot to full remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Rather than seeing this as a disadvantage, discuss how the new learning format has prepared you to work remotely as an employee, how small group projects have primed you to collaborate on a virtual team, and how small classes have equipped you to use technology such as Zoom.
   
3. When deciding on a job offer, be open-minded - Your first job may not be the one you had imagined or hoped for upon graduation. Still, it may be a stepping stone to your ideal career or a way to build your network of professional connections. You create meaningful and valuable relationships with others who may one day help you get the job you want.
   
4. When you land the job, be flexible - Show your employer or your boss that you're willing to step outside your comfort zone and do tasks that you were not necessarily trained for or are unrelated to your degree. Also, when circumstances at work change, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic, show that you are willing to step up and do a different job, do someone else's job, or work on another project or team. This flexibility will demonstrate your versatility and how you can adapt to new and unpredictable situations. Lastly, embrace the "gig" economy - be willing to start as a temporary or contract worker with a company to get your foot in the door and build more professional connections.
   

Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Workforce Management Analysts?

Helen LaVan Ph.D.: Some individuals may seek job-related opportunities, including promotions, because they hold incorrect beliefs about the job market's nature. For example, I recently reviewed options for our Master of Science in Human Resources (MSHR) graduates within the Chicago Metropolitan area. The number of posted opportunities surprised me.

This does not include, perhaps, even half of the options not posted on job posting boards, such as exclusively on employers' career pages or with external recruiters only. Individuals may have depression and will begin to self-medicate and will persist in these behaviors. Since more individuals will be working remotely, employers and coworkers who might have noticed these behaviors in the past will not see and refer them to resources.