Sime Curkovic’s Post

Students often ask: Shouldn’t I major in Finance or Accounting if I want to become a CEO?��I said: Well, being able to talk CFO talk is critical to long term success, but you might want to give this supply chain thing some thought…CEOs Will Come from an Unlikely Place: The Supply Chain... Note, (I encourage my SCM students to get an Accounting minor): College Accounting to me feels like Supply Chain Finance. The Accounting Minor for SCM Majors seems like a great fit & has grown on me. Long term in your careers, understanding SCM Finance will be critical. The worlds of Finance & SCM have collided. Your opportunities are endless if you learn how to talk to the CFO…https://lnkd.in/guejd-vi. Two classes in our Accounting minor, good fit for SCM types, right?: 3220: Cost & Managerial Accounting and ACTY 4220: Cost Mgmt & Analytics. FYI, we make EVERY business major take FIN 3200 - Business Finance Decisions. More: https://lnkd.in/gtUMdsiT. "...it’s clear that supply chain pros are poised to become the most powerful executives in the world..." Note, this article (2018) was written before covid. https://lnkd.in/g2rhdEAH. Why supply chain pros make great CEOs: To become CEO, according to a recent Business Insider article, the move to an operational role is a common segue for many CFOs seeking the top spot. https://lnkd.in/g6HJgvX3. Supply Chain Leaders Making The Move To CEO: CSCOs have begun to play a vital role in strategy development, product and service innovation, and even sales. Why the change? https://lnkd.in/gXqaMWU4. Better SCM means better businesses, and better businesses make for a better world. Very few people make it to the top office of any business without first holding other major responsibilities. The CFO is typically regarded as just such a standard precursor. However...https://lnkd.in/gp42y_Q9. How a Background in Supply Chain Can Set You on the Path to CEO: https://lnkd.in/gxeu2a5B. Great read from Zero100:  Supply Chain Leader Traits That Make for a Great CEO. Executive Summary: https://lnkd.in/gyYCRe9s. The Next-Gen CEOs Will Be ex-Supply Chain Leaders - Here is Why. https://lnkd.in/guyQRJ-D. Moving supply chain leaders to the C-suite: https://lnkd.in/gU366dTD. Top 10 CEOs Who Have Had Roles in Supply Chain: https://lnkd.in/gkzVaZKc. CFO to CFO: Finance and Supply Chain Management...https://lnkd.in/gFv3gqgn. Some Practices that Can Make Your Commodity Related Supply Chain Job More Fun and Rewarding ($$$): https://lnkd.in/gwPfkdkK.

A nice career guide from Harvard to help with resumes, interviewing, getting offers, etc. For more help, pasted below are links from Yale, MIT, & WMU. Should college grads negotiate a job offer (i.e., a higher starting salary)? Yes, but only if you know how to negotiate. My thoughts: https://lnkd.in/gEZF6prG. Here’s what a lot of college grads don’t know about their first job offer: https://lnkd.in/gG2DeF2h. “Just 38% of new grads negotiate w/ their employers when they get that first job offer. But meanwhile, most employers actually expect to negotiate salary — even for a first job — so they build that in. That means, if you don’t even try, you could be leaving money on the table!” Yale advice: https://lnkd.in/gggJFADW & https://lnkd.in/gxkjy3sm. More from Harvard: https://lnkd.in/ghEYr3Qw & https://lnkd.in/gc4Kd_SE & https://lnkd.in/gC44Baeb MIT: https://lnkd.in/g3xqeDyc. Western Michigan University: https://lnkd.in/gipsXEsK. This is a very good one from UNC Pembroke: https://lnkd.in/gJA3uub2 Kansas State: https://lnkd.in/gPNgpmKA. Students looking for internships/jobs: I actually have employers tell me they will NOT consider a student if they do NOT have a strong professional LinkedIn presence...How to effectively join LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/gXYFDjXY. SCM internships currently posted- https://lnkd.in/gVsHEZxz & https://lnkd.in/gRKmr7QE & https://lnkd.in/gmMH5myb. Goals of an internship (it’s not job shadowing): https://lnkd.in/gGRU_4Rz

Full Global SCM Salary ASCM Report 2024 (U.S., Canada, Europe, India): https://lnkd.in/eqXaFZcA. “The annual report found that supply chain professionals continue to benefit from a solid job market, reflected in another year of significant salary increases. Building on the momentum from 2023, respondents saw their average salaries increase by 8% this year. Here was the 2023 salary report: https://lnkd.in/eatBKyc7. More salary data: https://lnkd.in/ezRnb7TG. Some Practices that Can Make Your Commodity Related Supply Chain Job More Fun and Rewarding ($$$): https://lnkd.in/eUfxt_P9 https://lnkd.in/gwPfkdkK

There is something special about Food Marketing (FMK) majors that minor or actually double major in Supply Chain Management…From a student: I am thinking of doing dual majors in MKTG & SCM? What do you think about the combo? My thoughts: https://lnkd.in/gqAE9u8W. WMU named to top talent list for consumer packaged goods industry: https://lnkd.in/g8fEBVid. WMU FMK: Top Ranked, WMU SCM: Top Ranked: https://lnkd.in/gemXrQ_x. 11 Colleges and Universities To Tap for Next-Gen CPG Talent (only 2 schools in MI, the other one is in Ann Arbor): https://lnkd.in/gzxMwNrW. WMU launches food marketing graduate certificate. FMK+SCM = Jobs. Double Majors: Food & Consumer Packaged Goods Marketing (FMK) + Supply Chain Mgmt (SCM) = Multiple Job Offers (i.e., Stryker, J & J, Kellogg’s, Hormel, Pepsi, Coca-Cola, etc.). https://lnkd.in/gBfwKyUA https://lnkd.in/ec9fQua https://lnkd.in/eRWMVP6 Want To Get Ahead In Marketing? Understand Supply Chains: https://lnkd.in/eskvXkvx. Since Fall 2023, you can now get a minor in SCM at WMU. SCM is crucial for business success and has become prominent since the pandemic. SCM program at WMU consistently ranks as a top national program. The SCM minor degree program provides students with the basic supply chain knowledge and skill sets necessary for many industries and functions in for-profit and nonprofit organizations. The minor will introduce students to the business processes for planning and managing demand and providing goods and services to other companies and consumers. The SCM minor curriculum combines courses in supply chain management, information technology, team management, communication, and problem-solving skills. Required Courses: SCM 2200 Enterprise Resource Planning Systems; Or CIS 2200 (3 credits required) 3 SCM 2800 Introduction to Supply Chain Management 3 SCM 3000 Production Planning 3 SCM 3030 Procurement Management 3 SCM 3050 Logistics and Transportation Management 3 Food Marketing major (FMKJ) students: substitute SCM 3050 with SCM 3800, Continuous Improvement: Theory and Practice We also have a new SCM major curriculum. Notice, that now our students will take 2 "procurement" classes and 2 "logistics" classes. The majority of our SCM students go into "procurement", but "logistics" is the fastest growing career path in our program. For a long time, we required a single procurement class & a single logistics class. They simply were not enough as one class left little time to focus on the strategic issues. So, our SCM majors will be required to take 2 sourcing classes & 2 transportation classes. For details, see: https://lnkd.in/e6aBS2QK

Well, it looks like another some sort of ranking, but it was still a good read. I am not a huge fan of academic rankings, but then again, I am the first to brag if we get ranked. Tough to argue with this list though, just pay attention to ROI. Note, in some rankings (i.e., USNWR), multiple schools do NOT actually have undergraduate degrees in SCM (but they are ranked). For example: https://lnkd.in/e-VGScR8. Full Gartner SCM School Rankings Report at: https://lnkd.in/eFDtZevG. Should You Give Up Your Salary and Go to Grad School? Well, that darn MBA degree still has a great ROI... “Over their lifetime, an MBA grad can expect to earn $3M more than someone w/ only a bachelor’s.” Great ROI!?...At about 98% of universities that offer MBAs, grads typically made more money 2 years out of school than they had borrowed. That stands in contrast to law schools, where roughly 6% of programs had grads w/ higher median earnings than debt in the same time frame. Note, the MBA route requires careful thought. See: https://lnkd.in/gGAx4QyK A nice career guide from Harvard to help with resumes, interviewing, getting offers, etc. For more help, pasted below are links from Yale, MIT, & WMU (112 pages of ideas). Should college grads negotiate a job offer (i.e., a higher starting salary)? Yes, but only if you know how to negotiate. My thoughts: https://lnkd.in/gCFxVvQQ. Salary Data: https://lnkd.in/evxDb7Kw. https://lnkd.in/ePTtQnfk Some Practices that Can Make Your Commodity Related Supply Chain Job More Fun and Rewarding ($$$): https://lnkd.in/gwPfkdkK.

Gartner: "Supply chain management software revenue grew 9.3% in 2022, faster than most other application software markets, exceeding $24.7 billion. The growth rate in constant-U.S.-dollar terms (base 2020) was 14.7%, which was double that of the previous year, indicating much higher growth in investments." https://lnkd.in/gMDmP-BA. Supply Chain Mgmt Software Market Size Reached US$ 15.8B In 2022. The Market Expects To Reach US$ 33.9B By 2030, Exhibiting A Growth Rate (CAGR) Of 12.6% During 2022-2030.| Data By Contrive Datum Insights Pvt: https://lnkd.in/gJmDezsD. Also, a great read…attracting top talent in the supply chain software industry with the Gillespie Manners Supply Chain Software Salary Guide for 2023/24. https://lnkd.in/g6d5uG8w. FYI, for my Sales majors & your sales talent needs…WMU named a top sales program for 16th consecutive year: https://lnkd.in/ggvDyH8k. FREE resources for Info on Suppliers, Customers, & Prospects. A former student working in B2B industrial sales, suggested the following list of free websites as a resource for research on competitors, customer supply chains, & prospect contact info. Many of these links may already be in your resource list, but if not, they can be helpful: https://lnkd.in/gV786uxY https://www.datanyze.com/ https://lnkd.in/gqEUT3BB https://lnkd.in/gV2KB5da https://www.apollo.io/ https://lnkd.in/gqR4ZPst 16 Strategies For Identifying Prospects With Real Potential: https://lnkd.in/gurKjy6F. My colleagues helped me put this list together for my non-supply chain majors. Industry Certifications & Associations for Various Business Majors: https://lnkd.in/gwQYahHH. Full ASCM Salary Global Report 2024 (U.S., Canada, Europe, India):  https://lnkd.in/eqXaFZcA Some Practices that Can Make Your Commodity Related Supply Chain Job More Fun and Rewarding ($$$): https://lnkd.in/eUfxt_P9.

Note, in these USNWR rankings, multiple schools do NOT actually have undergraduate degrees in Supply Chain Management. Similar discussion going on based on the Gartner rankings at: https://lnkd.in/ePXwVh6r. Correct if I am wrong, but: MIT does NOT offer a specific undergraduate degree in supply chain management. However, MIT's Sloan School of Management offers courses and programs in operations management, which includes aspects of supply chain management. The University of Michigan offers a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree through the Stephen M. Ross School of Business. While they do NOT offer a specific undergraduate degree in supply chain management, the BBA program includes courses in operations management and supply chain management as part of its curriculum. Additionally, students can choose to focus on supply chain management as part of their elective courses or choose a related major or minor, such as operations management. Carnegie Mellon University does NOT offer a specific undergraduate degree in supply chain management. However, the Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon offers a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) degree, which includes courses in operations management and operations research. Students in this program can choose to focus on operations and supply chain management as part of their concentration or as elective courses. Additionally, Carnegie Mellon offers a minor in Operations and Supply Chain Management that can be pursued alongside a major in another field. ___ It's endless, here is one from Supply Chain Digital: https://lnkd.in/ettmB534

Full Global ASCM Report 2024 (U.S., Canada, Europe, India): https://lnkd.in/eB_HAZrU. “The annual report found that supply chain professionals continue to benefit from a solid job market, reflected in another year of significant salary increases. Building on the momentum from 2023, respondents saw their average salaries increase by 8% this year.” https://lnkd.in/eesDsXq2. “The report found that the median compensation for supply chain professionals reached a major milestone, hitting a record-breaking $103,000. Additionally, supply chain professionals with degrees reported a significant salary premium of $25,000 above the national average, and individuals with at least one supply chain credential earned a median salary 10% higher than their non-credentialed colleagues.” “Additional findings from the 2024 Supply Chain Salary and Career Report include: • ASCM's APICS certifications translated to an 18% salary boost compared to those without the certification • The job search remains efficient, with 29% finding their new role within the first month • The global workweek for supply chain professionals leans towards balance, with roughly 72% averaging 35-45 hours • Salary gaps are re-emerging, particularly among professionals with less than four years of experience.” https://lnkd.in/eBc7hvk9 "Of note from the survey was that 70% of respondents globally indicated their salary increases haven’t kept pace with inflation. That number was 77% in Canada, 66% in Europe and 70% in the U.S." Great summary...Supply chain salaries top $100K for first time, Annual ASCM survey finds median compensation is now $103,000: https://lnkd.in/eUnwdwcu. Here was the 2023 salary report: https://lnkd.in/eatBKyc7. More salary data: https://lnkd.in/ezRnb7TG. Some Practices that Can Make Your Commodity Related Supply Chain Job More Fun and Rewarding ($$$): https://lnkd.in/eUfxt_P9.

And, for final closure on the 2024 Gartner SCM University rankings…Note, Secretary Miguel A. Cardona called college rankings “a joke,” & took aim at selective colleges’ obsession w/ them... https://lnkd.in/gv_vZ4k9. Also, multiple high profile schools opted out in participating in these Gartner rankings. From me: Pay attention to what matters most- maybe not rankings...especially at the undergrad level… https://lnkd.in/eaJ7g5dE https://lnkd.in/eZBFx5_9 According to the latest WMU Career Outcomes Report: https://lnkd.in/e_JDF2QW. 100% of supply chain management graduates participated in experience-driven learning while earning their degree: https://lnkd.in/eNs5yzEd. 98% of supply chain management graduates working full time have a job related to their degree: https://lnkd.in/eyPKi7bf. 100% of supply chain management graduates working full time are satisfied with their job: https://lnkd.in/evnKuS2c. Learn more about WMU Haworth’s supply chain management program online: https://lnkd.in/eibhncPz.

Green cards: Not to talk politics (after last night), but…“What I want to do, and what I will do, is you graduate from a college, I think you should get automatically, as part of your diploma, a green card to be able to stay in this country.” ___ Note, this is almost 3 years old, but…"The H-1B visa is highly competitive. In fiscal 2021, program applications hit 275,000, a 15-year high. The program follows a lottery system where 85,000 applicants are selected at random. Today, that means a given applicant has about a 30% chance of getting in." https://lnkd.in/escH64uw Update: USCIS Will Conduct Second Random Selection from Previously Submitted FY 2024 H-1B Cap Registrations…For my international students, please see: https://lnkd.in/d-xFGvAn. Great post & read, thank you David Mendoza. FYI, Canada to introduce new work permit for U.S. H-1B visa holders: https://lnkd.in/gdNCs2R9. Also, recent good news, US visa process for international students simplified: https://lnkd.in/g3-PZdkk & https://lnkd.in/gE5aBVqM. Thank you Saad Abid - Companies that offer H-1B visa sponsorships: https://lnkd.in/gmybhdGZ & https://lnkd.in/g8G2A6sK. “Asian students represent 75% of the total, with Chinese (30%) and Indians (21%) adding up to over half the count…International students continue to be a priority for the U.S. higher education sector, contributing $32 billion to the country’s economy in 2022…There were 948,519 international students at U.S. colleges and universities last year.” https://lnkd.in/etf2WeHM. I have so many world class international students that are very hungry for American professional work experiences (i.e., internships) & they are often told by employers: we do not hire international students. Why? I get it, it is complicated…https://lnkd.in/g3-PZdkk. https://lnkd.in/d-xFGvAn