How to find a job in automotive Quality market?

[Govind]

Typically, Quality positions in automotive industry ask for only candidates from automotive industry. However, the Quality tools used in automotive industry are NOT something NEW to the Quality professionals from other industries.

What is that the automotive firms expecting to achieve by recruiting only the candidates from automotive industry?
How difficult is that transition?
How should candidates from other industries market themselves to penetrate into the automotive market?

Thanks,
Govind.

[Charmed]

Dear Govind:

Very nice post. I am eager to see what the responses are like.

I know that GM has hired key executives from other nonautomotive industries - including P & G (Smale, famous for making Crest toothpaste a household name) and Bosch and Lamb (from teh eye care and eye glasses industry, the product was Aztek).

So, I agree with your basic premise. However, as in the case of all such transitions, one has to learn what I call the "vernacular" to succeed. It is like moving to a new country. People are people, you do the same things in the new country, but you also have to learn the "local" norms and customs. For some, the transition is not easy. With my warmest regards.

Charmed

[s-bell]

Very interesting post.

Talking with colleagues who have moved between Automotive & Non-Automotive companies one of the biggest differences appears to be the pace of work, with Automotive running flat out with little time to step back, usually due to the demanding customer down the road. I guess that the automotive quality engineer may be considered in a position to be able to hit the ground running with the customer.

Another thought thats possible is that the Automotive industry arrogantly views itself at the pinnacle of Quality. A look outside the industry shows though, that a number of non-automotive operations now have QS-9000 / TS-16949 accreditation. Companies advertising as requiring Automotive only cannot stop anyone applying for a position. It’s how the CV / Resume is structured that will determine whether or not an interview will follow.

If someone can paint the picture that they understand the Quality Requirements for the position at hand and give an good representation of themselves in their experiences to date I’m sure that the Automotive Only requirement would be waived for an interview. Then at the interview it’s just a case of reinforcing your desires, achievements and experience to impress enough to secure the opening.

[Charmed]

Dear S-bell:

Having worked in the automotive industry, I can assure you that the following is not true.

Another thought thats possible is that the Automotive industry arrogantly views itself at the pinnacle of Quality.

Before I came to the automotive industry, I was in the aerospace industry and I had to design experiments that were ABSOLUTELY guaranteed NOT to fail. When I moved to automotive, they told me, I would have fun with some "red necks" out here.

Guess what, the folks were quite friendly. Like I said, it was just like moving to a new country. I tried to connect to people. The most favorite thing we would do was to buy each other coffee. That usually meant, I am OK and you are OK. I had a lot of friends among the UAW members. When I wanted something done, they would literally drop what they were doing and go out of their way to help me. And I was the guy who came from the R & D environment to the manufacturing environment and the "shop floor" as they say. They knew I would roll up my sleeves and work with them. And they showed me what to do, when I wanted something done.

What's the point? These folks are far from arrogant and certainly don't view themselves as any pinnacle of quality. I am sure they recognize they have a lot to learn in improving quality.

Of course, I did not work at Toyota. So, I cannot say what it is like there. I am talking only about the US Big Three. I sincerely hope this helps.

Charmed

[Charmed]

Dear S-Bell:

You are ABSOLUTELY RIGHT about this though.

I guess that the automotive quality engineer may be considered in a position to be able to hit the ground running with the customer.

Why didn't I think about saying this first? Like someone said in another post, don't say 5% rejects, say 95% conformance and we are taking steps to go to 99% conformance.

What you have noted here, about hitting the ground running is very very true. I had to do that. But the coffees helped a lot. Believe me, I learned to drink coffee at work only after I moved to the automotive industry.

Charmed

[Wes Bucey]

Originally Posted by Govind

Typically, Quality positions in automotive industry ask for only candidates from automotive industry. However, the Quality tools used in automotive industry are NOT something NEW to the Quality professionals from other industries.

What is that the automotive firms expecting to achieve by recruiting only the candidates from automotive industry?
How difficult is that transition?
How should candidates from other industries market themselves to penetrate into the automotive market?

Thanks,
Govind.

The following is true in most industries (what they THINK, not what they say):

1. I want someone like me who can fit into our culture smoothly.
2. I want to know what you can do for me now, NOT what I can do for you by training you in my business.

These are not necessarily "prejudices" - they are "biases" - a slightly less pejorative term.

When crafting your presentation to folks in a different industry, country, etc., you have to do some research to determine

1. What is the culture and how can I fit into it?
2. What skills and experience do I have that will be useful to these people from day one?

Knowing the answers to these questions and shaping your presentation to help them understand you do fit into the "biases" will give you a better shot at getting the job.

It is useless and counter-productive to complain about the bias; it is much more fruitful to understand and determine if you want to fit in.

Knowing and understanding the culture is the key to the situation.

Personally, I'd examine my motives for wanting to be in a certain country or industry before I expended time and energy on the research. Sadly, the research may induce you to change your target.

"Coda" It occurs to me this post may not be "concrete" enough for some because it doesn't give examples. Please let me know and I'll start a new thread about dealing with kinds of culture, methods for recognizing them, and samples of how to get past the "gatekeeper" who screens the initial application.

[Charmed]

Dear Wes:

Most eager to hear from you about....

samples of how to get past the "gatekeeper" who screens the initial application.

That would surely stimulate a lot of discussion and interest.

Charmed

P. S. Every job I ever held was because someone led me through the gate, past the gatekeeper, to whoever became my boss. Often the gatekeeper happy to welcome me too. I was usually recommended by someone who knew me well and the rest was pretty much formality. Of course, of course, I did not know this then! I do now.

[Govind]

Good discussion.
Thanks to all who provided their ideas.
Keep your thoughts flowing in…Thread is open to suggestions.

S-bell and Wes, I agree with your feedback. “Charmed” hit right on target w.r.t Gatekeepers.
HR and recruiters will look for QS 9000 implementation and automotive
experience right when they scan the resume. Job descriptions and requirements point right to these pre-requisites.

I see this trend specifically in the Automotive and biomedical industry. Telecommunication industry seems to welcome professionals from other industries.
Principles of Quality Management is the same irrespective industry it is being applied. I think, the industries should welcome professionals from other sectors to get fresh ideas to flow in.

We are in a knowledge-based economy. Automotive industry should benefit from SEI CMM Models and benchmarking used by Quest Forum of Telecom, Software organizations should benefit from 8Ds,FMEAs and control plans from automotive.
If organizations keep recruiting people from the same sector, how will this cross pollination of ideas happen?

Govind.