| The demand for people with Six Sigma expertise is | | | | and will oversee Black Belts and process improvement |
| constantly increasing. More and more organizations are | | | | projects and provides guidance to Black Belts as |
| discovering the many ways that the Six Sigma | | | | required. Master Black Belt positions understandably |
| methodology can help them grow and improve. As Six | | | | demand the highest level of Six Sigma experience and |
| Sigma spreads to many different industries beyond its | | | | qualifications. |
| genesis in manufacturing, you can now find many | | | | Qualifying for Six Sigma Jobs |
| service and government organizations advertising for | | | | To be considered for a Six Sigma job, you need a |
| Six Sigma help. Plus, it is no longer the largest | | | | combination of relevant academic and work |
| corporations looking for Six Sigma help. Smaller | | | | experience. The first and foremost qualification is to be |
| companies also are taking on Six Sigma projects and | | | | trained in Six Sigma, ideally as a certified Six Sigma |
| hiring people as consultants or permanent staff. The | | | | Black Belt. This means formal training from qualified Six |
| need for full-time Six Sigma professionals will only | | | | Sigma consultants who have extensive experience in |
| increase. | | | | training and implementation of Six Sigma. Specific |
| Types of Six Sigma Jobs | | | | training in Six Sigma DMAIC and/or DFSS |
| There are many Six Sigma jobs in many industries at | | | | methodology is often requested. The best teacher is, |
| junior and senior levels. The positions have descriptions | | | | of course, experience and organizations will strongly |
| and requirements unique to that organization and its | | | | prefer, if not insist, on people who have completed at |
| requirements. It is true that many Six Sigma positions | | | | least one Six Sigma project. |
| are filled internally as organizations train their own | | | | In addition to possessing Six Sigma training and project |
| people already familiar with the organization's culture in | | | | experience, organizations will ask that you have |
| Six Sigma skills. However, organizations frequently | | | | experience working in the industry of the organization's |
| reach outside to add personnel with Six Sigma | | | | business. So if the company is a manufacturer, they |
| expertise to lead Six Sigma projects or even the | | | | will usually want you to have direct experience in a |
| full-scale implementation of Six Sigma throughout the | | | | manufacturing environment. Organizations will ask that |
| organization. These positions are usually dedicated | | | | you have a certain minimum period of experience |
| full-time to Six Sigma projects. | | | | (often five years) in that particular industry. |
| Six Sigma jobs are advertised under many titles, not | | | | Management experience is a huge plus and will almost |
| always as obvious as "Six Sigma Black Belt," "Six | | | | certainly be a requirement for a Six Sigma project |
| Sigma Consultant," or "Six Sigma Analyst." Other | | | | team leader. Having on your resume proven project |
| possible titles include things like "Functional Project | | | | management success within a structured environment |
| Lead" "Six Sigma Program Manager," "Lead Analyst | | | | and being able to demonstrate good managerial skills |
| Project Manager," "Director of Operational Excellence," | | | | will take you a long way. That's because leading and |
| "Business Process Manager," or "Senior Projects | | | | facilitating Black Belts, Green Belts, and business teams |
| Manager." Whatever the exact title, the organization is | | | | through a Six Sigma project is often the role |
| looking for someone with the skills of a Six Sigma | | | | organizations are seeking to fill. |
| Black Belt. A Black Belt is an individual trained in the Six | | | | There are also essential personal skills. You need to be |
| Sigma methodology and experienced leading | | | | able to demonstrate a good understanding of |
| cross-functional process improvement teams. They will | | | | processes and quality methodologies and a willingness |
| lead individual Six Sigma projects. | | | | to take an initiative and lead change. Another crucial |
| Very senior Six Sigma positions are sometimes | | | | skill is the ability to link strategy to execution. The |
| advertised. These are Master Black Belts, individuals | | | | aptitude to look beyond the surface and be creative to |
| trained in the Six Sigma methodology who acts as the | | | | think conceptually about strategic business issues and |
| organization-wide Six Sigma program manager. They | | | | develop creative but practical solutions is key. |
| will lead Six Sigma implementation at the organization | | | | |