Six Sigma Careers - Setting Up the Organization For Success

Six Sigma Careers

One reason for the growth in popularity of the Six Sigma methodology is its evolution into a process that finds use in a number of different industries, from services to government organizations.

All of these niches require the use of Six Sigma

Organizations both large and small have begun to implement Six Sigma, and as a result, there are more and more open positions for trained Six Sigma professionals as permanent employees or consultants.
professionals in order to implement the process so that it achieves its fullest potential.



Six Sigma Training

The requirements of Six Sigma professionals will be unique, and are dependent on the organization that does the hiring. There are jobs at both junior and senior levels, with many organizations preferring to train their own Six Sigma professionals in house.

This helps when it comes to saving time in training employees in specific processes in house, but many organizations look at hiring externally when they need to implement a large scale Six Sigma program throughout the entire business.

Job Titles

As we said in the previous paragraph, the job titles needed as far as Six Sigma professionals will vary from one organization to another.

You may hear terms such as "Six Sigma consultant", "Six Sigma Analyst", "Six Sigma Black Belt", and so on. In addition, titles may vary according to degree; "Senior Project Manager", "Lead Analyst Projector", "Senior Projects Manager", "Director of Operational Excellence", "Business Process Manager", "Six Sigma Program Manager", and so on will all be floated around when it comes to hiring.

What they all refer to, basically, are the skills of a Six Sigma professional who has been certified as a Black Belt under the Six Sigma training program.

These professionals must have training in the Six Sigma methodologies as well as experience in handling cross functional process involvement teams.

Senior Level Professionals

If you come across an advertisement looking for senior level Six Sigma jobs, you can bet that the business is looking for those who have been certified as Master Black Belts.

When hired, these Six Sigma professionals will oversee a corporation wide implementation of Six Sigma, usually in the capacity of program manager. Master Black Belts have been trained in the various Six Sigma methodologies.

They must provide guidance to the Black Belts throughout the process when required, and this position is usually filled by those with the highest levels of Six Sigma experience and qualifications.

Most organizations will prefer to hire people who have been certified as a Six Sigma Black Belt. The certification indicates that the professional has passed training held by competent Six Sigma consultants with relevant exposure to training and implementation of Six Sigma, with a focus on Six Sigma DMAIC and DFSS methodology.

While some companies may not insist on candidates who have completed at least one Six Sigma project, experience is usually an asset.

Experience Counts

Another common expectation when it comes to companies who hire Six Sigma professionals is that those professionals have experience in a similar industry. As an example, a bank will prefer to hire a professional who has background within the financial sector.

Another big advantage for a Six Sigma professional is management experience as a large part of implementation includes contact with people and organizational abilities.

Organizations love to hire professionals who they know have the experience required when it comes to facilitating efforts between Green Belts, business teams, and Black Belts throughout the projects.

In addition to a deep understanding of business process and business methodologies, successful candidates must also demonstrate creative skills and an ability to take initiative.