Operations is the easiest functional area for JMOs to understand because it involves the direct management of people.

Manufacturing companies’ operational areas include all units and people that are involved in producing and delivering a product. Companies that produce any kind of tangible product (from peanut butter, to furniture, to computers, to networking equipment) are classified as manufacturing companies. Supervisory roles within manufacturing would include production supervision, materials management, quality control, production and materials planning, purchasing, distribution, and supplier quality assurance.

Service companies provide a service, not a product. They include retail, hotels, transportation (airlines, trucking, and rail), entertainment, insurance, financial products, and banking. JMOs would fill supervisory roles in customer service, client implementations, distribution, purchasing, and administration.

Although many JMOs say they want to get a “Project Management” position, project management as a separate career is very rare. Special projects are part of any operations position (just like the extra duties that you do as a JMO and will be a significant part of any operations management career. Additionally, operations careers rotate between line management and staff roles (again, very similar to the military) and project management is a main part of most staff roles.

Operations appeals to those who have a strong supervisory background and whose favorite times have been when you were with troops.