August 2010 Issue

APICS Update

APICS Career Center Spotlight: New Resources for Your Members

Make Your Members’ Résumés Stand Out with New Career White Paper and Webinar

Download the New Career Center White Paper
APICS, in partnership with expert career coach Gary Capone of Palladian International LLC, brings members the second installment to our career white paper series, How to Make Your Résumé Stand Out: Using the right keywords. In this white paper, members will learn effective ways to include the right keywords that will enable their résumé to show up in more searches conducted by hiring managers. This study also identifies a number of recommendations for job seekers to use to build a more effective résumé.

Download the white paper now.

Register Now for the Webinar: Using Key Terms in Developing a Résumé
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
12:00–1:00 p.m. CT
This webinar further explores topics from the career white paper, How to Make Your Résumé Stand Out: Using the right keywords. Gary Capone explains the best way to utilize keywords when developing a résumé. Using the right keywords can dramatically help increase the chances of having your member’s résumé noticed by hiring companies.

Register Now.

Announcing the 2010 APICS Career Fair: Online and On-site at APICS 2010
The 2010 APICS Career Fair—with unprecedented opportunities for job seekers and employers—begins September 1.

Job seekers in operations and supply chain management: Get ready to be noticed! Encourage your members to make sure their résumé is up to date and posted online at the APICS Career Center here.

Stop by the Career Connections booth at the APICS International Conference & Expo, October 18–20, to take advantage of career development presentations and information on how members can leverage APICS membership and certification in their career.

Employers: Stay tuned for information on how you can turn a job listing in the 2010 APICS Career Fair into more than $5,000 in exposure for your organization.

Register for the Volunteer Leadership Workshop and the 2010 APICS International Conference & Expo
Be sure to join us at APICS 2010 at Wynn Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, October 18–20, 2010, and participate in the Volunteer Leadership Workshop (VLW).

Register for the conference and VLW. When you register for VLW, be sure to use the code NATNJ1 to receive your channel partner discount. Note: If you are attending VLW but not APICS 2010, use the code NATNJ to register.

Please use this form to register for VLW and APICS 2010.

Don’t forget: APICS 2010 marketing materials are on C-BOX. Click to access now.

Fee Updates on APICS Certification Exams

Fee Update on CSCP CBT Exams
This is to inform you that beginning January 1, 2011 the following fees will go into effect for APICS CSCP Computer-Based Testing with Pearson Vue:

• scheduling an exam by phone: $10
• rescheduling an exam more than 24 hours before the scheduled date: $15
• cancelling an exam more than 24 hours before the scheduled date: $200

Note: Reschedules are not permitted within 24 hours of the exam, and any cancellations within 24 hours of the exam result in a forfeiture of fees.

If you have questions, please contact an APICS Customer Support associate at (800) 444-2742 or (773) 867-1777 or email service@apics.org.

Fee Update on APICS CPIM CBT Exams
This is to inform you that beginning January 1, 2011 the following fees will go into effect for APICS CPIM Computer-Based Testing with Pearson Vue:

• scheduling an exam by phone $10
• rescheduling an exam more than 24 hours before the scheduled date $15
• canceling an exam more than 24 hours before the scheduled date $50

Note: Reschedules are not permitted within 24 hours of the exam, and any cancellations within 24 hours of the exam result in a forfeiture of fees.

If you have questions, please contact an APICS Customer Support associate at (800) 444-2742 or (773) 867-1777 or email service@apics.org.

APICS Honors the Legacy of Jim Greathouse
APICS would like to recognize and celebrate the contributions made by the late Jim Greathouse. Jim was a highly respected and well-known member and volunteer in the APICS community for more than 30 years. He was a valued mentor and friend to many and showed overwhelming dedication to the operations and supply chain management industries.

Jim served most recently as a Certification Committee Chair. Prior to that role, he served in either chair or volunteer member capacity on APICS exam sub-committees, the Voice of the Customer Committee, and the Body of Knowledge committee. We take this moment to recognize his achievements and express that he will be greatly missed.

Updates in the International APICS Community
It’s been a busy couple of months in the International Department with introducing new Authorized Education Providers (AEPs), expanding exam offerings, and starting the planning for a dynamic 2011.

APICS has recently welcomed additional AEPs in the Netherlands, ISBW; Poland, PALPP; and Australia, Phil Heenan Consulting. Meanwhile, the APICS Brussels and Singapore offices continue to administer exam sites in areas not already covered by APICS International Associates. In December we will be hosting exams in Pakistan, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Italy, Russia, Singapore, Malaysia, Egypt, Lebanon, Japan, Hong Kong and the Philippines.

Best Practices

Tips for Increasing Attendance at your Chapter’s PDM: A Colorado Chapter Success Story
Roger Harris, CFPIM, CIRM, CSCP, C.P.M., PMP, CPSM, president of the APICS Colorado Chapter has seen a 75 percent increase in the chapter’s PDM attendance. With 263 total members and facing an average of 38 attendees at PDMs, the chapter implemented a few changes that increased the average to 61 initially and up to 74 for the 2010 meetings. He attributes much of the success to a few key factors.

In the following interview, Roger (RH) shares his ideas for increasing PDM attendance.

Leadership Central: Tell me about your topics: How did you choose them?

RH:
This year, we made a choice to not have all the topics around just supply chain management (SCM). We feel that the networking and table talk revolves around SCM so we could have some different speakers/topics. The topics this year included:

• Sundyne Corp Road to Success
• Balistreri Winery Tour (First time in chapter history that we did a tour for our PDM.)
• Colorado Malcolm Baldrige Awards
• Integrated Business Planning
• Supply Chain in Health Care
• Leading with Safety in the Workplace
• Flying New Zealand

We made a very strong effort to have very good speakers, not just who would be willing to do it for free. Some were entertaining, some were very knowlegable, some were both. Some were from our APICS bloodline, some were not.

We only used speakers that a board member knew or had heard speak or that came highly recommended by someone we professionally trusted: there were no wildcards on the schedule.

Leadership Central: Aside from choosing a great topic and finding very good speakers-what other factors attribute to your success?

RH:
The best thing we did different this year was to start email reminders of the PDMs using Constant Contact. For years we have published a hard newsletter and an e-newsletter for our members and many others on our mailing lists. This year we decided that reminders through email may work. I believe this really elevated our attendance. We send out three reminders the week right before the meeting. These reminders are very professional Constant Contact emails that have a link to register for the PDM. I believe that the reminders have had the greatest impact.

We also posted announcements on our LinkedIn Group and provided up to 10 free registrations for unemployed members. With the free registrations, we noted that those who attended free in the past, came back as paying APICS members once they were employed again. By extending this free “offer” and investing in the future, we ended up creating loyalty toward our chapter.

We also focused on making the event a professional and social networking opportunity. I have been in this chapter for 29 years and noticed this year that we had much more social interaction. With time for social networking, entertaining speakers and freebies, such as a drink coupon—it created an atmosphere that was meaningful and positive for our participants. 

And last but not least, we had a fantastic Programs Vice President, Major Joe Grigg!

Leadership Central: Do you forsee geographical barriers/chapter size barriers to success? 

RH:
Most of the things we did this year can be done by any size chapter—big or small, rich or poor. 

We move the meetings around so that different folks get a chance to attend. Not the same crowd at all the meetings. I believe the savings from consolidation at one venue is far outweighed by the additional (different) folks that get to be part of the APICS experience by moving it around.

Leadership Central: What is the volunteer time commitment in turning a challenged PDM program into a successful one? Are there steps that you have made to increase efficiency without compromising quality? 

RH:
The Constant Contact emailing greatly improved efficiency. Previous efforts toward reminding people included a greater time commitment. Now we can set it up in advance through Constant Contact, which saves time, and it is a more professional means of communicating and registering.  

Overall creativity and changing the experience of dinner meetings made the difference not brute time invested.

While many professional organizations are suffering from declining attendance at events such as PDM’s during these times of economic crisis, the Colorado Chapter has found a way to dramatically increase attendance at PDM’s by changing the game. Colorado has created a professional and personal networking environment that allows attendees to gain professionally and socially at a single event. This has been accomplished by having speakers who folks want to hear, promoting the event with current internet and social networking tools, and by creating an environment that provides a social setting folks desire.

Chapter Development

APICS Product Pricing Update Webinar
The APICS Product Pricing Update Webinar took place on August 3. All the information and documents about the webinar are posted on APICS C-BOX.

Please see below for a link to the recording of this APICS Webinar and links to the presentation slides and the Question and Answer document.

• Click to download the recording for the APICS Product Pricing update webinar.
• Click to download a PDF of the presentation slides.
• View the Q&A document with questions you and other participants submitted.

If you have any questions, please e-mail at pdadmin@apics.org.

Did You Know? Important Facts and Information about the APICS Chapter Course Listings Program
The APICS Chapter Course Listings program has sent more than 1,100 leads to APICS chapters across North America. This program, developed as an opportunity for APICS chapters to expand their audience using APICS-supported external and internal promotion, provides chapters with visibility and leads for APICS courses.

Listing your courses is easy. Fill out the form below or contact chaprel@apics.org or your district field associate to get started.

Complete the web form now.

The APICS Chapter Course Listings Program by the Numbers

• Clicks on Google Adwords ads: 17,322
• Lead forms completed: 1,156
• New or renewed APICS members: 60

Has the APICS Chapter Course Listings program helped you generate new leads or new course participants, or helped expand your reach in your community? Email your story to APICS Chapter and District Services at chaprel@apics.org.

Board Approved Conditions for APICS Student Membership
When recruiting student members to join APICS, please keep in mind the new guidelines set recently by the APICS Board of Directors for the conditions of student membership:

APICS student membership is a conditional membership category for individuals currently registered as a full-time student (according to your educational institution's policy) at an accredited college or university. Individuals renewing or applying for student membership must submit a current course curriculum/schedule by including it with your application or have your professor verify your student status. Schedules must be provided by the registrar with name of institution, name of student, and date including the year.

Students are encouraged to join in four different ways:

• Online by visiting here.
• Downloading a student membership application. This application can also be found in the Membership, Marketing section of C-BOX.
• Ordering student membership brochures in the APICS Bookstore here. A downloaded copy can be found in C-BOX here.
• Contacting APICS Customer Support by email at service@apics.org or by phone at (800) 444-APICS or (773) 867-1777.
  
  

Q&A

Q: Our chapter has new officers in the 2010-11. Where can we find the best educational resource for new officers?

A:  The chapter leadership handbooks are available as a resource for new or current chapter officers. The handbooks are available in C-BOX in the Chapter Leaders, Handbooks section and are downloadable free of charge. Hard-copies are available through the APICS Bookstore at $15 each. C-BOX links to the handbooks are provided below:

Handbooks 

• Education
• Finance/Treasurer
• Newsletter
• Membership
• President and President-Elect
• Strategic Planning  
• Strategic Planning Worksheets
• Student Chapter Management Program
  
  

Tools of the Trade

New Career Resource for Members in Transition
APICS has created the Career Transition Tool Kit, an electronic resource to assist members who are in between work opportunities and need assistance in their job search. Encourage the members that are experiencing hard times in your chapter to download this tool kit from C-BOX here.

The tool kit contains the following:

• APICS Career Center resources
• The benefits of networking through APICS chapter and international affiliates
• Government assistance programs and grants
• APICS Benefits Extension for Unemployed Members Form
• A copy of Market Yourself: A Guide to Resume Creation and Job Search for the Operations Management Professional
  
  

APICS Chapter Professional Development Meeting Resource: Career Pathing
Access ready-to-use professional development meetings (PDMs)—complete with a presentation and handouts to help you provide valuable career development resources to your members at your next PDM. Click to access now.

Newly Posted Resources on C-BOX
Take advantage of online tools, services, programs, and information for your chapter or district through C-BOX, the partner collaboration tool box, at cbox.apics.org/Pages/default.aspx.

See the latest resources below.

• July Membership Summary Count Report
• 2010 Member Resources Guide
• APICS Career Transition Tool Kit
• APICS Bylaws (approved January 2010)
  

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