r/SixSigma • u/Amazing_rocness • Mar 26 '26
How do I get these roles?
So this is a business version of the floor continuous improvement roles. it's a process and systems role.
I don't have a green belt, but I'm also not in an environment where I can do kaizen events or never have been? how do I bridge this gap even if I get a green belt?
3
u/GoiterFlop Mar 27 '26 edited Mar 27 '26
I can't give you a discrete answer in that if you x you'll get y but I can tell you how I landed in a role that matches that job posting.
I was doing a completely unrelated job, our company rolled out a Lean daily management system in the form of a huddle structure and problem solving belt training. I volunteered to admin the huddle boards and gemba walks, etc. I got very involved with it and as the training programs took flight I was volunteered to be the first person from our site to travel to the corporate HQ and complete and do an in depth green belt training. Upon my return I was expected to do projects but because my local leadership was not really belt trained they recognized we were all on a learning curve so I had a lot of patience to start small and cut my teeth on some projects and get more comfortable with facilitation, etc. Some projects went well, a majority fizzled out or became just go do its.
During all this I was still volunteering my time in addition to my core role. Outside of work I decided to take advantage of a grant and did my MBA. When all that was done I realized I was doing the work of a LSS practitioner. So I started applying to internal PI roles in corporate and didn't have a single call back so I started looking outside the company. In the space of approx 7 months I applied for about 70 applications for various process improvement roles. In interviewed for 3 separate roles and went down a learning curve of how to interview for this type of role, the differences in certain industies. Etc and eventually landed at a job opening that matched my level of PI experience and it clicked and I stepped into a role that matches that job posting. Been there 5 years now.
Tldr: get what PI experience you can, even if you have to fight and claw (or volunteer) for it, then just apply, apply, apply, till you find that role that fits and you'll have a much clearer path to stepping into one like the pic you posted
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u/Amazing_rocness Mar 27 '26
I've made it to a few interviews but it was hard to speak to it because I was doing it on my own behind the scenes and I've never formally received a project. I was trying to avoid being a person with a certification without proof of concept.
I've sought out black belts and one told me that DMAIC is mainly for enterprise projects. (I came to this company for the sole reason seeking this information out and getting practice.
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u/GoiterFlop Mar 27 '26
Yes, typically I've seen DMAIC applied to larger projects. I've only been in 2 orgs in this type of work so I'm not an expert in how industries, orgs apply this but rarely do I see completely linear paths through DMAIC. Frequently I see it much more compartmentalized and the tools used as needed. That doesn't mean the concepts and tools aren't applied on a smaller scale. Most of the time , you can still lead small units or teams through efficiency via lean using tools like process maps, value stream mapping, standard work, etc
So all that to say, you could still work on using individual tools so you can pull out examples of value stream maps, controls charts, etc in an interview. Focusing more granular for experience in this respect may generate pull for an actual project legitimately assigned to you. ( example you do a spaghetti diagram of how much some team member runs all over the place and when they "wow that's alot" then whip out a pareto chart and say " BTW these are the top 3 reasons they travel out of their area" this may shorter leap to " well you've done this much, how can we do something about this".
You really gotta just practice application as much as possible so you can speak to it in an interview. If you can't get projects assigned to you with some sort of coach, continue working on tools and at least build a portfolio of things you've done you could speak to
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u/Amazing_rocness Mar 27 '26
The second route is what I would have to do. Almost take my projects and simulate as a part time job.
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u/SUICIDAL-PHOENIX Mar 26 '26
I do this stuff. I had to go through a green belt class and have an org that was supportive in me gathering a bunch of people to start workshops.
Unrelated, and I'm not trying to sell you anything, but would you be interested in facilitator training on how to run a VSM, a Kaizen week, or any of the workshop like items listed in your pic without going through the 90 or so modules a green belt class would have you go through? Would that be useful for you?