Is there a need for forms and spreadsheet creators?

[aprunkard]

I have recently quit my position as the administrative assistant to the owner of a car dealership, due to ethical differences.

I excel in creating forms, spreadsheets, and presentations. I have had numerous compliments about the business forms I have created in this job and previous ones. I really enjoy doing this and I have a lot of knowledge of the MS software to make these forms very user friendly and eye appeasing. I have also built several internal websites used to access these forms easily and submit them to the according departments.

My question to everyone is; since I really enjoy doing this and I do it well, is there a need for a service that offers form creations, setup, spreadsheet work, PPT creation, etc.?

Thank you for any input,
Amanda

 

[dwarfthrower]

While I'm sure that the demand exists for someone to provide such a service. What might to be even more in-demand is someone who can come into an organisation and train the staff in creating effective forms and presentations.

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[MallardVHS]

Hi Amanda,

You and I have similar talents. In my last job it became a joke among my direct reports to not ever let me see them using an adding machine. They all knew I'd offer a much superior solution involving Excel.

I'm proud of the fact that I worked with 20+ plus people and EVERY one of them now does their job better and more efficiently due to something I created. Man that's fun.

Sometimes it was converting a horse&buggy to a car. Sometimes, it was converting a Chevy to a Cadillac. Fun, either way.

You're right. There ought to be a market for this!

Best of luck!
Don

[green]Tis far easier to keep your duck in a row if you just have the one.[/green]

 

[aprunkard]

Don,

It's like a game or puzzle to me. I have stream lined every process I have come in contact with.

I'm glad to know that I'm not the only one with "the sickness"

Thanks,
Amanda

 

[MallardVHS]

Ah, you do have the fever...

I swear, there's nothing like it as far as job satisfaction goes. I had an AP clerk once who routinely used an adding machine to check a foot-tall stack of invoices. She went through that damn stack of invoices THREE times and then compared her adding machine tapes. They were always wrong. She then recruited three or four other staff members to spend hours away from thier jobs helping her find the mistake(s). Good grief.

I created an amazingly simple Excel spreadsheet for her. She went through the invoices once, not thrice. She entered two numbers, not three. With all her newly found free time she earned additional duties. She sorta loves/hates me.

The funny thing - this had absolutely nothing to with my job. I just hate blatant inefficiency.

Best of luck, Amanda!
Don



[green]Tis far easier to keep your duck in a row if you just have the one.[/green]

 

[Tarwn]

There are definately jobs out there for both sides of the equation.

Being able to makes processes more efficient is something that any company likes, but if you get some certifications you can go far with manufacturing companies as a Lean or 6-Sigma consultant. We used to have a consultant that was on hand for about 2 years whose only job was to look at differant areas in the plant (floor and office), examine inefficiencies and then determine more efficienct methods or processes to replace them.

On the other hand you have forms and excel. This could be the start of a document control position, or you could pick up some additional skills working with workflow software (ie, electronic forms and processes) and turn the creation/definition of forms into a full time position or consultancy. See MS Infopath for a simple example of electronic forms, or

http://www.mastercontrol.com

as an example of a complete electronic-form driven workflow system.

 

[KenCunningham]

examine inefficiencies and then determine more efficienct methods or processes to replace them.

My recollection is that they used to be called 'Time and Motion Examiners' in factories.

 

[SQLSister]

Ken, now they are Industrial Engineers and often require an engineering degree in that field. Also they can be management analyst which often require a college degree as well but not usually in a specific field. It's interesting work, I did it for 14 years. Amanda, you might consider getting the training to do this job if you are looking for a career change. The mindset of seeing the possible changes to processes and figuring out new processes is not that easy to find. You might also consider a business analyst position.

And if you do get some professional training in this area, make sure above all that you take a course in Human Factors Engineering. (you may have to beg your way into the class if you are not an engineering student; that's what I had to do.) This is extremely useful if you are interested in changing processes and forms design.

If you do go in this direction make sure that your resume is specific on the details of the processes you have improved. I mean the quantify how you prove it's an improvement, i.e. man-hours per year saved, specific costs saved, jobs eliminated etc. It is much more impressive to get a resume from someone who has saved the company she worked a specific amount than to get one from someone who says her change made an improvement but didn't quantify. People who are professionals in this field almost always are able to quantify their results.

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[mmorancbt]

Great conversation. In fact, this is my bread and butter. I find ways to streamline operations - sometimes that is training, sometimes it is workflow engineering, sometimes it is productivity tools. I spend more time now using MS Office automation than any other type of programming.

Is there a traditional market? No. Is it something highly valuable that companies will buy? Absolutely.

Here is how I pitch it:

http://www.kreativeknowledge.com/content/KKConsultingColor2007.pdf

I refer to it as Asset Utilization - you paid for it, get something out of it - and Business Productivity.

I've actually created a form to prompt for initial analysis - locating areas of Productivity Opportunity.

I then define which projects, areas, create dramatic and immediate gains for key individuals - those who can both keep us involved in such projects because of their political clout in a company and also whose productivity provides the ability to concentrate on more productivity.

Matthew Moran (career blog and podcast below)
Career Advice with Attitude for the IT Pro

http://blogs.ittoolbox.com/pm/career

 

[jsteph]

I think there is some semblance of a market existing, we've had several pitches from 'workflow coaches', and other consultants with similar buzzwords or catchphrases.

In my opinion, for Amanda's situation, it might be worthwhile pitching yourself to a mid-size company as an admin-assistant to some higher level department vp. Once in this role, it will be up to you to make your ideas heard in meetings where this sort of thing is discussed. Don't be afraid to stand up and say "this process is wasting x amount of time, and if we did it in this <example> way using these forms and spreadsheets I've designed, we'd save time, money...etc. "

Make sure you pitch it to your boss first so he/she's not blindsided and so you know you'll have their support. Once your idea is implemented and is shown to be a success, you then seek out other departments to help and before you know it you may have yourself a new title, a raise, and the freedom to let your proven ideas help the company even more.

Getting hired as a admin-assistant is just the foot in the door. If you stand up and make yourself heard and get things done, that title will soon change.

Down the road, who knows? You've got a proven track record for your resume if you get bored, but depending on the size and dynamics of the company, you may just keep climbing the ladder where you are.
--Jim

 

[mmorancbt]

Another place to start is with Finance & Accounting departments.

Business Analyst, Financial Analyst, etc. are positions that end up doing some of what you talk about. In fact, they are catchall type positions that vary greatly from company to company.

I would try to speak to financial professionals at some local companies. If at all possible, direct contact - versus through HR. If you read enough of my post here or at my blog, you will find that I am a huge fan of small business (40-250 employees).

I am sub-leasing office space from an insurance brokerage and they have an intern in-house who specifically is there because she is a finally year finance student and works on complex spreadsheets for the brokers and agents.

Just some ideas where you might pitch your particular talent and desire.

Matthew Moran (career blog and podcast below)
Career Advice with Attitude for the IT Pro

http://blogs.ittoolbox.com/pm/career