How to ask for help/new work?

Question

I started an internship on my last year of university. The goal of my internship was to implement a production planning system. I collected and organized data and implemented some minor management tools.

After the internship, my direct superiors and owners of the company offered me a contract position and I accepted. But now I don't know what to do next. I have no guidance and my superior are too busy because they are the owners. I pass most of my day alone in an office shared with one of the owners but most of the time he is not there.

The company never had a planning system before. I have already exposed problems I found, but the owners only gave me a somewhat useless paid program to work with.

I would like to keep this job, because it's close to my family and home. What should I do? I feel that I'm not suited for the job because of my lack of experience.

EDIT:

I have an Master degree on Industrial Engineer and my thesis was based on productionm planning and control but not focused on the company that I'm working.
In this kind of company a planning system is based on an ERP software - however in this company the ERP software is still being implemented and it's giving problems so I won't be able to test and implement a "real" solution in a near future.

Answer 1

I have no guidance and my superior are too busy because they are the owners. I pass most of my day alone in an office shared with one of the owners but most of the time he is not there.

This seems like a management problem. One of the main goals of management is make decisions that enable you to do your work. You need to have a regular communication channel (e.g. email or standing weekly meeting) between you and one or both of the owners.

The company never had a planning system before. I have already exposed problems I found, but the owners only gave me a somewhat useless paid program to work with.

I would first be ready to answer questions such as:

• What the limitations of the paid program? What features do you need that are missing?
• Are there other paid products available that are better?

Then schedule a meeting with the owners to discuss next steps. Determine the action items for you and the owners during meeting. Then schedule a follow up meeting to check in again.

Answer 2

It seems that there are two options as to why they offered you a job, and what you should do depends on the option.

Option 1

The owners know they want something, but have no idea what it is (except it's planning) and how you could implement it. But they are ready to work with you.

In this case, I would suggest to explain to them, if it's true, that you like the job and are ready to create new processes. BUT, if they don't know how to do it, you have to help them understand what they want.

Push for meetings, but not boring one. Try to prepare questions and act as if you where trying to make someone understand their objectives. Create a functional spec, and update it, with your bosses until it is a description of the need they had when hiring you.

Option 2

The owners know they want something, but have no idea what it is (except it's planning) and how you could implement it. But they don't want to work with you, only use the work you will produce.

If this is true, you have two choices. Either be ready to work without knowing where you are going, hoping to hit the jackpot, or start searching for a new job (I know it's not great).

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TLDR : if the bosses want to enable you to create something, they have to take time to guide you. If they won't, you will suffer and I advise for a change in scenery.