Top Tips for Getting into Management

If you’re feeling ready for a move into management, read on. These top tips will help boost your career in an upwards direction faster than you can say ‘born leader’…

 

Impress your boss

Generally speaking, the person who has the power to promote you into a managerial role is your line manager or direct report. Even if it’s not your immediate boss who has the final say, they are the ones who will be putting the case together for your promotion so it’s vital that you start with them.

Educate yourself

If there are courses or qualifications that you can take to add to your current skill set or help you step into management, then opt to take these either at your own expense or paid for by your company. Most medium and large sized organisations have a training budget so make sure you use your allocation of it wisely.

Understand your company

Just being able to execute the day to day tasks of your own job day in day out will not be enough to get you into management. Start with building up a full and thorough understanding of each and every element of your company, its personnel, its strategy and then look outside to the industry as a whole and where your company fits in there and amongst its competitors. Identifying areas where competitors are succeeding and your organisation is falling behind is a great way to highlight to the senior management team that you are serious about driving your company forward and looking for opportunities that are yet to be exploited.

Arrive with a solution

Imaging your boss’ delight when you not only tell them that you have identified a problem but you also know how to solve it. Showing that you have taken the initiative to get on and tackle an existing problem without being asked to do so is showing your boss that you have what it takes to be a manager.

Learn to lead

Owning a project and being responsible for its outcomes is key to managerial success. If you haven’t managed a large scale project which required using your people management skills, set about managing a small scale project to start with. The idea is to learn how to see a whole project through including a critical analysis after completion. From your research about the company, learn which projects are happening that you could ask your boss if you could take on. This will also show that you are keen to move up the career ladder and are beginning to think about taking on additional responsibilities.

Be prepared for critiscism

One thing is for certain, when you do make it into management, you will need to be able to tackle criticism head on and in a constructive way. As a manager you will be continually assessed from all angles, above and below, on the success of your projects.

Be agile

In today’s ever changing workplace, those that get left behind are those that refuse to adapt and adopt new working practices. As a team member, would you rather have a forward thinking boss willing to stay one step ahead of the competition, or have a boss happy to continue along the same old path never offering anything new to its clients or customers? Part of being a leader and manager is to be able to inspire and lead your team into uncharted territory with a finely tuned mix of confidence, strength and bravery.

Apply for managerial roles

If it is unlikely that a managerial role will become available at your current workplace, apply for managerial positions elsewhere. When applying, ensure that you write a winning CV and cover letter.  Poor grammar and spelling mistakes do not give the best impression for someone seeking a job in management. A good recruiter will be able to help here if necessary.

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