Many people want to know how to become a manager, for a variety of reasons. Perhaps you crave more responsibility, or enjoy coaching and mentoring people, or perhaps you are just after a bigger paycheck. Regardless of your motivation, becoming a manager may seem like a daunting task. Rest assured, there is a tried and true formula for success.
Before you commit yourself to becoming a manager, it is important to do your best to make sure you actually want to be one. On the surface, management seems like nothing more than telling people what to do, and sitting back while it happens. But in reality, there are many aspects of management that many people are not easily able to deal with.
For example, would you be prepared to take disciplinary action against someone who is not performing up to par? Are you comfortable with giving others credit, while taking personal responsibility for problems and failures? Are you willing to let others take on work that you know you could do faster and better yourself?
These are just some of the things to think about before getting into management. Being a manager can be extremely gratifying, but can also be frustrating and difficult, depending on your mindset and disposition.
Tips
Evaluate whether management is really for you
Gain knowledge and experience to become a high performer
Build your professional network
Apply and interview for opportunities that excite you
How to Become A Corporate Manager - An Interview with Alden Habacon
This video, from MyLoudSpeaker.ca, is an interview with a manager at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation about his path into management. It provides some excellent insights into the importance of building a strong network, and how one position can lead to another in a non-linear way. Also, there is a good breakdown provided of a typical day in the life of this manager, including time spent managing people, communicating via email or otherwise, and time spent building relationships outside of the organization.
Introduction
There are several important aspects to preparing to enter management, and then actually securing a management role. The preparation boils down to "what you know" and "who you know".
That is, if you aren't seen as an expert in whatever field it is you want to manage within, it is unlikely an organization will feel comfortable putting you in the boss' chair. Also, having enough professional relationships with the right people will be a key determining factor here; connections make the world go round, and most connections don't happen by accident.
Finally, the way in which you apply for a management position, as well as how you conduct yourself during any interviews you are granted, will be the final gate towards becoming a manager.
Step 1: Become Knowledgeable and Experienced
It is true that there are many managers who are far from experts in their field, and there is nothing to say these are not excellent managers. That said, these people tend to have other strengths, such as many years of management experience.
For someone trying to become a manager for the first time, becoming knowledgeable and experienced in your field is an important strength. If nothing else, this will allow you to be extremely effective and efficient with your work, which will shine a positive light on you within your organization. This should also afford you some flexibility in your time that you can spend on personal development, in whatever areas you are weakest; communication, presentation skills, or business writing, for example.
Experience is a matter of time, but becoming knowledgeable in your field is entirely within your control. You may want to take some training courses (whether or not the company covers the costs, and whether or not they are during business hours). Or perhaps there is a very experienced colleague who would be willing to coach you. If opportunities come up to volunteer for especially challenging assignments, take them. Whatever it takes to add more knowledge into your head, make it happen.
Step 3: Apply and Interview
Once you feel ready, keep your eyes open for opportunities that excite you and then go ahead and apply. Applying, of course, must include a professional cover letter and resume, both of which should be kept up-to-date and at the ready, and not prepared in a haste late at night.
Don't be discouraged if you do not get called for interviews for many of the opportunities you apply for: this is a numbers game, and your number will eventually come up.
Once you do get an interview, it's show time. Be energetic, positive, professional, enthusiastic, thoughtful, and personable. Most of all, be yourself. It is always a good idea to practice your interviewing skills; this can be done by having a friend ask you interview-style questions, and video taping your answers. Take notes when watching the results, keeping track of areas for improvement. Keep on practicing until you are happy with the results.
Step 2: Build Your Network
You will need to rely on your relationships a great deal in your quest to become a manager. Some people may be able to alert you of good management opportunities, or even make an introduction to a hiring director. Others may agree to be references. There is no way of predicting what help you might need, or what unexpected benefit a connection might provide.
Building your network takes time, but is as simple as keeping in touch with as many contacts as possible on a regular basis. How many people should be in your network? The more the better, but 20-30 as a bare minimum, and preferably at least 50.
Keeping in touch should not be in the form of asking for something--it should be a personal phone call, coffee, or lunch, where your only goal is to deepen the professional relationship. Learn about the other person's interests, goals, achievements, and of course, offer to assist them whenever you can. Be sure to keep in touch at least 3-4 times per year, so that if you do call upon them to assist you, the request does not come out of the blue.
