You’re sharp, you’re hardworking and you feel ready to become the boss. But, how do you get yourself into a management position? What really moves people from the factory floor to the corner office?
Career experts have weighed in with their advice. From dressing the part to being smart about how you broach the topic with your boss, check out this list of must dos for aspiring managers.
Be Well-Liked
The experts all agree that you need solid people skills to get noticed for a management role. “If people at work don’t like you, no matter how skilled you are, you will never get to a management level,” says Alexandra Levit, author of New Job, New You: A Guide to Reinventing Yourself in a Bright New Career.
“Be able to understand and monitor how you impact others,” says Julie Jansen, author of I Don’t Know What I Want, But I Know It’s Not This: A Step-by-Step Guide For Finding Gratifying Work.
Dress the Part
A major challenge to transitioning into management is getting your current co-workers to imagine you in a new role. One way to change their view of you is to dress for the job you want, not the job you have, according to Nicole Williams, career advisor and author of Girl on Top. “If you’re someone who dresses fairly casually, wear a suit. Show that you’re taking on a larger role,” says Williams.
Show You’re Ready
Do you want a bigger leadership role? Before you get up the courage to ask for more responsibility, start demonstrating that you can handle it. “Do your work faster and more completely than the original project description,” says Williams. “It’s your actions that demonstrate your ability to manage.”
Focus On the Company’s Success
When you finally do have a conversation about moving up the chain, don’t make it about you and your career. Make it about the success of the company long-term. Williams suggests that you explain how you want the company to succeed and how you’d like to play a role in that success.
Make Your Promotion a Win-Win
In this market, there are often limited opportunities to move into management because current managers are hanging onto their jobs for dear life, Jansen warns. She suggests using your next review with your boss to create a six-month plan for you to expand your current responsibilities. You’ll come off as less threatening this way.
Williams adds that your current manager may be looking to move up the chain at work, as well, and lacking a qualified replacement. Your interest in management could be a win-win for both of you.
Be Observant
How do managers at your company behave? How do they communicate? Bob Selden, author of What To Do When You Become the Boss: How New Managers Become Successful Managers, recommends that you develop a profile of what a successful manager looks like in your organization.
Selden says to write down the positive qualities of each manager you admire and then look for the qualities that are similar between them.
Network Internally
It’s time to rub elbows with the right people and get their support on your move to management. “Learn to be politically savvy and nurture stakeholders at your company,” says Jansen. She adds that you should network at all levels of employment, not just with people in positions above yours. Selden also suggests finding a mentor and asking your HR department leaders for advice on transitioning into management. “Your network should include people from both inside and outside the organization who can help you with your career development,” he says.
