How to transition into management roles?

With plenty of opportunities available in this world of internet, it is common to see candidates with 3-5 years of experience being highly talented, and are already ready to move up the ladder. On the other end, with 7-10 years of experience, and getting settled in life, people's ultimate aim would be to transition to a management role on their expertise.

However, in this rapidly transforming dynamic world, it is not essential to accept a management role to move up the ladder. And being in a senior technical role is equally good. If you are sure, management is your domain, you can directly look at the ways in which you can move to a managerial role. Else, you can check if you truly want to be a manager here first.

Decide your Management Path

Now that you have decided to become a manager, Congrats!! You have already achieved taking the first step -> "Desire". But, management is a very broad term. There are typically two types of managers: People Managers, who actually manage people of the same or similar expertise like Software Development Manager who is responsible for a couple of Software Engineers, and IC Managers, who actually govern the business like Marketing Managers, Project Managers. If you need to learn which suits you better, check here.

Assess Yourself for Readiness

Now that you have analyzed if you want to be a People Manager or IC Manager from the above link, assess yourself and see if you actually possess the qualities required for the role. The provided link gives only high-level information on the expectation. To analyze better, check the job description of your company, to understand your fit.

Not just to a management role, but in general, you only need to have 70% of the expected skills. Else, there is nothing you can learn from the job. At management buffs, however, we recommend an 80% fit for managerial role transitions as you are directly responsible for the ROI and customer satisfaction.

Check Internal Transition Feasibility

Unlike a technical role where you can get a job anywhere for a job change, you cannot expect the same for a transition to a manager role in an external setting through a single interview. It will be easier for you to demonstrate your skills within your organization and to transition to a manager role.

Check with a couple of managers you get along with well, and check how they moved into the management path. Then, check with your own manager to understand what he/she feels about you as a manager. It's not necessary that they are right always. Maybe they didn't even consider you for that role, and gave an answer that struck them at once, but you will be able to understand if you can expect a transition from him/her. You can even consider changing teams if you feel there's a potential of conversion elsewhere.

Accept Projects that give you Management Experiences

You might have been grooming yourself on all the technical front, and would be in a position to handle all the projects yourself independently. However, doing things yourself, and getting things done by others are two very different things. Some professionals can get it done themselves, whereas they may get irritated when others are unable to do so. Others would not be able to stick to deadlines when they are dependent on other folks. Whatever the reason might be, it can be disastrous.

Hence, see what management skills are necessary for you to get into that path, and accept projects that are close to developing and showcasing those skills. Take up projets that will increase the visibility within the organization. Prove to others that you are capable and are equipped to handle the new responsibilities. You will soon feel confident yourself, and will witness you becoming a manager.

Check for External Job Descriptions (JDs)

When you are looking for a long-term career, it is important to groom yourself for the same role across different companies, as the expectations may vary for each role at each organization. For example, A Product Manager at Google, is technically a Program Manager at Microsoft, whereas a Product Marketing Manager at Google is a Product Manager at Microsoft. So, understand the designations and their expectations across organizations, so that it would be easier for you to move from one company to another.

Read Books / Listen to Podcasts

Do you know why people who read a lot or listen a lot are able to crack the management interviews better? It is for reasons like:

1. Able to understand the mindset of successful people

2. Able to quote great lines whenever necessary

3. Able to influence people easily, as they quickly master eloquence

4. Build empathy for self and others

Hence, to be a successful manager, read a lot. It will help you influence your team and stakeholders, and would always help you with a competitive advantage over your peers.

Do Valuable Certifications

These days, every individual is transforming as an entrepreneur and are giving away courses that are hardly useful with a certification. Hiring managers don't even care about certificates from some known institutions. So, make sure you take certifications, that upskill you to a point where you are able to implement it comfortably and efficiently in your projects.

Extend Visibility

We are not just talking about extending visibility within your organization or company, but extending visibility on professional networks like LinkedIn. If you are an IC Manager, join specific groups and networks tailored for your domain alone. The trick is not just in joining the cohort, but in influencing the cohort. If you are a strategy manager, you can post, how Amzon's 1-day delivery strategy help it capture the major market share and Customer's trust, or quote how else a failed business could have succeeded.

Keep posting relevant and engaging content. This will instill trust in senior managers, and will potentially call you when they have a vacancy. If they find you so impressive, maybe you may even get a vacancy created!!

Switch to Start-ups if Necessary

Well-built MNCs are like low-risk stocks. They would have well-defined processes in place to ensure they never fail. So, it would be hard for you to even consider a transition as there may be more odds. However, you can switch to a start-up if you are comfortable with the agile nature to get more experience in your desired path, and later move back to an MNC if it still pleases you!!