Success in management is down to learned skills.
Do you have serious ambitions for your career? Do you dream of being a high flyer? Are you determined to scale to the top of a big business? The challenge is exciting, but how do you take that crucial first step to management level? If you have your heart set on making a career in business management it can be hard to know where to get started. You have the intelligence, you have the motivation, but where do you get the break you need?
Getting Your Break
It’s worthwhile scoping out if there is an easy route into management at the organisation you work out. If not, then consider where you may be able to move to that does have more scope for progression. A good management training programme is always a brilliant route into things and will fast track you in a lot of companies. If that opportunity isn’t there, you’ll have to rely more on management job opportunities coming up, but you have to be prepared to pounce when they do. So, gather all the project experience you can in the meantime. Or you may want to consider a course of online study relevant to your area of interest or the sector you work in. Some of these courses, like online bba programmes, can improve your prospects of being selected for interview in a management role.
Introduce Yourself to HR
The human resources department at your place of work can be really useful if you want to progress. It’s a good idea to find a contact there and ask them to meet for coffee to discuss what you can do to amp up your prospects to be considered for internal promotion. They may also be able to tip you off about upcoming opportunities to broaden your skills base.
Find A Mentor
Another invaluable tool when progressing your career is to find a mentor. This can be as formal or informal as you like – some HR departments will run mentoring schemes, while if there isn’t one you can seek one out on your own terms. Additionally, a mentor can come from outside your organisation. It may be someone you hear speak at a conference or local networking event, or you could even use LinkedIn Groups to find someone. Approach them to respectfully, state why they inspire you , and give a specific subject that you would appreciate their help with.
Develop Your People Skills
Management is the art and science of firstly, bringing projects in to time and budget constraints, and second – managing people. This flows both ways, and you will need to ‘manage up’ as much as anyone who reports to you. So it’s always a good move to brush up on your people skills. Learn about different working styles and how to negotiate with and influence others. There are lots of online courses on these topics, and your workplace may even run some of them, so take the opportunities that come your way. These are the essential skills you will need in order to get into management and succeed once you’re there.