Move into Management

[UkMister]

Hi all,

I'm wondering what steps I need to take to get a job in IT management. I have about 5 or 6 years experience in a technical role, with the past 3 years being in a senior tech role and have virtually run the department anyway.

More and more, I'm feeling that I can do more with an IT department if I had a managerial role. I look for IT managers jobs but all seem to require 'at least 2 years management experience'. Yet, all the managers I've ever had have all seemed to have just slipped into the role.

As a result, I haven't applied for any positions yet. How do I get out of the old 'need a job to get experiece, can't get a job without experience' scenario? Am I wanting to move too quickly? Do I have the right amount of experience?

Any input appreciated

 

[Craig0201]

Ignore the 'Requires x' lines.....

An adage from a senior HR manager colleagues of mine.....

"If you match 40% of the spec, apply and hope. If you match 60% expect an interview. If you match 75%, expect the job."

You can't match the entire spec or you'd be doing the job already in most cases. And no one really wants sdewards movers. After all, why do they want the same role again? Sows the seed of doubt immediately to me that they want out because they can't hack it at that organisation.

Be enthusiastic and admit that you don;t know it all but want to learn....

Craig

 

[Gatorajc]

I don't think there is one way to do it really. I have seen managers who are there only because they are friends with the owner and others who really earned it.

What kind of technical role were/are you in? Is it really technical or just one of those positions that for some reason are classified as technical. ( I will skip giving examples as to not offend anyone) Do you have a degree and what is it in? I would imagine most management jobs would like you to have at least a BS in MIS or CS.


AJ

 

[UkMister]

Gatorajc, I moved to my present position 18 months ago. They had no in house IT department and I was appointed after pressure from certain people that they needed in house IT. And need it they did!! Since my appointment, I have migrated to W2K, installed new servers, implemented backup and virus policies. I am quite lucky because there has been money to spend! I have advised and implemented remote access solutions and basically set up a system that is quite rhobust. As well as this, I do the day to day problem solving stuff etc. That's it in a nutshell.
As for qualifications, I have a Bsc in Computer Studies.

 

[CajunCenturion]

If you're interested in getting into management, then by all means, apply for the jobs.

Given your situation, especially the size of the IT staff, the only way you'll get into management by staying where you are is to build the staff. What is the likelihood of that happening in the near future.

One thing for sure, it's highly unlikely that you'll get into a management position if you don't apply for it.

Good Luck
--------------
As a circle of light increases so does the circumference of darkness around it. - Albert Einstein

 

[UkMister]

CC, there isn't much likely of a management position where I am, simply because of the structure of the place. I also take your point about not getting a job if I don't apply. I think I was just sounding people out before I started to see if others had moved straight from being a tekkie into a management role without the formal training or experience.