I think one of the toughest professional transitions is going from a technical subject matter expert to management. This is a tough transition for many reasons, not the least of which is that the two jobs require completely different skill sets. The same thing can be said of an accountant or a marketing specialist, but I think it is more difficult for highly technical people because so much of our self identity is wrapped up in our technical ability. For example, we have a combination of degrees, certifications, project experience, and organizational knowledge. Each of these requires significant time and effort to acquire, describes a bit about who we are and why people might respect us and our work.
When a management job becomes available it is completely natural that a high performer considers applying for the position. After all, you probably are an unofficial leader of the group anyway. Here are three things to consider before you submit your resume:
- Why do you want this job? Leading people is not the same task as planning, organizing and ushering a project to a successful completion. Leading people presents a whole new set of challenges and requires skills not naturally found in most technical people. Machines do exactly what we tell them, people do not. Are you prepared to spend a significant, and sometimes inordinate amount of your time on dealing with people and their needs? If not, you should reconsider whether management is the right job for you.
- Money won’t fill in the void. I’ve sat on more than a few interviews for first time supervisors and the number one answer to the question of “why do you want this job?” is money. Money will not make you happy. This is a tough job under the best of circumstances and if you do not derive at least some satisfaction from developing others and all that goes with it, you will quickly discover that the money does not outweigh the headaches that come with the job.
- Know yourself and what you enjoy. Most people do not take the time to sit down and think about what they enjoy and what they do not. Create a list of things you like and don’t like to help you decide. Do this over the course of a few weeks so you can get a decent perspective. Do you like solving problems? Good, do you like solving them as part of a group or do you prefer to work them out on your own? Do you enjoy sitting at the keyboard more than planning? Can you let go of the wheel long enough to let more junior people handle the situation? Here’s a hint: if you are a hero, you probably are not ready to lead people.
These are just a few things to consider before applying for the next management position. They are also import considerations for your career development. If you do choose the management track, you need to start developing the necessary skills now. Read books, blogs, ask a leader that you admire to mentor you; there are plenty of resources available.
Do you have any advice or stories that you would like to share with others considering this move? Please leave a comment so we can learn from each other.
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