Everyone Wants to Be the Boss
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As a career coach I am often asked to review resumes targeted for management positions, and it becomes my unfortunate duty to advise them that they have not listed any previous management experience or leadership roles that would qualify them. The question that always comes back to me is, “So, how do I get qualified?”



To identify previous experience in leadership, begin by examining your career. OK, so you’ve never had to manage a staff, but have you ever taken lead on a project? Have you had the opportunity to work with a team? Did you find yourself initiating activities, setting goals, or outlining a new direction for the team?



If you cannot answer “yes” to these questions, then perhaps you have some work to do and applying for a management position may have to wait while you work on gaining experience as a leader. To put this another way, you do not have to become a manager to gain management experience. Instead, focus on leadership, which is about having influence.



Begin by seeking leadership opportunities within your current role. Identify areas where you can take initiative and lead projects. If leadership opportunities don’t exist at the moment, get inventive and create an opportunity. Don’t wait for opportunities to come to you. If you are not able to find leadership opportunities where you work, consider volunteering with outside organizations – but do it methodically. Be specific about the volunteer positions you seek to ensure that it will be beneficial to the organization as well as your career.



Before reaching out to these outside organizations, figure out the skills you want to develop. Required skills in effective managers are communication, organization, program management, analysis, and time-management. If you have already identified a management position that you would like to fill someday, consider using it as your guide in choosing the skills necessary for you to develop. Use the job description as a road map to get to your career destination.



Once you have acquired some leadership skills, be sure to continue to build upon them. Keep in mind that it will take some time to fully develop your management skills so be patient. Once you have experience under your belt, you can check back with your company for new opportunities to showcase your newly acquired talents. Let management see you in a new light by seeking opportunities to contribute. Soon enough, they will recognize you as management material and may identify you as a candidate for the next leadership opportunity. Always remember, leadership comes first, the position second.