5 Tips to Help You Land Your First Management Job

You’re all dressed up, you’ve prepared for each and every possible question and now all you’ve got to do is nail that interview. Or perhaps you’ve been waiting for this promotion for months and need to grab this opportunity. But how?! You could be the best manager known to man, but even if you have all the skills and experience behind you, some pitfalls are all too common when applying for a managerial position.

Find out what you should do to secure yourself that first management job and get started straight away.

If you are working in an environment where it is possible to work your way up through the ranks, then don’t be afraid to speak up if you think it’s time for a promotion. Whether you have already completed a management training course or have yet to do so, asking for the opportunity to apply for a higher position within the company not only shows your ambition but also your dedication to the company. You can have a one-to-one chat with your current manager to enquire about whether or not a new position is currently open. This will make them aware of your interest in the role and you might come to mind the next time such a position is open.

Throughout your employment, ensuring that you are noticed and that your voice is heard shows both confidence and enthusiasm for your job. If you have any ideas or solutions to problems in the company, making sure to discuss these in team meetings or privately will mean that you are more likely to be seen in a managerial light. Ultimately, this will bring you closer to your goal of becoming a manager.

One of the key components to working is management is knowing how to manage people. This can be deceptively tricky, as you are the driving force of a team which is likely full of all different types of people with a variety of strengths and weaknesses. Some things to highlight that you’ve done in your current job, or things to work on if you have yet to, are times when you’ve…

You won’t necessarily have had the opportunity to do all of these things in your current or previous job roles, in which case you can think of how you would deal with these situations. Be sure to put across your strengths in terms of communication, team working and taking on a leadership role; as of course, these are all major parts of the managerial position.

You don’t have to wait for your employer to give you the go-ahead to start learning how to be a good manager. There are a variety of distance learning courses you can enrol in which will not only show your ability and initiative; but also expand your understanding, skill set and knowledge of what the management role entails.

Here at CoursesOnline, you can choose from a range of management courses, including the Level 3 Introduction to Management Diploma, the Level 7 BTEC in Strategic Management and Leadership, and CMI Level 3 Diploma in Management and Leadership. You can enrol online and get started with these affordable distance learning courses at your own convenience. However, if you are low on funds then it is also worth considering talking to your manager about whether you could get financial support as the course will ultimately make you a more qualified employee!

Whether applying for a position at a new company or interviewing for a managerial opening where you are already employed, preparation is everything when it comes to nailing that job interview. For new companies its essential to do some research into the company and emphasise why you want that position at that company. Come prepared with specific examples of situations you’ve encountered which highlight key management skills including:

As with all interviews, be sure to be dressed appropriately, be polite and turn up at least 10 minutes early. If possible, find specific interview questions which are common in all interviews and especially those for managerial positions, such as: ‘What are your strengths and weaknesses’? ‘Why do you think you would be suited to this role?’ and ‘How would you deal with an issue you might have with an employee within your team?’

For your first management position, one of the key things to remember is that your potential employer wants to know that you are ready to take on this position. This could have been made clear from the progress you’ve already made within your current position or courses you’ve undertaken outside of work. Throughout the interview, you should highlight times when you’ve taken on more responsibility or gone beyond what was expected. Showing that you know the management role and how it can be different from your current role will extinguish any worries that perhaps you aren’t ready for a step up and take on that degree of responsibility.

Why not get started by checking out our range of management courses?