What to Know and Do to Land a Top Management Job

By Terrance Palmer posted 05-31-2019 12:25

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Moving into a top management position allows you to make major decisions and impact your company profoundly. With such a great responsibility, it is easy to see why management positions are hard to get. In order to position yourself as a managerial candidate, there are certain things you need to know and do. These tips give you the information you need to better position yourself to land a top management job.

Develop your management skills

As a manager, you need expert people skills and communication skills. You need to learn to motivate employees to maximize productivity, handle criticism, and work with a diverse group of employees. Your ability to communicate with your employees determines much of your success as a manager. In order to prepare for that responsibility, try taking coursework, reading authoritative books, and seeking professional development opportunities. You can find coursework on developing management skills through executive programs at universities or even free online courses through websites like Coursera and Udemy. Many companies also provide workshops to grow these skills or provide compensation for you to attend development workshops on company time.

Network to get ahead

Making connections with people inside and outside of your company can help you find and position yourself for a top management position. Employers rather hire or promote from their networks than hire someone they do not know. Networking can help you learn of new opportunities before a company formally announces a position, and it situate you to receive recommendations from people the employer already knows. To grow your network, go to networking events and conferences in your industry. Tap into your existing network by asking for introductions to people you want to meet and utilize social media.

Take chances on opportunities

People who are in top management positions respond positively to new opportunities without feeling completely confident. When a new opportunity presents itself, agree to do it. If a promotion comes open, agree to it even if you are unsure of your success in the position. Focus on projects that allow you to work across departments at your company so that you can learn new skills and network with different managers. Specifically, request more challenges in your daily work. Taking on new projects helps you cultivate a versatile position within a company and shows your drive whether seeking an internal or external position.

Present yourself well

Whether you apply to a different company or seek a promotion to top management within your current company, you need to have a tailored resume and cover letter for the position you want. For a project manager cover letter, highlight previous skills and experience involving project deliverables, problem-solving and team-building. In comparison, a cover for a chief financial officer includes information on systemic implements for the financial organization at a company or an emphasis on financial certifications. Try to create a word cloud from the job posting to identify the exact keywords for your resume and cover letter. Presenting yourself on paper for your specific position also helps recruiters and prospective employers know you are the right fit for the job before you even get an interview.

A top management job comes with many perks, but landing a position takes dedication and hard work. Knowing how to move up the career ladder can be difficult. Following these steps can help place you in a prime position for advancement.

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