Guide to a career change in midlife
July 27, 2009 by admin
Filed under Career Planning
So you are considering making the leap from line employee to manager. Perhaps you are attracted by the higher pay, increased influence, or just a change from the day to day routine that now defines your job. Maybe you dislike your boss and think you could do a better job than him with one hand tied behind your back and a ravenous wolverine attached to your leg.
Whatever your motivation, making the move to management is something that shouldn’t be taken lightly.
There are a few questions you should ask yourself before deciding to pursue a career in management. First, and most important, you should not become a manager if you are a jerk. All you will do is make people’s lives miserable. There is a simple test to determine if you have a problem in this area:
TEST: Ask yourself, “Am I a jerk?” If the answer is yes, then management is not for you.
Second, ask yourself,”Do I enjoy pain?” Unless you plan to work for Santa Claus, you will find that the pressure of management can be intense. In most cases, you will spend more time at work as a manager than as a line employee. There are certainly perks, but when things go wrong (and they will), management can be one of the worst places to be.
Third, ask, “Does the work managers do interest me?” If you are a hot shot aardvark trainer and you love what you do, what enticements can management offer you in the way of day to day job content? Instead of contributing individually, you will now be largely contributing through others…
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