Manchester is booming, and demand for skilled professionals is on the rise. If you’re looking for a chance to hop your way into a new position, then there’s never been a better time.
With new businesses opening all the time and Brexit draining access to international talent, there’s lots of opportunity out there. If you’re looking for a position of more responsibility, then here are some of the best ways to develop your management skills and step up.
Communicate your goals
One of the best ways to start developing management skills is to share your interest and intention to do so. Elicit support from your own management and ask for advice and opportunity. Many organisations are eager for people to step up and need to invest in their talent pipeline, so by putting your hand up, you’ll get to move to the front of the line for support and opportunity.
This also extends to your network. By sharing your ambitions with friends, family, colleagues and others around you, you have the chance to access potential openings and opportunities through a direct contact.
Self-study
There are many excellent resources available, including books, videos and podcasts, so you can start studying management skills and practices on your own. This can be a good step to investigate if it’s the right path for you and to build familiarity with management concepts, but it won’t get you very far with employers if you can’t pair it with formal credentials or verifiable experience.
Upgrade your credentials
If you want to move into management, then consider upgrading your educational credentials accordingly. It looks better on your resume, signals to employers that you’re not only committed to this path but also qualified, and will give you more skills to bolster your success. LSBF offers many programmes, including part-time and online study options, so you don’t have to take time away from your career to upgrade your skills and employability.
Take on projects
Look for opportunities to practice management at work in your current role. Would your manager like help with something? Is there an extra project of which you can take charge? If there’s no opportunity or willingness in your existing workplace, then consider side projects. Start up a small venture, join a community organisation, and volunteer to gain real management experience that you can use to prove your worth to prospective employers.
Document your wins
Take those projects, whether paid or volunteer-based, and make note of your accomplishments. Look for data and stories. Data helps improve legitimacy (so you don’t sound vague or like you’re just bragging), while turning it into a story about how you solved a problem with your management skills helps employers understand how you could help them.
Start proactively developing your management skills and take advantage of the wave of opportunity in Manchester today. There’s plenty of need out there. A combination of self-study and formal credentials along with practical experience inside or beyond the workplace will set you up for success and open up opportunity.
