| Moving into
management can be tough, but if you offer to manage a project that needs
attention in the organization, chances are good you'll get the green light. If you can
coordinate and motivate people who don't even report to you and bring the project to a
successful close, you will have demonstrated your ability to lead successfully. Basically, the trick to getting the work you want is to find
something you want to do and match it with something the organization needs. When
you find an opportunity that sounds like a win for both you and the employer, volunteer to
take on the responsibility. It's that simple. Most employers want their employees to
be happy. Happy employees stick around. If you explain that you have a strong
interest in taking on this new challenge, your employer is likely to want to oblige you
- even if it is a bit out of the norm - especially if it benefits them as well.
In the event you are not able to get your manager to sign
off on any changes to your responsibilities, you can still start moving towards your goals in your current position if you keep your eyes
open. If you are responsible for coordinating something with a timeline and hope to
move into management, learn how to use MS Project and track the progress as though you
were a project manager. If you are interested in graphics, replace the handwritten
signs in the the office with professional looking ones made in PhotoShop without being
asked. Whatever the next position is for you, start
using the skills and tools you would use if you were already there.
See If You Can Change Your Title
After you've had a role for a while, it will simply be part
of your job. Once you are firmly established as the go-to person for a role you have
taken on, you can ask for some changes. The first thing you will want to look at
discussing is your title. If you have managed several projects for the organization, you
can ask for your title to be changed to Project Manager, and point to your current
responsibilities as a rationale for the change. If your role is 90% Secretary and
10% Graphic Artist you can't very well ask for your title to be changed to the latter, but
you can come up with something creative that encompasses both like "Administrative
and Graphic Support Specialist"
Page 1 2 3 4 Next Page>> |
