Transitioning to a higher position in your career is a challenging and ambitious goal. Yes, you may have become too comfortable in your current role. You know everything inside out, have accumulated significant experience, and want to move forward in your professional path. However, to make a quality leap in your career and secure a higher position, you need to overcome various internal and external obstacles.
What are the difficulties of transitioning to a higher position?
- Your employer, and you yourself, are accustomed to your current position. You are very familiar with your chair, and it is hard to imagine yourself in a different role.
- The higher position in the company is likely to be occupied.
- Employers’ expectations from candidates for high positions are much higher.
- Successfully passing a job interview for a higher position is significantly more challenging. Your employment experience for the current position will not be entirely applicable: that interview was very easy compared to the series of challenging interviews that lay ahead. You will need special preparation.
- You will face a dilemma: whether to look for promotions within the company or with other employers.
What to do? In any case, do not make rash decisions and quit without a plan. Continue working, but analyze what you need to do to increase your chances of career advancement, create a plan of action, and stick to it.
A management position within the company may become available if your boss resigns, gets promoted, or if a new business direction emerges. All three of these scenarios need to be monitored. If such a vacancy is in the works, you should approach the management and present your development plan.
Self-analysis of the candidate
While you are doing that, you need to analyze the differences between your current and future responsibilities:
– How will tasks change in your new position?
– What new skills will you need, and how can you develop them?
Perform a deep self-analysis to determine your key competencies, achievements, and experience. Define your career goals. You need a clear understanding of the desired position and how it fits into your overall career trajectory. Study the job market to ensure the realism of your expectations.
Evaluate your own skills and experience in the context of the new position. Make a list of skills and qualities that still need to be improved. Study new technologies, methodologies, and tools relevant to the future position. Participate in professional courses and trainings to enhance your qualifications. Work on leadership qualities and teamwork skills.
Searching for a management position
You can also search for a job in other companies. What do you need to do for this?
Monitor job postings at recruitment agencies. If possible, attend job interviews and try to establish contacts with recruiters to be remembered.
The ideal scenario is if a headhunter invites you to a new leadership position.
To increase the likelihood of such a transfer, you need to actively participate in industry life: speak at events, publish in the press, give interviews, exchange opinions with colleagues on professional online platforms, etc. In general, work on developing your professional brand.
Also, monitor job postings in companies or industries that interest you.
Other ways to search for a job can also be used. The more methods you utilize, the higher the likelihood of a quick job interview.
Researching the company and position
After finding a job posting, conduct a deep study of the company and position.
- Think about how to link your skills and experience to the company’s needs and propose specific solutions you can bring to this position.
- Study job descriptions and key competencies. Find similar job postings to create a more comprehensive representation of the position.
- Talk to current and former employees of the company.
- Study publications about the company and employee reviews.
Preparing a professional resume and portfolio
Adapt your resume to the new position. Emphasize relevant experience and achievements.
Create a portfolio of projects. Write examples of your successful projects relevant to the new position. Visualize these data and results for a more vivid demonstration at interviews.
Preparing for complex job interviews
Be prepared for the fact that the interview will likely be the most challenging you have ever had: group, with several interviewers bombarding you with questions, and it will take place in several stages over a long period, starting with an interview with an external recruiter and ending with a meeting with the CEO or even the owner.
Think about your answers to complex questions that interviewers may ask.
Formulate specific examples of overcoming problems that illustrate your skills and qualities.
To be fully prepared for the question about salary expectations, study the market salary for similar positions in advance, determine your requests. However, keep in mind that you are transitioning to a managerial position from a lower level, unlike some other candidates.
Think about and formulate your questions for the employer.
In addition to clarifying all unclear points, this is important from the perspective of demonstrating your interest and preparedness as a candidate.
Rehearse the interview.
Conduct training job interviews with professionals (colleagues, HR managers, recruiters). Adjust your actions based on their opinions. You can also record the rehearsal on video for self-analysis and identifying nuances for improvement.
Prepare your attire and accessories for the job interview.
Your professional image should match the status of the position you are applying for. All elements of style should be of good quality and condition. There should be no dissonance between how you look and who you position yourself as and whom you are targeting. Even if the company has a casual dress code, and its founder wears worn jeans, it does not mean you must also try to mirror their style.
Be confident in your abilities, maintain a positive attitude, and be prepared for unexpected events during the interview.
After the interview, discuss the plan for further actions with your counterpart, who should call whom and when. However, if there is no call, do not hesitate to call yourself.
And do not stop the job search process until you receive a job offer.
Wish you good luck on your new career path.
