Knowing when to push for the next level in your career is a matter of risk versus reward. If you try for a position too early, you could be seen as presumptuous and unprepared. If you wait too long, you could be seen as unmotivated, or worse, irreplaceable in your current role. But there are several methods of showing your supervisors that you’ re ready to take the next step up the corporate ladder. Here are some of the ways to show you’re ready for a management position.
Step Up on Projects
Any time a new project comes up at work and would give you an opportunity to showcase your skills, step up to the task. Show that you can handle additional responsibilities without compromising the integrity of the rest of your work.
Solve Problems
Think strategically and try to come up with solutions to the problems you encounter daily in your current position. This way, when you go to your boss with a problem, you will also have a potential solution ready to implement. Even if your supervisor decides not to address the issue or chooses an alternate response, it still shows you’re putting thought into ways to better the business.
Dress the Part
It can often be difficult for employers to envision a worker in a new position after seeing them in their current role for so long. A simple way to start shifting your supervisor’s perspective is to start dressing for the job you want. Something as simple as an accurately measured suit makes all the difference in how people perceive you and your stature.
Master Your Job
Before trusting an employee to take on additional responsibilities, employers need assurances that the person will be proficient in the new role. One of the best ways to show you’re ready for a management position is to excel in the role you already have. Take pride in your work and demonstrate your willingness to complete all parts of the job—even the problematic and undesirable tasks.
