After I shared my article about the next career moves as a senior developer, someone asked me the following question over the weekend:
“I’m a senior engineer who recently switched to leading a team of engineers. How do I grow in the managerial career path and become a manager of managers?”
It’s a great question, and not a trivial one. Becoming an engineering manager is often straightforward, but the next step, becoming a manager of managers, ends up being a career blocker for many.
If you’ve been wondering the same thing, then the first step is to look at your current workplace by addressing the following questions:
- Did you see any colleagues becoming a manager of managers via an internal process over the past year?
- What type of projects did these colleagues work on, with who, and in which department? Can this be reproduced?
- Is your department or a nearby department growing, and will a position of manager of managers open soon?
- Do you see yourself staying at your current company for the coming two to three years?
If you could answer YES to all of the above, it means there is a chance you could grow internally. From there, you have to start planning to position yourself so you get the job when it opens.
If you answered NO to any of the above, then you’re in the wrong company, and it’s time to plan a move. Selecting the right next job and company, so it’s aligned with your career aspirations, is going to be a crucial step.
In this article, I’ll be diving into both cases by providing a guide on how you can plan this career move, and if you’re lucky enough to get a shot at it, how to handle your transition into your new role.
In addition, as I’ve run dozens of leadership interviews and selection processes, and as a manager of managers myself, I’ll be sharing insider information on how managers will evaluate you and will decide whether you get the job or not.
