Figuring out how to become an IT manager is rarely a straight line. Not everyone who works in IT dreams of becoming a manager. Perhaps you started out as a JAVA developer or database architect. Now, someone has tapped you on the shoulder and asked you to take on more responsibility. How do you make the transition from peer to boss? Part of the answer is owning the business side of IT — the budgets, vendors, and telecom expense management that land on a manager’s desk. This moment could have been a few days, a few years or decades ago. However, it’s never too late to rethink the basics or pass on advice to someone transitioning into a leadership role.
How to Become an IT Manager: What You Need
Experience
A career in IT management is usually preceded by several years of relevant work experience, which is required to truly understand what it takes to get things done as an IT manager. Six years is a good benchmark for credible experience in the field. Along the way, practice your soft skills in dealing with people and setting expectations. Where possible, try not to focus solely on technical expertise, since your ultimate goal also demands mentoring and inspiring others.
Education
Most successful candidates for IT management positions will at least have completed a Bachelor’s degree. It’s very common for prospective managers to have a master’s in IT management as well as project management and other certifications. Your education should include a blend of technical and business skills geared toward development and management of IT solutions across different industries. If you are considering going back to school to further your career, a certification or degree in IT management can bring you up to speed on recent trends, like cloud computing and virtualization. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that these managers typically pair a bachelor’s degree with years of related IT experience.
Hot topics to discover through school or on your own include:
- Systems Design
- IT Project Management
- IT Operations
- Risk Management
Related from Valicom: bridge talent gap best way as you level up your skills.
Hard and Soft Skills That Help You Get Noticed
Whether you are a people person or a hotshot developer with hard technical skills, you have to spread your wings to succeed as an IT manager. Try to focus on any opportunity to develop the following or similar hard skills:
- Oracle
- SQL
- SAP
- Java
- Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems
Successful IT managers must have a fundamental understanding of many processes, including budgeting, project management, resource allocation and recruiting.
Related from Valicom: overcome budget pressure enterprise once the budget lands on your desk.
Six Essential Leadership Skills for IT Managers
The strongest IT managers share a set of leadership habits that go well beyond technical skill. Focus on these six as you grow into IT management:
Maintain Credibility. This covers a lot of ground. So many times managers gloss over uncomfortable topics or shade the truth. Nobody expects their manager to have all the answers, but everyone appreciates a straight answer.
Hold Employees Accountable. By setting a high bar for integrity, you make it clear there is no double standard. However, in IT, it’s important for developers and analysts to own their mistakes. It’s hard to find a root cause if someone is being dodgy about an inadvertent mistake.
Set Clear Objectives. In IT, there are a number of tools and methodologies available to help teams succeed. Project plans and life cycle management frameworks, such as ITIL, make it easy to plan, track and share progress and hurdles on multiple projects. These tools only work if everyone is on the same page and understands their role in the project clearly.
Know the Business. It’s easier to transition into a management role if you’ve come up through the ranks. Often, however, a jump to management involves changing companies or even working in an entirely new industry. You’ll only get so many passes on rookie mistakes. So, do as much research as you can on your own. Then, talk to your team. Interview each team member to understand their role and aspirations. This is just as important as coming up to speed on the project timelines and management expectations.
Develop Your Employees. Many employees in technical fields get stuck performing the same tasks or developing repetitive projects. Where possible, look for projects that will challenge your people. Encourage cross-training that gives less tenured members a chance to pick up new skills. Stronger bench strength allows you to look out for opportunities for accomplished team members without jeopardizing the project.
Related from Valicom: recruit, develop retain talent to build a stronger bench.
Don’t be Afraid of Conflict. In a field where long hours are the norm during crunch periods, tempers flare and moods sour. Try not to take it personally. Sometimes, people just need to let off a little steam. On the other hand, after you have heard what everyone has to say, steer the conversation back to the objective at hand. Encourage passionate conversations about finding resolutions rather than winning personal conflicts.
The Bottom Line on How to Become an IT Manager
Learning how to become an IT manager is less about mastering one more programming language and more about blending technical credibility with business sense and people skills. Build the experience, round out your education, and practice these leadership habits, and you will make the jump from strong contributor to a trusted IT manager and leader.
