How To Go From Supervisor To Entry Level Manager In 6 Months

These articles come in a six part series:
1) The essence of managing
2) Re-engineer yourself to be a manager
3) How to go from employee to supervisor in 6 months
4) How to go from supervisor to entry level manager in 6 months
5) How to go from entry level manager to mid level manage in 6 months
6) How to go from mid level manager to top-level manager in 12 months

How to go from supervisor to entry-level manager in six months

It has been my experience that supervisors usually don’t get promoted to entry-level managers, at least not within the same company. They don’t get promoted because there is a cultural divide between supervisors and managers. Managers are considered executives while supervisors are considered workers (subordinates) who oversee other workers.
It is difficult to cross the line from supervisor (overseer) to manager (executive), unless you promote yourself; and that is what this article is all about. It is about how you can promote yourself from supervisor to entry-level manager within 6 month.

The good new is, the transition from supervisor to manager is not that difficult and can be accomplish by anybody who is willing to work hard, has a desire to succeed, and has a positive attitude.
This article provides you with a “road map” to take you from supervisor to entry-level-manager in six months. To accomplish this you need to work smarter, not harder. The most effective way to work smarter is with “time management”. Time management will help you use your time more effectively (smarter), so you can accomplish your goal to go from supervisor to entry-level manager in six months.
Read a book on Time Management

Your twelve-step program.
From supervisor to entry-level manager in 6 month


6 MONTHS TIME SCHEDULE
Step #1 Get to know the company and its culture. Month #1
Step #2 Your position in the company. Month #1
Step #3 Your responsibilities. Month #1
Step #4 Your authorities. Month #1
Step #5 Is this company really for you? Month #1
Step #6 Make improvements. Month #2
Step #7 Know your manager’s job. Month #3
Step #8 Rate your manager’s skills Month #3
Step #9 Your manager’s strength/weaknesses Month #3
Step #10 Prepare and mail your broadcast letters. Month #4
Step #11 Get ready for your job interviews. Month #5
Step #12 Interview for your next job. Month #6


Step #1 Get to know the company and its culture (if this is new job, if not skip this step).

Most companies have an indoctrination program for new employees. Somebody will show you around the company, introduce you to people, and explain procedures, customs, methods etc.
If there is no such a program, ask your superior manager to show you around and introduce you to your subordinates and other supervisors/managers.

It is important to be shown around, and introduced, by your superior manager. It is important because this will sends a positive message to your new staff and colleagues, and get you off to a good start.
When you are introduced to a person, ask what that person’s role in the company is, and try to remember as many names as you can. People like it when you remember their names and when people like you, they tend to be more cooperative.
Make a note of your first day’s impressions of the people, conditions, and anything you can remember. First impressions are very important and can be useful in weeks to come, when you have to determine if this is the right company for you or not.

Step #2 Your position in the company.

The role of a supervisor can range from glorified worker who is “baby sitting” other workers, to a position of responsibility and authority.
Identify where your position is on the company’s organization chart. If your position is not on the chart, your job is not considered very important.
Regardless of the importance of your position in the company, you need to know where you stand so you know what challenges face you the next six months. What matters though is you take the job seriously and follow the 12 Step Program as outline in this chapter.

Step #3 Your responsibilities.

Your responsibilities as a supervisor must be clearly understood by you and by your superior manager.
If you don’t know what is expected of you, find out now! You can only be effective as a supervisor if you, and your superior manager, have a clear understanding of your responsibilities.

Step #4 Your authorities.

Once you have identified your responsibilities, make sure you have the necessary authorities to fulfill your responsibilities as a supervisor. You cannot be an effective and productive supervisor unless you have the necessary authorities.

Step #5 Is this company really for you?

At this point you know your responsibilities and authorities, and you know what the job is all about Next you need to decide if this is the right company for you.
Ask yourself if you can you grow in this position and learn what you need to become an entry-level manager within 6 month?
If you feel this company is not for you, get out now. Cut your losses and look for another company (always keep several options open with other companies).

Step #6 Make improvements.

Improvements in this context means:
1. Saving time.
2. Increasing profits (gross or net).
3. Improving the quality of products/services.
Any improvements you make must be good for the company and look good on your resume.

The formula for making improvements is:
1. Analyze what you are doing now.
2. Find a better way of doing it, or eliminating it, without sacrificing output and quality.
3. Make sure it is practical and cost effective to implement.

Step #7 Know your manager’s job.

The transition from supervisor to entry-level manager is only possible if you have a thorough understanding of what an entry-level manager’s job is all about.
As supervisor your responsibility and authority is limited to your subordinate’s output (productivity). As entry-level manager, your responsibility and authority will expand beyond your subordinate’s output (how far it extends would depend n your industry).
To get an idea of what the job of an entry-level manager is all about, observe your supervising manager (entry-level management position). Even though you are not looking for that position in your present company, the function of that job is the same in most companies.
The best way to learn about a job is by watching the person who is actually performing the job (your superior manager). Get to know your manager’s job, in preparation of your next self-promotion to entry-level manager.
Read books about managing people (go on-line for more information).

Step #8 Rate your manager’s skills

After you have a good understanding of your manager’s job, start to evaluate your manager’s skills. Rating your manager’s skills (management audit) is only a learning tool for you and is not to be used against your manager.
Pay close attention to weaknesses in management styles, and try to identify why they exist. You can learn more from mistakes or weaknesses than from strengths or successes.
NOTE: A word of caution. Never use what you know about your manager’s weaknesses against that person. Remember he/she is still your superior and therefore is entitled to your respect and discretion.
Read books on management skills (go on-line for more information). .

Step #9 Your manager’s strength/weaknesses

In order for you to rate your manager’s strengths and weaknesses, you need to be familiar with what is expected of your superior manager.
A manager’s strengths will manifest itself in meeting or exceeding expectations. A manager’s weakness will manifest itself in an overall lack of performance.
Read books on productivity (go on-line for more information).

Step #10 Prepare and mail your broadcast letters.

If you have not done so already, make a list of qualified companies in your field or related fields, you would like to work in.
Read a book on resume and broadcast letters (go on-line for more information).

You know your job as a supervisor, you know your responsibilities and authorities; you made improvements and implemented most of them. You even know your superior manger’s job and now you are ready to promote yourself to entry-level manger. The way to self-promote is with a well written Broadcast Letter.
This is probably the most important letter you will ever write (concerning your career). Your broadcast letter must highlight your accomplishments as a supervisor and demonstrate your readiness for an entry-level management position.
You are not just writing a “simple” letter, you are preparing a “work of art” which will convince the reader that you are perfect for the position of entry-level manger.

The job you are applying for is an entry-level management position. The actual title of that position varies from industry to industry, even from company to company. It is the lowest management position in a company (supervisors excluded).
There are probably several hundred companies in your industry looking for, or are about to look for, an entry-level manager. Remember over 50% of all jobs are never advertised.
Even if a company is not looking for an entry-level manager, they will be after they reed your broadcast letter (about 60% of all mid or top-level managers are not satisfied with at least one of their managers). My point is, the job you are looking for is out there; you just have to find it and that is the job of your Broadcast Letter.
Read the chapter on BROADCAST LETTERS in your resume book for more information.

Step #11 Get ready for your job interviews.

Within a week, after you send your broadcast letters, you will get requests for resumes. Overnight (so it gets noticed) each resume with a cover letter to explain that you are sending this resume at their request. Send also a copy of their letter requesting your resume and another copy of your original broadcast letter (never assume they remember your letter).
When you get a request for an interview, check the company out before you go on the interview.
Think about what you are trying to accomplish with this job.

What you are looking for in a company is:
1. An established business.
2. A privately held company.
3. A none-union company if possible.
Go on-line and GOOGLE the company for more information.

Identify the different personalities of interviewers.
For the most part your job interviews will be with a manager or a management assistant and not with a professional interviewer. Although many managers are skilled interviewers, it is not their first priority, and you probably get the impression the interview is rushed. Chances are it is, so you need to be in charge of the interview without coming across as controlling.
When you are in charge of the interview, you control the conversation. You control the conversation by asking questions. You are interviewing for a management position that means you are expected to take charge without being controlling.
Read a book interviewing for a job (go on-line for more information).

Step #12 Interview for your next job.

The purpose of the job interview is to demonstrate to the interviewer that you are management material.

What that means is:
1. You understand the concept of managing.
a. You are expected to perform through subordinates.
b. You are responsible for the action of all your subordinates.
c. You know what it takes to be a manager.

2. You talk like a manager.
a. Managers are expected to be articulate.
b. Managers talk about issues from their perspective (not the subordinate’s perspective).
c. The language of management is supportive and never critical of the company.

3. You act like a manager.
a. Each industry has expected behavior standards for its managers.
b. You behave like you always know where you are going and what you are doing.
c. You are always supportive and friendly (never moody).

4. You look like a manager.
a. You understand the company’s (or industry accepted) dress code.
b. You know what expected behavior is in your company/industry.
c. NOTE: If you don’t know the dress code for managers, ask somebody.
d. If you can’t find out Standard Business Attire is always appropriate (better over-dress than under-dress).


MONTH # 1

What you need to accomplish this month:
Step #1 Get to know the company and its culture.
Step #2 Your position in the company.
Step #3 Your responsibilities.
Step #4 Your authorities.
Step #5 Is this company really for you?

Keep a daily log
Use a daily planner to keep track of your activities. This is important because it will help you monitor progress and setbacks.

Review your daily planer at the end of each day and look for a pattern in your activities, like:
1. Are you spending too much time on certain issues that are not productive?
2. Do you spend most of your time on tasks/jobs because you enjoy doing them rather then what you should be doing?
Your daily log will tell you about your management style; like do you focus more on people issues, or on system issues?

Your Weekly Schedule

It is important to follow your weekly schedule because each week is built on the previous week’s accomplishments.
What you accomplish this week becomes the foundation for what you need to accomplish next week and that becomes the foundation of what you need to accomplish the week after that. My point is, don’t skip a step, and follow the schedule as outlined.

Schedule for week # 1

Step #1 Get to know the company and its culture.
Before you get to know the company, the company has to get to know you. That means to make a good first impression as the new supervisor (if you just stated the job).
When your superior manager shows you around to introduce you to your new co-workers, walk tall, be a presence, and make a great first impression. Remember you can make that all important first impression only once.
What is equally important is your first impression of the company and it’s culture. After your first day as a supervisor, “step back” and reflect upon your experience of your first day.
1. Was it a pleasant experience?
2. Was it stressful?
3. Was it boring and uneventful?

Step #2 Your position in the company.
You can pretty much gage the importance of your position by how you are welcomed as a new employee to the company.
If you are treated with indifference and your presence is barely acknowledged, you can safely assume that your position as a supervisor is not considered important.
That is actually a good thing. It is a good thing because it will give you an opportunity to make your position as supervisor be noticed.
If you they welcome you with a great deal of respect and attention, you can assume the company has high expectations of you, and the position is considered an important one.
All you have to do is live up to their expectations (once you know what they are) and work to exceed these expectations.
Keep track of your daily activities
At the end of each day take a few minutes and record your experiences of the day.
Manage your time wisely
Start by setting time limits to everything you do (meetings 15 min. phone calls 5 min. etc.).

Schedule for week #2

Step #3 Your responsibilities.
You know what the purpose of your job is; next, you need to know what your responsibilities are. This is important, so you don’t waste your energy on issues that have nothing to do with your job.
Keep track of your daily activities
Manage your time wisely.
Be aware of what time it is at all times. Keep track time and what you spend it on.

Schedule for week #3

Step #4 Your authorities.
You know what your job is all about, your responsibilities are clear; now identify your authorities as a supervisor. Keep this in mind though; responsibilities without authority are a sure-fire-way to fail. If you have only responsibilities and no real authorities you could not possibly do your job, and you will never be able to make improvements (next month’s project).
Keep track of your daily activities

Manage your time wisely.
This is your third week and you are probably inundated with all kinds of problems you are trying to juggle. A good way to deal with crisis issues is by making up a list of what needs to be done the next day (prepare the list the night before) and prioritize each item on your list.

Schedule for week #4

Step #5 Is this company really for you?
You should know by now if this is the right company for you or not. If you believe you can make improvements, stay. If you believe you can’t, get out now.
This decision should be made based on facts, and only facts, not on how you feel. You might feel overwhelmed or even depressed because you think you can’t do this job; it will pass, just hang in there. If the employees (your subordinates) are giving you a hard time, this is not a good enough reason to leave the job. As a supervisor, you should be able to handle a few hostile employees.
If some of the managers are giving you a hard time, ignore them, you will be out of here in a few month, so don’t worry about what they think of you, just do the best you can.

NOTE:
If you are not staying, re-contact previous job offers and set-up interviews. Even though you have lost four weeks, it is still better than wasting several months.

Month # 2

What you need to accomplish this month:

Step #6 Make improvements.

Your weekly schedule

Schedule for week # 1 through #4

Step #6 Make improvements.

Make at least one improvement each week for the next four weeks.
1. Improve the output of your subordinates and/or department.
2. Improvements must be quantifiable (measurable).
3. You must be able to implement the improvements.
4. An improvement is anything that
a. Saves time
b. Improves quality
c. Saves material
d. Improves morale and communication
Note:
Never suggest an improvement that deals with replacing employees or eliminating positions.

1. Manage your time wisely
a. This is a very busy month; you will make at least four improvements, present them to your superior manager, and implement them. This requires you to manage your time wisely.
b. Practice time management every day or you will not get through this month.

MONTH # 3

What you need to accomplish this month:

Step #7 Know your manager’s job.
Step #8 Rate your manager’s skills
Step #9 Learn about your manager’s strength/weaknesses

Your weekly schedule

Schedule for week # 1 and 2

Step #7 Know your manager’s job.
Since your superior manager is an entry-level manager, you need to know as much as you can about that position. You need to know as much as you can because your next job (with a different and smaller company) will be an entry-level management position.
By learning all you can about your superior manager’s job, you will condition yourself to become an entry-level manager.

Schedule for week # 3

Step #8 Rate your manager’s skills
Prepare a list of managerial qualities you want to rate your manager on. Rate 5 or 6 issues a day. Add several industry, or company, specific issues to your list.
After you rated your superior manager’s skills, you will have a much better appreciation for the position and what you need to do to become an entry-level manager.

Schedule for week # 4

Step #9 Learn about your manager’s strength/weaknesses
Identify the your superior manager’s strengths and weaknesses and the effect it has on his/her ability to manage.
This is a valuable lesson on cause and effect analysis. The effect is how the manager manages, the cause is a believe, an attitude, knowledge (or lack of), etc. Find at least one strength and one weakness and identify the effect that strength or weakness has on your manager’s ability/inability to manage.

Month # 4

What you need to accomplish this month:

Step #10 Prepare and mail your broadcast letters.

Your weekly schedule

Schedule for week # 1 to # 4

Step #10 Prepare and mail your broadcast letters.
Writing a broadcast letter takes time, it takes time because you have only one page to get the reader interested enough to ask you for an interview or your resume.
Never be satisfied with the first draft, re-write at least 7 times. It is best to re-write once a day, this way you can look at the letter with “fresh eyes”

Mail 200 broadcast letters.
The best time to mail is on a Thursday or Friday so the letter gets there on a Tuesday. Letters received Mondays and Fridays will not get the attention they deserve.
Get your resume ready to be mailed.
Make sure your resume is updated.

Month #5

What you need to accomplish this month:

Step #11 Get ready for your job interviews.
Start looking for your replacement

Your weekly schedule

Schedule for week # 1 through #4

Step #11 Get ready for your job interviews.
Prepare yourself for your upcoming job interviews. This is important because most job offers are lost because of poor interviews. Make sure you know the questions to ask and the questions to answer.
Every interview should turn into a job offer. If the interview does not turn into a job offer, there is a good chance you “dropped the ball”. So, prepare yourself.

Start looking for your replacement.
Don’t leave your present position unless there is a suitable replacement you can recommend.


Month #6

What you need to accomplish this month:

Step #12 Interview for your next job.

Your weekly schedule
Schedule for week # 1 through #4

Step #12 Interview for your next job.
You should have several interview requests this month. While you are interviewing, finish-up what you have been working on so you can leave anytime without creating a problem.
When you quit this position, give the customary 2 weeks notice (most industries). It is important that you explain to your manager why you are leaving (an opportunity you could not pass up). The manager will not like it, but will understand it.
Always leave a company under the best of terms (a good reference); who knows, one day you might want to come back as a top-level manager.


How To Go From Supervisor To Entry Level Manager In 6 Months - To learn more about this author, visit MIchael Otto's Website.

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