5 Strategies for Getting Your First Management Job

5 Strategies for Getting Your First Management Job5 Strategies for Getting Your First Management JobEvery manager has had a first management job somewhere in their career. Like most other jobs, though, no one wants to give you that first management job unless you have experience and you cant get experience if no one will give you the first job. Heres what you need to know and, more importantly, what you need to do to get that first management job. Do Your Job Well Nobody is going to put you in charge if you cant do your own job. The first step in landing a management job is doing a good job at the job you have. You dont have to be the best, but you do have to be good. The best programmer in the company may leid make a good Development Manager. They may prefer to write code instead of taking on the responsibilities of management. However, its a safe bet that the Development Manager used to be a good programmer. Do Your Homework Find out what managers do. Watch the managers in your organization and see what they do and how they do it. Read books on management and leadership and learn what to do and what not to do. Ask questions of managers you know. Develop People Skills The single most important skill for any manager is the ability to manage people. Learn how people think, react, and function when faced with different outside forces. Develop respect for people, even those different from you. Learn how to work with people and then you can learn how to influence their behavior. Nobody will promote you to a management position if you cant manage people. Anyone who gets a management position and cant manage people is doomed to failure. Show Initiative Dont sit at your desk and wait for someone to hand you a management job. Demonstrate initiative. One key management skill is planning, so volunteer to help your anfhrer prepare the annual budget by collecting necessary information. Offer to help put together the estimate of what the new addition to the production line will cost. If your department has to send someone to the planning committee for the company picnic (or the employee relations committee, HR study group, etc.), volunteer for that assignment. (You will also learn valuable people management skills as discussed above.) Take on whatever you can without negatively impacting your performance of your main job. Another great opportunity to learn and practice management skills, and put yourself in a better position for that first management job, is to volunteer at one of the local non-profit organizations, whose cause you sttze. The skills and experience you gain from the volunteer work can help you land a first management job at work. The volunteer work also exposes you to others, who may hire you, or recommend their boss hire you, into a first management job in adifferent company. Ask for the Advancement Finally, if you want to be considered for a management position, ask for it. Dont wait for someone to come and offer it to you. Approach your boss and tell him or her you would like to follow their example and move into management. Ask them to keep you in mind the next time they need someone to head up a committee or lead a small team or something similar. That way, they know you are interested and will keep an eye on you. When they see you can handle smaller things, they will start to delegate larger things, eventually leading to a supervisor or management position. In larger organizations, the HR department maintains a list of open positions on the company intranet. Smaller companies may just post the list on the bulletin board. Keep an eye on the list. When you see an entry-level management position on the list apply for it. If you have done your job well, done your homework and learned what managers do, developed people skills, and shown your boss your interest in management, your boss will probably support your application.

Is the Career Advice We Give Our Children Crushing Their Futures

Is the Career Advice We Give Our Children Crushing Their Futures Is the Career Advice We Give Our Children Crushing Their Futures Once, during the question and answer session following a keynote speech of mine, a rather dignified and well-dressed gentleman vigorously raised his hand. His body language seemed uncomfortable and angry. Of curse, he was my first pick.The man asked, What do you have to tell these young people who want to pursue a feel good degree like environmental science? I paused for quite a long time, allowingthe question to sink into the audience.Then, I answered Well, actually, I was thinking that environmental science is a rather courageous and vital career choice.Continuing, I said that since todays college graduates arelikely to change careers a few times in their lives, we need an entirely new approach to preparing students for the future of work. Many of the jobs our children will pursue have yet to be invented. In a world of constant change, we ought to be h elping young people identify what they love and what is meaningful to them.For those of us who grew up in the shadow of the Second Industrial Revolution, this must sound like pig latin.However, Id insist that finding work you love is important to everyone, at every stage of their career. Successful change requires wakefulness, learning, engagement, and new skills. And while change requires courage, we ought to be far more frightened of living with ambivalence or even hatred for our work. Without love and passion, were unlikely to succeed in our careers.After the event came to an end, the well-dressedman quickly walked over. He brought up the possibility of my coming to speak at an organization he serves. As it turned out, the man ran two career development programs for one of the most prominent charter schools in America.I thought of this well-meaning man railing againstfeel good degrees in one of the countrys more sophisticated communities. Such advice is all too common. For many, it is an automatic response to the world today. Unfortunately, it can perpetuate mistruths for young people regarding how they should pursue meaningful futures.Today, we need to change the way we go about planning careers. We need to learn how to derive security from growth. The four-year or graduate degree isno longer an endpoint, but a license to learn. It is an introductory course to active learning. This iswhat healthy, vital, and coveted employers look for in new hires first and foremost. As active learners can attest, becoming one introduces you to a world of growth unlike anythingyouve ever seen before.If you are a parent, make sure your children are getting healthy, realistic career development support at school and at home. Tomorrows talent pool will be full of entrepreneurs, disruptors, problem-solvers, and teachers tacklingjobs that have not even been invented yet. Creativity will be in demand. In fact, an MFA is far more salable today than an MBA. Empathy is another trai t whose importance will only grow in the business world going forward.More importantly, we need to teach our children to sell to draw healthy attention to themselves, to connect with others skillfully, and to buildcommunities tailored to their unique mission, vision, and purpose.Quite frankly, the countrys entire educational system is turning away from these skills, as are many parents If the world is rapidly changing every day, how on earth will our children thrive without these skills?Kevin Kelly, author of The Inevitable, tells us the rate of change has sped up to the point thatthere is no longer a destination. We are becoming. In other words, we are learning and moving so quickly that we are always growing into someone new. In front of us is a world that few parents recognize, especially if they were hammered into shape by their elders career advice.Telling our children to take careers they didnt really want or care about was always a good way to kill their souls today, its a g ood way to kill their careers.Once, while interviewing the author and corporate trainer Jack Canfield, and I asked him what he did to prepare his two sons for work. He responded I always told them to do whatever made them happy. Then, I centered all of my attention and energy on instilling in them the confidence they could deal with anything life dished out to them.Jack intuitively helped his sonsbecome good atsales, communications, asking for help, and engaging with others. Success and happiness came their way.Our children need new voices, and our parents need a new language and mindset. At Inspired Work, we are studying children these days and have found they have far more wisdom than we give them credit for. In fact, Ive come to the conclusion they are already ahead of us.Within every child is a mission, vision, and purpose that is probably beyond our understanding. What is going to happen when we apply our energy and love in helping them discover that purpose? What kind of world will we live in when we teach them the life skills to thrive and succeed as unique human beings?Life will certainly become more interesting.David Harder is the founder ofInspired Work.

Tax Examiner - Job Description

Tax Examiner - Job Description Tax Examiner - Job Description A tax examiner checks federal, state, and local tax returns filed by individuals and small businesses. They contact taxpayers to discuss problems on their returns and let them know if they have overpaid or underpaid. Quick Facts Tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents* earned a  median annual salary  of $52,060  in 2016.Nearly 68,000 people worked in these occupations in 2014.Most tax examiners work for the federal government, usually the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). State and local governments employ others.Some work in offices and others visit taxpayers in their homes and businesses.  Tax examiners work full time with overtime often required during tax season  (January through April).  Many  jobs are temporary since a high number of workers are needed during tax season. The  job outlook  for this occupation is poor. The IRS has been subject to budgetary reductions over recent years, leading to declines in hiring. Employment is a bit better in state and local governments. * The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) combines employment data for tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents. Roles and Responsibilities Are you looking for more details about job duties? Here are some that employers listed in online ads on  Indeed.com  and IRS.gov: Evaluate all available information and take corrective actionsRecognize indications of tax fraudProvide assistance on inquiries initiated by taxpayers by determining information needed to resolve themRe-compute tax, and/or penalty and interestObtain  information from taxpayers by personal interview and correspondenceRefer possible violations of tax law or cases requiring examination determinations or legal determinations of the tax code How to Become a Tax Examiner You will need a bachelors degree in accounting or a related discipline to get a job. Instead of that, some employers except a combination of education and a history of full-time employment in accounting, auditing, or tax compliance. For example, the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS)  hires tax examiners who have a bachelors degree or one year of full-time specialized experience  in accounting, bookkeeping, or tax analysis. After hiring you, your employer will probably provide formal training and on-the-job training. You will be expected to stay on top of changes to tax laws by attending workshops. What Advancement Opportunities Are Available? After getting experience as a tax examiner, you may feel you are ready to handle more complicated business and corporate returns. If so, you can become a revenue agent. Alternatively, you can take on a managerial position and be in charge of supervising junior examiners. What  Soft Skills  Do You Need to Succeed in This Career? Certain soft skills, in addition to experience and training, are essential to success in this field. They are: Analytical Skills and Attention to Detail: These skills will allow you to find problems on returns and determine whether deductions are allowed.Organizational Skills: As a tax examiner, you will have to deal with multiple returns at the same time. It is imperative that you stay organized.Interpersonal Skills:  You will have to remain calm but firm when communicating with people who are upset with you. What Will Employers Expect  From You? Here are some requirements employers listed in actual job announcements on  Indeed.com: Effectively follows written and oral instructionsExercises sound judgment and discretion in handling confidential informationMust possess and maintain a valid state  drivers license Is This Occupation a Good Fit for You? Your  interests,  personality type, and  work-related values  influence whether a career is a good fit for you. Being a tax examiner  is suitable for people who have the following traits: Interests  (Holland Code): CES (Conventional, Enterprising, Social)Personality Type  (Myers Briggs   Personality Type Indicator [MBTI]):  ISTJ,  ESTJ, ESTP,  ISTPWork-Related Values: Achievement, Support, Relationships Related Occupations Description Median Annual Wage (2016) Minimum Required Education/Training Auditor Looks for clues that a firms funds have been mismanaged $68,150 Bachelors Degree in Accounting Tax Preparer Prepares individuals or businesses tax returns $36,550 HS or Equivalency Diploma Financial Examiner Makes sure banks and financial institutions comply with the laws that govern them $79,280 Bachelors Degree (including courses in accounting, finance, and economics) Loan Officer Assists individuals who want to obtain funds from banks and other lenders $63,650 Bachelors Degree in Business, Finance, or a Related Field Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor,    Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2016â€"17;  Employment and Training Administration, U.S. Department of Labor,    O*NET  Online  (visited November 6, 2017).