How to get a job as a leader without work experience. How to take a leadership position

Instruction

Stereotypical opinion about the easiest way to break through leadership position is to go over their heads. Don't believe this common misconception. These are fairy tales. In fact, persuasion often leads people who are worthy of leadership positions to not aspire to them, because they do not want to participate in intrigues. Most often, the reason for the difficulty of choosing a person for the post of director is that it is not easy to find someone who would really fit for this position. Some don't want a raise, others just can't handle it. There are not so many applicants for really significant and responsible positions, so do not think that you will face huge competition.

Another important rule of career growth is this: very rarely becomes a director. As a rule, if a leader leaves his post, then someone on the side is looking to replace him, and employees from his company are much less likely to be appointed. There are exceptions, but infrequent. If your company is not very large, but is developing quickly, then there are chances. For large companies with an established workforce, such personnel changes are minimally likely. If you want to move forward career ladder quickly, then the strategy of changing jobs with promotion will be more advantageous.

When changing jobs, try to take a leadership position. The head of a department with a small number of subordinates - such a post is quite suitable, even if wage a small one will be promised. But you will be able to gain experience as a leader, so then it will be much easier to get a high-paying leadership position.

Look like a leader and behave accordingly. You should not only dress appropriately, but also behave yourself, be able to speak well and calmly. Think like a leader, try to solve problems, be confident in your abilities. If there is something in your appearance that makes you stand out from the employees, remove these features. For example, if you have long hair, keep your hair straight. Take a closer look at how the directors look and behave, do everything exactly the same.

Learn to lead. You must be able to get a person to do what he may not want too much. This does not mean that you need to quit practicing on others. But the ability to convince, to show a person what, for example, is needed now with this complex report is the skill of a leader. A real director who succeeds, doesn't yell or command, pressure them, never humiliate his people. But at the same time they do what is required.

Carry out your duties as the best employees in your company. Even though the skills of a manager are fundamentally different from the ability of employees to cope with their duties, you will not be able to prove that you are worthy of a high position if you are not better than many.

Take an interest in leadership. Of course, you should not start doing this from the very first days of work in a new place. But when you get comfortable in the company, start looking closely at the duties of a director, and over time you will see that these are not such complicated things. When you understand this, it will become much easier for you to take a leadership position.

Each company has a main activity, and there are additional ones. For example, if you work in an audit firm, then accounting is the main one for it. Engage in the core business of your company, not ancillary.

A lot of specialists one day start thinking about promotion. Some quickly part with this intention, while others are sure that they have enough experience, skills, and passionately want to get into the position of boss. What if the employee is inexperienced in the managerial field and has been a performer all the time? Labor market experts talk about how to move from a line position to a managerial one.

There are two types of such a transition: getting a promotion within the company or getting a job as a manager in another. What difficulties do future managers face and how to fulfill the desire to become a boss?

Maria Silina, account manager at Contact Agency, says that development within one organization is a classic career development option that has a number of advantages. First, the future manager has the time and opportunity to develop his professional quality while holding a line position. Secondly, during this time he will establish relations with the employees of the company, which may have an impact on his position.

In fact, it is much easier to convince the bosses with whom the employee has been working for several years that they have leadership qualities and professional skills. This will be more difficult to do new organization. But what path do you need to follow in order to achieve growth in your own company?

Need to constantly demonstrate good result in work, on time and carefully perform it. It must be remembered that leaders are generally strategic thinkers. Such people anticipate future changes in the industry in which they are involved, set priorities, both in their work and in collective labor. They are able to focus on the main tasks and goals, provide creative ideas, make meaningful, timely decisions. All this is far from a complete set of qualities that are necessary for those who want to occupy a leadership position.

When teamwork takes place, you need to be able to assess the situation from the point of view of the boss and not succumb to situational perception of the problem. The team should be aware of the employee's professional and career beliefs, says Alexei Iodko, head of HR at Raiffeisenbank. It is necessary to work actively and proactively, not to avoid additional work and participate in collective life, teamwork, brainstorming on the topic of improving work in the department. If you do only what is "included in official duties", it will be problematic to grow in the company and receive responsible assignments, Alexey Iodko believes.

Nadezhda Smirnova, an employee of Penny Lane Personnel, a leading recruiting agency, adds: “Initiative, activity, the ability to take responsibility and reinforce ideas with results greatly increases the chances of moving up the career ladder.”

What situations should be avoided? Suppose the desired promotion happened, the performer turns into a leader. There are no difficulties with the performance of duties, everything works out, the prospects are drawn the most rosy. However, the relationship between the newly minted boss and recent colleagues can deteriorate significantly.

The most important thing after promotion is to properly build relationships with former colleagues. Even if new boss previously established himself as a competent employee with good personal qualities, then it will be necessary to prove that he possesses the talent of a manager more than once. Only then can he take a stable position as a leader in his own team.

Most young managers who grew up within their own company, at the stage of accumulation of managerial experience, have to face the following paradox. A formal role change and the perception of an employee in his new status are not always the same. However, such a discrepancy can be avoided if the new boss has achieved a promotion solely on his own strength and hard work, and also if he has some authority in the team, both as an excellent professional and a "good friend".

Transitioning from an executive position to a managerial position new company more difficult than development in one company. Dismissal from previous place work could be caused by many reasons.

The company may not have vacant position manager, other, more suitable employees may apply for it. The top management of the organization may simply not believe that an ambitious employee has leadership abilities. One way or another, if an employee leaves an ordinary position big company, it will be difficult to get a job as a head in an organization of a similar scale. In this case, it would be wiser to get a job in a smaller company.

Nadezhda Smirnova agrees that it is better to move to less large organization to take a leadership position. However, according to the expert, such a choice does not always guarantee a promotion. You need a new employer to see for yourself that you good specialist and successfully manage people. Based on this, during the interview, it is advisable to remember and describe the situations when you showed the qualities of a leader and a creative organizer.

If the candidate does not have experience in a managerial position, it is wiser not to apply from the very beginning for too high a salary and an extensive management area. In a new resume, the applicant should mention all the cases when he was faced with the performance of a managerial function and showed leadership qualities (made decisions on the current project, organized the labor process, built teamwork).

There is no need to worry about relationships with new subordinates, because in the new boss they see exactly the leader, and not the former colleague. The fresh look of the new boss is useful for the team, this allows them to move more boldly towards decision-making, this point of view is shared by Alexei Iodko.

An unfamiliar environment can cause fear, because adaptation in a new organization is usually a complex process and requires a lot of energy and strength. In a new place, you have to rely on your own strength (in the old place you could turn to the leadership for help and advice, but here you have to start building relationships anew).

The difficulty may also lie in the lack of leadership experience. According to experts, it can be filled with business acumen, quick response, willingness to work above the norm, continuous self-improvement.

Experts in labor market talked about what a person who aspires to a leadership position needs to do.

Alexey Iodko advises to carefully study your job descriptions and get to know each subordinate, clarify their exact responsibilities, identify what can motivate and demotivate each of them. It is necessary to inform subordinates about the development strategy so that everyone understands and shares the goals and objectives of the team. You can take additional training, for example, in the form of training that develops managerial skills.

"Be confident in your actions!" advises Nadezhda Smirnova. Doubts are immediately passed on to subordinates and damage your reputation. Don't be afraid to rely on helpers.

You need to know the main functions and tasks of the boss, be consistent in your decisions, show initiative and activity, regardless of whether you build a career within your company or move to another.

And most importantly, according to Alexei Iodko, you need to know for sure that your desire to become a boss is true. You should not take on managerial work just because it is fashionable or prestigious. People are best at doing what they love to do, which gives them great satisfaction!

Finally got promoted? Congratulations! You have already proven your professionalism, now is the time to demonstrate your managerial and organizational skills. Because new position- this is not only new responsibilities, but also a new role in the team. Are you ready for this?

I decided to collect recommendations for novice heads of departments, divisions, companies. After all, moving up the career ladder of one person can become a problem for other members of the team and even negatively affect the working atmosphere.

What leadership style to choose? How to motivate employees? What is a psychoclimate and how to understand that it is negative? With these questions, I turned to the psychologist-consultant of the Wezom agency Antonina Ulyannskaya. According to her, 80% of new managers do not know or do not even think about psychological aspects team management. And there is something to think about if you don’t want to see a decrease in productivity and a bunch of applications for dismissal from disgruntled subordinates in a month or two.

What to do as a new leader

1. Choose a democratic management style

Of the three styles - authoritarian (decisions are made by the head alone), democratic (decisions are made collectively, the boss controls execution) and liberal (the team makes decisions on its own, the role of the leader is minimal) - it is democratic that can provide a comfortable working atmosphere and maximum performance. Because the boss is a Democrat:

• does not give rigid orders, as in the army, he works in a team;
• gives subordinates the authority to solve problems within their competence independently;
• involves employees in solving organizational issues;
• encourages creative ideas, initiatives;
• builds trusting relationships with colleagues: informs about current state affairs in the company and development plans;
• sees and helps to reveal the potential of the employee.

Democratic style makes subordinates feel more like partners than just performers. For a novice leader, this style will be the key to the success of the team of which he has become the leader.

Nuance. If the manager came from outside (not from among the employees of the department or company), we recommend:

• ask what was the predecessor in this position, what management style did he use;
• get to know the team and organizational processes;
• determine the priority goals of the work, discuss them with higher management, and then with subordinates.

Do not forget to listen to the proposals of the department entrusted to you.

2. Motivate not with orders, but with the help of involvement in solving problems

This method will help to increase self-discipline in the team. After all, the responsibility for decisions made passes to employees. This implies a democratic style of management. Let your employees feel important. The feeling of a simple cog in a huge mechanism is unlikely to cause enthusiasm. And when subordinates become important participants overall process, will be more responsible approach to the matter.

If employees fail to cope, the Democrat boss does not use power methods and in no case scolds in public.

Remember the rule: praise in front of everyone, punish in private.

Subordinates should not be afraid of being called to the mat. To punish in a democratic style means to explain what is wrong, to find the reasons and ways to eliminate it.

3. Build a team

Remember that you are leading a team (department, department, or company), not each individual. Form a team that will implement the planned projects. To do this, develop management skills. Be ready to set goals for the team, define results, transform goals into clear tasks, motivate performers to solve them, monitor implementation, eliminate problems and conflicts that have arisen.

And also learn to select people adequately to the tasks. In other words, don't squeeze a lemon in the hope of getting tomato juice.

The mistake of novice managers is in pulling the blanket over themselves with the motivation "I will do it faster and better myself." With such an approach, it will not be possible to build a team.

4. Don't be arrogant

• recognizes that promotion is not the crown of a career, and he is not the ruler of the world;
• understands that a new position is a big responsibility;
• takes into account personal experience before promotion;
• continues to work on himself, improve personal and professional skills;
• does not abuse his position, does not shout at every corner that he knows everything better.

Arrogance, like omniscience, will not help you gain respect in the eyes of your colleagues. The principle “I am the boss, you are a fool” is a sign of an authoritarian management style. You don't want to be quietly hated behind your back, do you?

5. Keep your social distance

Finding the perfect balance between friendship and service is not easy. Not every leader with experience succeeds, let alone a beginner. Some young bosses build friendships with one subordinate, thereby forming a negative attitude among other employees.

There should be no familiarity in the team. stick to the culture business communication. Build relationships based on mutual respect.

If you are a supporter of the appeal to "you" between subordinates and the boss, make it clear to employees that this is not a reason to be frivolous about tasks.

Nuance. How to build communication if the subordinate is older than the boss? Stick to the partner line in communication. Use the pronoun "you". Don't be afraid to ask for advice. Such appeals as “I wanted to know your opinion”, “What do you think” will demonstrate respect for a senior employee, increase his sense of importance, help identify valuable experience and use it for the development of the company.

The main thing is not to hurt the ego of the subordinate, but to create comfortable business relationship. Set your distance gradually.

In many respects, the psychoclimate prevails in the team depends on the manager's management style.

What is psychoclimate and how to understand that it is negative

The psychoclimate is a comfortable emotional mood, the atmosphere in which employees work. Indicators of a negative climate in the team are:

• staff turnover;
• frequent sick leave;
• low labor productivity;
• tense relationships between colleagues;
• general irritability and dissatisfaction;
• unwillingness of employees to improve;
• mistrust;
• psychological incompatibility;
• lack of desire to work in one office.

Signs of a positive climate include:

• friendly relationships;
• a high degree of trust among team members;
• desire to be in a team work time and spend leisure time together (corporate holidays, joint trainings, field trips, etc.);
• lack of internal conflicts and "groupings";
• cohesion of employees in force majeure situations, high level mutual assistance (not every man for himself);
• free discussion of current issues (no one is afraid to express their own opinion);
• healthy business criticism;
• no pressure on subordinates.

Except internal factors, the atmosphere in the team is affected by:

• physical working conditions;
• the current state of affairs in the company;
• economic, political, social situation in the state.

Analyze how subordinates communicate and interact with each other, whether they often conflict or express dissatisfaction, how employees from other (related) departments are treated.

Psychologists recommend conducting an anonymous survey to find out what kind of psychoclimate prevails in the team. And if the head of the department is unable to influence the state of affairs in the country, then he can take care of working conditions, find out the reasons for discontent.

And finally

There are much more recommendations for novice managers than five. But we tried to choose basic tips, following which the young leader will smoothly enter the new role and will not become the object of negative discussions in the team.

Any ambitious person, one way or another, strives to career growth, promotion. A long-awaited leadership position, earned through years of hard work in an ordinary position, can plunge the newly minted boss into a state of deep euphoria. Especially if this position is received for the first time.

The work of a leader, in addition to the advantages and privileges, is fraught with difficulties that are not familiar to the former specialist. The biggest discovery that an inexperienced boss makes is that a significant part of managerial problems has nothing to do with professional area. It is these specific difficulties characteristic of the “upper floors” of business that often put an end to the career of a young manager. What are the dangers of leadership work, and how to properly avoid them?

Legitimacy of status

Whatever position flaunted in your work book, but the right to leadership still needs to be asserted. People will not work effectively under the authority of a person who is not able to explain to them why he, and not someone else, is sitting in this soft and comfortable chair. There are a great many options for dominance, it is only important to choose the most suitable one and adamantly implement it. The advantage can be unique professional knowledge, developed communication skills or the ability to effectively administer a wide range of business processes. A leader who has not established himself in the eyes of his subordinates runs the risk of provoking a silent rebellion or even outright sabotage and disobedience. The result can be a series of failures, which will inevitably lead to dismissal with a diagnosis of “failed”.

Old, conservative team

Any boss likes to select people for himself and, perhaps, you will not find someone who sincerely likes to come to an already established structure. As you know, there are no two identical people, two identical leaders, which means that the new boss will inevitably reshape the department for himself, breaking established ties. The danger of transformations in this case lies in their intensity. It is enough to bend the stick of reforms a little, and the paralysis of work processes is guaranteed. A good alternative to revolutionary innovations can be soft evolution, when regulations and rules change gradually, and inefficient employees leave the department one at a time, separated by a significant time interval.

Secret centers of power

Perhaps the greatest danger to the new manager is represented by employees who have informal power. As a rule, these are experienced specialists with ambitions who never became leaders for various reasons. Such gray cardinals can significantly complicate the boss's life by playing their own game, which runs counter to his ideas and plans. Often, the gray cardinal wants to lead, but does not want to be responsible, which means that he will substitute his boss at any opportunity. In the worst case scenario, such a "saboteur" secretly contacts the leadership of related units, which makes it immensely difficult for the new boss to build any relationship at his managerial level. The recipe in this case, sadly, is only one - the gray cardinals must be ruthlessly disposed of.

Alliances, clans and undercover fuss

Having dealt with the internal problems, you can move on to the external level. The relationship between the departments of different areas has never been smooth, which is worth preparing from the outset. The life of people exposed to power has always been filled with conspiracies and intrigues. At this level, it is important to quickly understand the structure and composition of numerous alliances and competently join one of them, since there is no sadder fate than the fate of a lonely ship in a stormy sea, which, if trouble happens, no one will come to the rescue. On the other hand, you should not get carried away and make too risky bets, getting involved in combinations of higher leaders. For example, being the head of a small department, it is dangerous to seek trusting relationships with deputy top officials, and even more so with CEO or business owners. It is important to remember about subordination, as well as the fact that superiors weave their own intrigues and the likelihood of becoming a bargaining chip in someone else's game, the meaning of which is hardly clear, can be very high.

This is an approximate list of the main problems most typical for any structure, from a trading company to a federal ministry. Despite the different specifics of organizations, any leader should remember that managerial work- this is, first of all, the flexibility of the mind and the ability to calculate the risks, of which, as you know, there are a great many.

Job Matching Paradox - You can't get a job without experience, but you can't get experience without a job either. This difficulty haunts us when we first enter the labor market or are about to take a leadership position. Young ambitious professionals and recent graduates especially suffer from this paradox.

Such contradiction is paralyzing. However, professionals at all levels differ in that they find access to opportunities. The key to resolving this paradox lies in understanding that you will always be judged on two criteria: your potential to create value in the future, and your track record in an area that is key to your work. Depending on seniority, these two types of value will be weighed in different proportions. General rule such that the less experience you have, the more weight the potential carries.

Potential is best seen in attitude to work, enthusiasm, work ethic, communication skills, curiosity and ability to ask questions, willingness to learn, knowledge about the company and its position. However, in addition to demonstrating potential, there are five other strategies that will overcome the paradox of fit for office.

1. Get empowered

One of the logically correct ways to find a job is to get necessary qualifications. This may be education in a particular field or special training. One of the fastest growing industries today is computer programming. According to the forecast of the American Bureau of Labor Statistics, by 2020, about a million vacancies in this field will remain unfilled. Traditional IT education will no longer satisfy this demand. Tech companies are already calmly accepting programmers without higher education. At Google, according to The Wall Street Journal, today 15% of the staff did not graduate from college. With trainings like Codeacademy accessed by 24 million users around the world, completing one or more courses allows you to master professional skills in a month. With this knowledge, you will be able to qualify for an entry-level job, and after a while, compete with other experienced programmers. So decide on your interests - it can be programming, finance, aviation, art management and more. In almost each of these areas there is an opportunity to learn the basics of the profession. Find courses that are respected by employers and thrive.

2. Take the initiative

Laura Chambers launched the eBay university program, which was aimed at improving the quality of recruited interns. Laura's advice is to show the creativity and initiative that help you stand out from the crowd. This method is especially suitable for those who do not have technical or special education. Volunteering is a great career start. Think of it as your startup, Laura advises. - Don't be afraid to get your hands dirty. You will have the opportunity to try different types activities to understand what you love and at the same time get necessary skills". It is important to demonstrate what you can do, not just your potential. She also advises to come up with a special plan to win the company of your dreams. If you want to work for eBay, arrange small business on this platform or use PayPal, be prepared to talk about the pros and cons of this experience. It doesn't cost much to create a small video or blog about your experience. Perhaps it will be picked up and promoted by the media. At the very least, a blog is a great addition to your resume.

3. Be prepared to start from the bottom

If you have just completed your education, you may feel that you are too qualified for many entry-level positions. But you need to start somewhere. As Lao Tzu said, the journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step. Chad Dickerson, Executive Director rapidly growing online exchange Etsy.com is convinced that the best position is to stick your foot in the door. That's how people got jobs in his company's support desk. They understood the company's business well and made great salespeople, he says. These people have a special place in his heart, because this way of hiring has proven to be beneficial for him as well. “I took a low-paying clerk position at the Raleigh (North Carolina) city newspaper in 1993, and it became the first online daily publication in the United States. I just realized how websites work here. It doesn't matter what area of ​​the Internet industry you are in. It can be finance, trade, hotel business and any other that works with a large number of clients. Start from a position that will allow you to communicate with the client - no matter for cash register or in support, sales, or at the front desk. You will get a lot of valuable opportunities to understand what is really happening in the market. You can use this experience to develop your career or apply it in any other field.

4. Barter

Perhaps you don't have a job yet. But you have a resource of infinite value that you may not realize. This time. If you spend your time with energy, enthusiasm, and initiative, you can trade it for tremendous opportunities. A young college graduate with a degree in history was talking to the director of a real estate agency. He looked very busy and not in the mood for conversation, and then she thought to ask: “What would you do to expand your business if you had one day off a week?” He said that he would prepare a marketing study of the rental market for young people. She offered to do this research for free, briefly explaining how her analytical and writing skills would help complete such a project. He agreed to pay for this work at the rate of $10 per hour, and when it was completed, he was amazed at the quality of the analysis, the clarity of the applicant's thinking and the wit with which the facts were presented. She now holds a junior position in the marketing department of this company.

5. Take a Bigger Look at Your Experience

You may browse the pages of companies you are interested in with the thought that you do not have the necessary experience to work on open vacancies. You can leave the site and try to conquer other companies, but try to look at your skills differently. This is exactly what one young specialist did, who was attracted by a vacancy in a food company. However, “project management” was indicated as a key requirement, a skill that he did not seem to have, although he was suitable in all other parameters. At the interview, he spoke about his experience of traveling in Eastern Europe, which he made with his friends, and he was the initiator of the trip and was responsible for the entire group: he studied the route, found the cheapest tickets for transport and hotels, collected money from the participants and was the keeper and manager of the general cash desk. As a result, he was able to demonstrate the skill necessary company, although he was not associated with the professional sphere. So you, if you think about it, will find yourself with much more suitable skills than you think.