have any of you ever moved from a technical job to a management job?

I'm at a crossroads in career.  there are a lot of things I really can't even begin to go into which would play into the decisions, but bottom line is:
 
would I be happy managing people instead of designing hardware & software?
 
have any of you had to make this decision?

I did not know your contract had ended!  I'm sorry to hear that.  I hope you find something else soon!

Sort of Reece. I wasn't really in the technical side of things per se, but when the opportunity came for a mgmt. position I called a good friend of mine who was a very successful businessman. Here are the questions he asked me, and I'll ask you.

Are you a leader?

You need to be really honest with yourself in answering this. There is no wrong answer, only the right one.

I'm certain alot of responsibility comes with the position. Are you comfortable and MORE than ready to take it on. What happened to the person who was doing the job before, and the person before that? Did they move up, on, or out? Did they quit, or get released?Why?

Will you be comfortable with the people under your mgmt. being more than a little responsible for your success?

Will you be comfortable with the people you will have to answer to?

As you I'm sure you are seeing, this is a major decision in a guys life, especially at your age. Don't take that wrong, my friend. Just reality.

I hope you make a decision that makes you and your wife happy. 

Randy 

Jan - that's completely understandable.  (I'm in test engineering now, actually, I design, program and update test systems for A/C systems)

Randy - thanks.  I know the bottom line is that I need to choose what will make myself and my wife happy.

I know I am a leader.  I lead my peers even without the authority to do so.  I always have.  that's not a question at all to me.  Your other points, however, are things that are heavy on my mind right now.  those AND more than I can't really get into.  including office politics of both the group I'm with now and the group I'd be with if I got the job and the tensions and dynamics between the two groups who do have to work together.  (basically I'd be going from the test engineer position who uses one of the labs for that test equipment to a managment position OF the labs where the test engineers work).

Also, there's almost ZERO chance of any more promotions within my group.  This would be a promotion moving from my group into this group, tho.  but if I stay with my group, I'll likely stay at the same level I am now until retirement.

and no, I'm not offended by your statement at all about age, randy, I am fully aware of that.  but also, this kind of opportunity will not likely surface again too many more years from now.  any older and I wouldn't even be considered for that type of transition - I'd be stuck in the technical group for the rest of my career.

but that might be OK.  I just don't know right now.

There are a lot of issues in a move like you describe. I had a similar experience.

In my case, I became the new guy to the management team and was seen as a traitor by those I left behind. It was hard. My work hours went out of control and I was on a fixed salary, so the raise I got by going management was an illusion. My 40 hr work week turned into 60+ hrs and I missed many dinners at home.

On the plus side, I did feel that I was actually having an effect on the direction of the company. I never missed a days work because dozens of people were relying on me to show up and do my bit. I also got a better parking spot.

Meetings became the bulk of my work day. They would start at 8:00 and roll on until 4:00. Of course at 4:00 I'd have to sit down and actually do my own work and write up the minutes for the meetings i'd held all day. I had to work evenings and weekends quite often just to keep ahead. I gained lots of weight sitting at a desk living on doughnuts and IV coffee.

It was hard, but I relly felt I was making a difference. Unfortunately the company ran through a few CEO's, presidents and vice presidents. That's when the bad stuff happened. My job got redefined many times. Always more responsibility, never more authority or money. Also no union protection or even a management contract. New rules every day. THen after 25 years they sold the company to Americans who promptly fired 80% of the management staff and closed down most of our operations.

I barely got out alive.  **Now I fix amps**

Old55

You may be the perfect candidate for that job then, since you'll know what the test engineers need and expect.  It's good that you're aware of the promotion situation of your department vs. the lab.  Let me add one more question to Randy's well-thought-out list:  will you be able to do the personell stuff like lay-off or fire someone?  With this economy, the lay-off thing is a real possibility.
 
Good luck whatever you decide. 

thanks Jan.  as far as your question - I would feel horrible if I had to let someone go, especially if I knew they had a family to take care of.  BUT.  I can do it if it needs to be done.  If you've never experienced having to make your own flesh and blood leave your home then you'll never understand the pain that can cause.  If I can make my 19 year old son leave knowing he had no where to go and no means to live, then anything else is pale in comparison.

John - fixing amps does not sound like a bad deal to me!  if I could do that and keep up my current standard of living I'd quit the corporate stuff in a heart beat!  but I can fully see exactly the path that you described leading you there.  thanks for sharing.

Craig - I've been wondering how things were going since your roommate was losing his house and knew you were considering returning to working for someone else instead of yourself.  I hope things go well for you my friend.  I hope you find employment that will make you happy!

Beagle

Old55


That is a tough thing to do Beagle.  I hope it turns out well in the long run--even if your son didn't like it at the time.  

One more thing--it's not just a gamble to take the new position.  It can be a gamble to stay.  I've seen people move up, just to get laid off in a few months and I've seen people get cut after staying put.  EVERYTHING is a gamble these days.  

I completely agree and understand! 
 
 
it's a really hard decision.  I have to decide by Tuesday if I want to apply for the position.  and I already know there are 3 others interested and they would be promoted from within the group, so even if I were chosen I would be the 'outsider" who took the job from the "insiders."

Hmmm...that adds a little bit of drama.  You'd have to earn their trust anyway--it just more of a challenge this way.  I'm sure you'll make the right choice--whatever it may be.  

thanks bub.  I'm sure it can be brutal.  I also know different people and different companies have different dynamics.  

I'm not sure if this is right for me or not.  It will be a very difficult decision.

In the Air Force, I went from bomb tech to munitions control, but I wasn't managing people, just procuring supplies  and doing scheduling for the next launches. Managing people is a whole 'nother thing.
Software and gizmos don't talk back or call in sick.
Good luck with whatever you decide.

Reece, you got some really great answers so far from everyone. I know this can be a hard choice. I'll try to throw you a few different things that may not have been discussed yet.

The first question I ask myself in a position like this is, am I currently happy/content with what I'm doing now?

If I am presently content or unhappy, what are the pros and cons to this promotion?

Will the additional money and responsibility be worth it?

One of the flaws in my character is that when I am content with something, I stay content until that feeling of content turns to unhappiness or "same old, same old" and I need a change. The other side of the coin is, if something gives me more money, more responsibilty and more stress, less time with family etc, I'm not even going to consider it.

I'm one of those guys that would turn down a 500k job for an 80k job if it gave me free time and happiness. I have friends that are doing 250k per year or more...most of them are completely miserable because their job rules their life when you make that kind of bread. Sure they have nice things....hopefully they are saving money, but right now, they don't get much time to enjoy anything other than work. Their kids grow up too fast to enjoy them, they get distant from their wives and fall out of love, the stress and responsibility as well as the management position changes their personality....they just become this coporate robot that is no longer the same person.

Those are the things I think of when I've been in positions like that. If you are surviving and are content with what you are doing now, the last thing you need is stress in your life for the sake of more money. Then again, if this position can lessen the stress and bring you to another level, it might be the right way to proceed.

I've always looked at things like this in the work place.....people do not have to like me, they just have to work with me and do what they are supposed to do. With every business I have ever owned, I treated people the way I'd want to be treated if I was working for them. But you will always get a few that just don't want to follow the rules of the system. If you have to rule with iron fist because it's your butt on the line, you have a talk with the workers under you and tell them "there are going to be changes and as long as you can do what is asked of you, you'll never see me or have to deal with me...but if you DO, it may not be pretty. So let's make sure that doesn't happen, please?"

The toughest thing is when you are the boss of people that are your friends. There's another meeting you gotta have. When we're at work, unfortunately I can't play friendships. Respect, yes...but no one should ever take advantage of you because you are a best friend in real life or whatever. You just need to lay the ground rules and let it be known coming out of the gate.

Anyway, best of luck with whatever decision you make. Make sure you pray on it too man....God has a way of letting you know when a decision is right or wrong...sometimes it can be right in front of you, other times it's a little more challenging to see. :)

-Danny

Reece, you know what I do now, but for 23 years I was a sign maker. I got promoted from 'worker' to 'general manager' eventually, mainly because I was good at dealing with customers and organizing the work. I wasn't a 'leader' though, and I did find it very tough dealing with the workforce. Be prepared for any amount of back-stabbing, point-scoring and blame-deflection if you take it on - people just can't help themselves.

I've moved from technical (LAN/WAN engineer) to management, back to technical, hop sideways into Business Analysis, then into Project Management...  I've been with one consulting firm for the last 14 years.  Almost everyone I've known at this company is gone.  I've watched great people with fantastic skills lose their jobs.  I've seen people get promoted, then get laid off when the bean counters drop a few beans.  I've seen people turn down promotions, then get laid off when bean counters stuff beans up their noses.  The only people who seem to be immune to the whims of bean counters are the bean counters.

Here's what I know.  I don't know what's going to happen.  I've learned by watching others get shot down in flames that I need to turn down any promotion which would label me as a "Non-Billable" resource.  Non-Billable beans don't generate more beans.  Instead, I try to have as wide a skillset as possible so I can flex as the flow of beans changes.  I can manage people, but I can also work as an infrastructure tech or a business analyst or a project manager. 

As far as the social/political ramifications of managing a group of people who do or do not want you there, don't sweat it.  People will get over it.  If they don't want you or don't like you, they'll have to deal with it or leave.  The question in this area is will you be okay with having people under you who don't want you as their manager?  If this is a problem for you, then you'll need to adapt. 

I once was assigned to function as a manager over a department of 45 people who notified me on day 1 that they resented my presence and would do everything humanly possible to get me fired.  After a few months, they were upset that I was leaving to take on another assignment.  One of my biggest critics remarked that I was the only person who had ever successfully "Managed" her.

I guess what I'm saying is that some people can adapt to changing environments easier than others.  If you are one of those who can adapt easily, you could take on a new role and thrive. 

Hope that helps.

thanks guys.  great info and stories.

Jonbouy

...as I'm pretty ill equipped for the job market. 

So are most "managers".