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Features Column 3 Movin' on up to the East Side, to a deluxe apartment in the sky... Moving from a junior position to middle management

Hi Cathy,
I have a graduate degree and about four years of professional nonprofit experience. Each of those years has been spent in a different organization, and none of them in a management level position. I'm job searching and would like to aim at the middle management level in the nonprofit sector (program manager, operations manager)—but am not finding a whole lot. There are several upper level and lower level admin positions, but I'm somewhere in between. I've looked at the main online sources. Any suggestions of where I should be targeting my search and how to search? I am geographically restricted and not terribly strong in finance, which pose further limitations.

Thanks so much.
Cynda C.

Moving on up into a management position for the first time can be one of the hardest leaps to make in your career. I could write a book about my own experiences with this particular conundrum! However, it is possible—it just takes some strategic positioning and clarity about your strengths, what skills you need to build, and where you want to end up.

One of the surest ways to get into a management position is to "rise through the ranks" in an organization where you're already working. But that's almost impossible to do when you don't stay with an organization for more than one year at a time. It seems you are a little bit of a job jumper! Now, job jumping isn't all bad, especially early in your career when you're trying to figure out what you want to do—you get to learn lots of different aspects of lots of different jobs, which can give you as good a view of the sector as a deluxe apartment in the sky! At the same time, unless you stay at a job long enough (at least two to three years) it's very hard to build the skills and connections you need to be a good manager. Plus, Human Resources and other folks doing the hiring at organizations tend to see job jumping as a red flag.

I know you're not with an organization right now, but even if you were, it still can be tough to move into a management role. Part of the problem is that people tend to get accustomed to seeing you in one particular role, and it can be hard for them to shift their perspective. Different organizations are more or less open to people moving on up and it's really important to find out if an organization you're already working in or you're interested in working in is open to this kind of movement. One way to do that is simply to talk to your colleagues in management and see if any of them started out in other roles or to ask the question during an informational interview. Additionally, asking your supervisor about the possibility for advancement and what s/he looks for in a manager is totally appropriate and demonstrates your ambition and desire for growth, which are attractive qualities in a manager.

If you find out that there is the opportunity for upward movement, then it's your job to make it easy for your supervisor to picture you as a manager. Taking on a new project or bringing in a couple of interns or volunteers to hone your management and supervisory skills is a good way to show that you are "management material." You might be asking, what specific skills allow you to succeed in management? Well, great managers have the ability to see the "big picture," while at the same time paying attention to the details and deadlines. They know themselves well—what skills they have and what skills they need to build. They are sensitive to their supervisees' needs and learning curve and they are interested and willing to put the time in to develop them. They understand how to use delegation as a professional development opportunity for their staff. They are clear and open communicators who try to address any tensions with colleagues. In short, they possess a level of maturity that comes with experience, the willingness to take on challenges, and a strong commitment to grow themselves and others.

I don't know what your graduate degree is in, but in the nonprofit world a Masters in Public Administration or even an MBA can provide, at the very least, a theoretical background for management, which can serve as a kind of elevator to that deluxe managerial apartment. The Nonprofit Academic Centers Council is a good national resource to connect you to lots of graduate and other programs in nonprofit management. Additionally, many universities across the country provide certificates in management that are much less expensive and take much less time than a graduate degree. And here's some great news: some organizations, generally of the larger variety, actually pay their staff to build management skills! So it's always good to find out if your organization will spring for your springboard before making any decisions!

Whatever program you choose, the key that's going to get you in the door as a manager is the hands-on experience of dealing with the slings and raining all across the country. The Alliance for Nonprofit Management is a national organization that can connect you to local MSOs. If you live near New York City, my own organization, the Support Center for Nonprofit Management actually offers a very low-cost, quick, and comprehensive certificate in Management and Supervision. The point is that there is no one elevator to that deluxe apartment, but a determination to serve your colleagues and continuously build your own management skills will undoubtedly land you more satisfying real estate!