How to Become a PHB? 62
Vagary asks: "There have been quite a few discussions about becoming a system or network administrator or developer, but in light of recent outsourcing trends it seems prudent to aim for something a little less expendable. What is the ideal education (eg: Master's in CS, MBA in Tech Management?) and entry-level career path (in light of today's job market) to become upper-level IT management such as a CIO or CTO?"
They Need Managers in India, Right? (Score:2)
Re:They Need Managers in India, Right? (Score:2)
If you are under 40 forget about becoming a PHB at a midsized company.
Re:They Need Managers in India, Right? (Score:1)
Then what will happen when India realizes they don't need us? I'm sure they're more than capable enough to train their own managers.
An ideal education is one you will enjoy... (Score:5, Insightful)
My advise is to select those areas/subjects you enjoy and worry about the job market later.
Re:An ideal education is one you will enjoy... (Score:1)
Turning Passion into Green (Score:2)
Not TOO specialized (Score:5, Insightful)
Build on your experience. We can assume you are in IT already right? Make moves toward supervisory or management roles; show interest and drive; prove that you are already capable. Just showing up one day with a MBA and some IT experience will not cut it. As you move further up the ladder the game is more political than technical. Is that what you really want?
Do you really want to be a PHB? The rewards a very different - you won't often get the satisfaction of accomplishing something yourself. Unless you like managing and directing people and helping them to accomplish tasks, it isn't for you. The only real reward is knowledge about the strategic goals of the group or company; helping others to grow and better themselves; and, if your really good, inspiring others to do things they wouldn't have done otherwise. And you are probably even more replacable, since the skillset of a manager is easier to obtain (though harder to do well) then that of a technician.
Want the true management experience? (Score:2)
You want to know exactly what being a manager is like? Come to my office in your spare time, let me kick your ass (verbally) for something someone else did
Some low level person in your chain of command screwed something up and now you get to bear the brunt of some upper level manager, presumably so you can find the person responsible and make him feel enough pain that he remembers not to screw up next time.
We
Business cycles (Score:5, Interesting)
All it takes is an uprising in China or nuke fight between India and Pakistan, and US & European engineers suddenly become a hot commodity again.
Keep in mind that when ever you choose engineering or technology as a career, you are by default subjecting yourself to the cyclical trends that dominate that kind of industry. If you are looking for stability, be a teacher, policeman or accountant. If you want the big money that comes with the engineering & high-tech fields, accept the risk/reward ratio.
If you need to ask "How do I get into senior management?" in a forum like this, you probaly don't have the intestinal fortitude to make it past middle management.
How Does One Mount a Wild Elephant? (Score:4)
I can't even figure out how to put myself at risk.
Re:How Does One Mount a Wild Elephant? (Score:1)
Re:How Does One Mount a Wild Elephant? (Score:2)
Also, look at smaller companies. From what I have seen, large (bloated) firms are suffering the most. Smaller companies, particularly those that write or maintain software or computing environments for health care or gov't are doing ok. (In the US anyway)
I would also suggest getting some skills to supplement your CS degree. Learn how to sell stuff or how to admin some weird system or e
Re:How Does One Mount a Wild Elephant? (Score:3, Funny)
Easy!
# mount -F wild -o rdonly /dev/elephant /archives
Re:Business cycles (Score:2)
Don't tease me.
International Instability Takes Effort (Score:2)
You don't necessarily even need to leave your house. For example, you could hack military computers in India and leave a Pakistani calling card and visa versa. Or set up a website for Chinese dissidents. Hell, the last one seems so altruistic even your Mom would be proud.
intestinal fortitude (advice from a CEO) (Score:1)
Re:intestinal fortitude (advice from a CEO) (Score:4, Informative)
That's the difference between the guy running a company and the guy sitting in a cube.
No education is uniquely appropriate to management (Score:5, Insightful)
Most top management I know started in a small company or division that got very large. Being one of the first people there let the pyramid structure of management fill in beneath them.
If you start out in a very established company that is unlikely to grow, then you are not likely to get promoted anytime soon. Given that not many companies are growing at the moment, this puts your chances of soon becoming a high-level manager very low.
Gotcha: Managers Are Made, Not Born (Score:2)
Most top management I know started in a small company or division that got very large. Being one of the first people there let the pyramid structure of management fill in beneath them.
Thanks, that's exactly the kind of concrete suggestions I was hoping to hear! Might be hard to apply right now, but at least it gives me an idea of what to look for.
Re:Gotcha: Managers Are Made, Not Born (Score:2)
Good
Re:No education is uniquely appropriate to managem (Score:2)
I first read that as
"To become a manager, it is appropriate that you have no education."
But really, I disagree. I think psych, and to a lesser extent soc. majors - with some business tossed in - would probably make better managers.
Easy. (Score:2, Funny)
What is the ideal education and entry-level career path to become upper-level IT management such as a CIO or CTO?"
Re:Easy. (Score:1)
You forgot:
0. - Lop off half-brain
Or does that get you into sales? I forget...
Advice From an IT Manager (Score:5, Informative)
How to Get to Be a Manager: Longevity is probably the easiest route. Eventually you'll get to a spot where there's an opening and you'll have an opportunity to move up. If it doesn't appear to be in the future in your company, then consider looking elsewhere. Most places looking for managers will say "the ideal candidate will have 4-6 years of management experience." Well, that's nice, but until he comes along, here you are with X years of technical leadership, project management, team leading, etc. Don't lie but if you've lead teams of people, etc. then you probably are as good as the next bloke.
Don't fret about qualifications, etc. Sure, at some point someone will say "what do you think the residual value of this asset will be in three years and would you recommend lease or buy?" At that point you'll say "I don't understand" and go out and learn.
How to Succeed at Being a Manager: Management requires a radically different skill set than being a programmer or sysadmin. I spent 7 years in Unix sysadmin, rising to Senior Admin, then moved into management. As a techie, your skills are all technical, with some project management and communication (written, presentation) to round you out. As a manager, it's the reverse, with the emphasis on communication and project management, with a whole galaxy of people-management skills and financial skills thrown in.
The technical part of being a manager is not complicated. Go read some books or take some extension courses. The basics of accounting, budgeting, project tracking, etc. can be quickly learned. Focus on leadership and people skills. That's the heart of management. The rest is just details.
If you are serious about management, then get an MBA. Be aware that means the full shot: accounting, economics, marketing, etc. There are some quality all-internet programs (Penn State, Arizona State, Auburn, etc.), or executive MBA programs. People with MBAs are not usually managing technical groups, though - they're senior managers or moving towards the executive ranks (or doing financial analysis).
The "soft" skills you'll need are a lot more difficult - negotiation, handling employee problems, building consensus, resolving disputes, etc. What do you do when someone is underperforming? How do you measure it? Etc. It all sounds easier than it really is. Then there's leadership...both in doing it and taking responsibility.
As a manager, you will interact a lot more with non-technical people. You also may not like it - do you like going to meetings now? If not, forget management - you might be in meetings all day (meetings seems a constant regardless of organization).
In closing...techies have long sneered at managers, but frankly it's just as challenging a career path as pure technical paths. I divide managers into those that "get it" and those that don't. Most of those who "get it" are people with technical backgrounds who later went into management.
Become a Manager in 4 Easy Payments! (Score:2)
PHB for who? (Score:5, Informative)
Speaking for myself, I did systems administration while I was in school, went to Library School and came out with an M.S.I.S. with a focus in database design. I spent some time in a big corporation as a sysadmin. Then saw a great job as a UNIX admin at a Public Television network associated with a University. In a small pond, it was easy to parlay very very very hard work and my degree into my current IT Director/CIO/CTO position.
The thing that made all the difference for me was that from day one I didn't hide in my cube with my nose stuck to an X-Window, I volunteered for everything, and showed my very real interest in the entire organization. I got to know people in every department even though I technically didn't have to do any user support at all. Now, that's what I look for in "management material." Everyone I hire can "communicate well" but the ones who might take my job someday are the ones who see how their jobs relate to what the organization is trying to do, and who tell me how they can support those goals better. Prove to the existing management that you understand technology but can also translate it into achieving business goals, and prove that you think of IT as the means, not the end.
The other thing I managed to do right, I articulated my management philosophy clearly in my interviews. (I've interviewed management candidates who simply cannot tell me what a manager is for!). I told the interviewers in no uncertain terms what I think good managers do, proving that though I had exactly zero previous management experience, that I wouldn't dive in without a clue. For reference, if the interviewers want to hear a philosophy involving squeezing the most out of staff...run. IMHO, management is about supporting your staff, providing them with resources, defending them from abuse, protecting them from distraction, and making resource demands incessently to provide whatever motivation each person needs (far more than "salary" in most cases).
So I guess I suggest picking the kind of organization you want to go to, seeing what kind of qualifications they look for in a PHB, and really loving and believing in the places you apply. (you'll need to, a good PHB works more hours than her subordinates). Then go outside your job description and prove that IT can make things better, not just more expensive. And all the while, think about the best and worst bosses you've ever had and come up with hiring and retention strategies, and a solid management philosophy of your own (I never read a management book) and be ready to articulate it, then to live it.
Realize this though, once you're a PHB, you will not have time to be a technologist anymore. What's more, your staff will see it as unwelcome micromanagement. If you can't give up the root passwords, then don't become an executive. You'll only hate it. Satisfy your technical cravings at home.
My $.02
~
Ask Yourself: "Is It Good for the Company?" (Score:5, Interesting)
So basically: network within your org, and start thinking like a manager long before you need to. Figure out what kind of manager you're going to be in advance. Chose a place where you can enjoy doing all of that. And make sure you really want it. :)
Thanks, that's exactly the kind of advice I was hoping for!
Re:Ask Yourself: "Is It Good for the Company?" (Score:3, Interesting)
A few years ago I was in a discussion with the VP of Engineering, he and I had several years of 'good ol boy' networking before he was promoted. We were discussing moving me into the management position of the IT division of the company (wasn't a large company) and my first impulse was to fire a few of the losers / slackers and replace them with hard core performers (like I envisioned myself.)
His next words were
'Any clown can succeed as a manager given unlimited resources and a hand picked
Hire a hair stylist (Score:1, Funny)
Silver and Tall (Score:2)
Mistaken assumption (Score:3, Interesting)
The economy is leaning out (internal combustion engine expression). They're still cutting jobs while production is going up. I'm guessing that this is mostly by eating their seed stock, but there's still a lot of pressure to eliminate non-contributing positions. One of my few consolations in this current layoff is that the fool who chose me as the person to cut within the two choices he had, then had to pay to relocate a much less-competent replacement for me(the company never brings back discarded talent) is now in a death spiral caused mostly by that stupidity.
I think the current pressure will make the PHB an endangered species. We'll still have good managers (mine got booted in the wave before me, and I spent two months unmanaged), but actual PHB-types will finally be doing what they're qualified for - closing shift at Booger Fling.
soo easy. (Score:1)
Scott Adams points the way (Score:2)
Re:Scott Adams points the way (Score:1)
Re:Scott Adams points the way (Score:2)
Re:Scott Adams points the way (Score:1)
I Googled for it... (Score:2, Funny)
Or, you could just get a mohawk and go here [bossus.com], but they don't want to hire you either.
Of course, if what you're asking is what are steps one through three of:
1. ?????
2. ?????
3. ?????
4. Profit!
Unless you get really lucky, you're probably stuck with 1.) learn as much as you can, 2.) think about it, and 3.) work hard at it - regardless of w
Bill Gates: Step 1 (Score:1)
1. Be Given Birth to By a Woman that is on the Board of Directors for IBM
I suggest a new career field... (Score:3, Funny)
You can also get a law degree right here, just read all the posts about licenses and copyrights.
I've always assumed... (Score:1, Funny)
How to become a PHB... (Score:2)
And that's not even considering the question that will determine your fate as a PHB:
"Which edition will I be?"
Take an ethics course (Score:4, Informative)
Take your business theory courses.
Then you know what to violate.
Unfortunately, that seems to be the way to become a manager in this world.
Surgury (Score:3, Insightful)
Talk the talk and walk the walk (Score:2)
Of course, I work in an industry where organizational inefficiency and slow progress leads to profit, so my point of view is probably very skewe