How to Become an IT Manager

IT jobs are highly in demand and well-compensated. That’s why leading an IT department is highly lucrative and sought after by a lot of professionals who want to get ahead. However, the journey to an IT management position is sometimes long and arduous. If you want to climb to the top as an IT executive or provide CTO services, here’s how:

1. Complete an IT-related bachelor’s degree

As with many professional fields, an IT management position requires a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in an IT-related course. Ideally, the course you are looking at should brush on a lot of Maths, computer programming, software development, and the likes. There are programs on Management Information Systems that deal with both business and computer-related subjects. Such courses are ideal because the touch on both the IT and the managerial aspects of your targeted position.

2. Apply for an entry-level IT position  

Climbing the career ladder always means that you have to begin on the ground. A junior position or even a clerk at an IT department is a great start if you want to eventually end up as an IT manager. 

Some entry-level IT positions include:

• Applications Developer. 

In this position, your main role would be to develop applications or software that allows workers in a company to process information efficiently. That being said, you’ll be responsible for determining the workers/users’ needs in terms of apps and implement your work to better their functions.

On top of that, once you can put in place your software, it is also your role to seek feedback from your end-users to see where you can make your application even more helpful to increase their productivity.

• Tech Support Specialist

The primary job of this position is to support or help end-users whenever they encounter problems with their computers or the software. They are the go-to troubleshooters whenever software or hardware difficulty is met and they also should be able to do repairs.

Aside from helping end-users, tech support specialists are also responsible for maintaining network and internet systems. They are also the ones who train and continually update end-users on how to use the computers and the applications.

• Systems Analyst

These professionals analyze an organization’s need for IT, and they do so by consulting with the organization’s members -from top executives to rank-and-file personnel. 

They seek out options that could enable an organization to optimize its information processing and oversee the implementation of systems upgrades. Because of this, they have to be updated in the latest trends in technology.

• Web Developer

Web developers, as the title implies, work vastly with web-related technology. They must develop websites that incorporate what their organization is all about and what it wants to achieve.

These people work closely with other IT personnel such as application developers to incorporate the software or apps into a company’s website. Aside from that, they are the ones who run and maintain an organization’s website.

• Network Administrator

Network administrators handle internal communications, local area networks, intranet -basically everything that concerning internal connectivity and information processing. What they do is recommend, install and keep the internal flow up and running for everyone in the organization.

Not only that, they are the ones who are responsible for setting and maintaining security protocols by identifying threats and establishing internal security processes. For any network or performance problems, network admins are the go-to guys.

• Systems Engineer

Merging science and innovation, systems engineers create and customize computer systems that cater to specific organizations depending on their needs. They can also do this with pre-purchased software by tweaking it to fit a company’s specific process.

Because of this, systems engineers work hard and closely with software and hardware engineers, technicians, administrators, and everyone else in the IT department. 

• Database Administrator

These professionals supervise the implementation and maintenance of systems software. They are the ones who put together all the needed information for an organization to effectively communicate and function. Aside from that, they are also responsible for protecting all of their organized data from threats.

3. Gain IT work experience

If you want a management position in the IT field, a good background of experience in an it-related position as discussed above is essential. The required length of experience varies from organization to organization. Smaller, newer companies tend to be more lenient. Larger, more established companies tend to require a more extensive background.

For lower-level managers, a few years of IT work will do, but for higher management positions such as if you are aiming for an IT Director stint, you might have to take on at least five up to ten years of IT work experience. If you are part of a particularly large organization, they usually employ a Chief Technology Officer or someone who oversees an entire technology plan for a company. A CTO position will need more than fifteen years of IT background to be considered for the position.

When gaining experience in the IT field, it would be helpful to find an industry you could work with and stick to it. IT is generally applied in almost all aspects of today’s economy, but it is best to pick one thing to specialize in. For example, if you plan on directing a hospital’s IT, you should start somewhere along the lines of the healthcare field.

4. Complete an MBA

If you have a basic educational background in IT, your company might want you to take on graduate studies in Business Administration (MBA). With an MBA, you get to refine your knowledge of management on top of your IT expertise to best be able to manage an IT department. The MBA course could be a prerequisite for promotion, or your company might allow you to take classes while already on the job.

Universities and colleges also offer masters in IT management. The courses focus strongly on management and are often integrated with MBA programs. The advantage is that you do MBA-like training for the technology sector.

5. Apply for an IT management position

There are three basic things you need to prepare when applying for an IT manager position:

Resume

As with any other job application, a resume is always required when applying to become an IT manager. If you have an existing resume, make sure to update it. If not, this is the perfect time to create one. Having a ready resume shows the hiring manager your eagerness for the position. Typically, the highlight of a resume is a summary of your work experience -particularly the ones which are most relevant to the position you want to apply for. Dedicate a line or two in describing your main responsibilities with each job.

Another important component of your resume is your list of skills and expertise. Make sure to include those that are useful for IT management. You can bullet these to make them easier to comprehend.

Letter of Interest

Otherwise known as a cover letter. This letter should clearly express your desire to become an IT manager. It should also make the reader want to get to know you more or to compel them to call you for an interview. You can do this by giving them a brief idea of your work background, your good qualities, and how you could propose to add value to the company. Take note of the qualities and characteristics that they specifically look for and try to incorporate these in your cover letter.

Experience

As previously discussed, experience is an important factor when considering an IT management position. This is because IT managers need to know the basics of an IT job and have vast experiences in handling situations that commonly arise in the IT field. Make sure to document all of your work experience as you might need to show proof of employment for each job. Work certificates and payroll receipts are some of the documents you can prepare as your proof of employment.

However, if you are eyeing a promotion that is right in your company, you can practice a few things to increase your chances of getting considered for the position:

Be noticeable.

It is one thing to perform well and be commended by your immediate supervisor, but it will be easier for him or her to recommend you for a higher position if other executives notice you as well. Do your job well, and make sure that decision-makers are aware. You can do this by providing updates and preparing status reports as well as claiming ownership of the work you’ve done.

Take on leadership roles.

Nothing proves how ready you are for a management role than when you are practicing it. Rise to the occasion, volunteer to head a few tasks here and there. Demonstrate your leadership abilities. This provides them a glimpse of how you could be as a manager.

Express your ambitions.

Ask for it. Don’t just wait for an offer because most of the time, top executives consider hiring managers from a pool of people whom they know want the position. You can let your skills speak for themselves, but you can give it a boost by actually speaking up for yourself.

Monitor your progress.

The path to IT manager may seem straightforward, but that does not mean that you don’t need to know where you stand. Take notes of where you are in terms of performance and work relationships. Afterward, make a target of where you want to be and when.