Should you become a manager?
Recently I was in training at work, where one of the topics that was being brought up was upward mobility and who wanted it. As a staff person there is only so far you can go, before the next step up is becoming a manager. For many people it can be baffling why some choose not to take the next step due to more pay and sometimes better benefits. And this is a question that comes to bear for staff who are gradually moving up, do you want to be a manager?
The answer is it depends. Much of whether you would want to become a manager depends on a variety of factors such as professional, personal, and financial goals.
From a professional standpoint there are a combination of factors ranging from status to the work you do. The reputation that comes from being a manager gives many people perks such as the corner office or a more private work space. But if you are working remotely many of these perks don’t exist aside from a higher salary. It can be very satisfying to know that you lead your own team, but for many people this tends to be their greatest stress. Your responsibility as a staff extended only as far as your own work, it is much harder when you are on the hook for other people’s work. Of course, as you move forward in your career being a manager tends to either be a final step or an early step towards greater mobility. More career driven people make the jump to…
