Depending on your degree, you would have spent the last 3 to 4 years studying at university. Maybe the only work experience that you have is from a part-time job. So, how do you go from that, straight to being a manager?
We’re going to look at a few different ways that you can land a managerial role, even as a new graduate.
Apply for a Graduate Management Training Scheme
Arguably the easiest way to get into a managerial role as a graduate is to go through a graduate management training scheme. There are many private and public sector graduate schemes available in the United Kingdom.
Though, for these jobs, there are entry requirements that need to be met. So, making sure that you get a good final grade is the first step. Although, you can find graduate management training schemes that don’t require a minimum academic grade. Still, the higher grade you get, the better chance you give yourself when it comes to job interviews.
If you’re looking for a job in the public sector then we recommend that you look at the NHS graduate management training scheme. The NHS is one of the largest employers in the world and the largest in Europe with over 1.3 million employees.
For those with different interests, other public sector graduate management training schemes include:
- Bank of England
- MI5
- Civil Service
Now looking at the private sector, here are some businesses that offer graduate management training schemes in the UK.
- Enterprise Rent-A-Car
- Lidl
- Accenture
- B&M Retail
Obviously, your degree will affect which management training programmes you apply for, as well as your interests.
Take a Management Course
Another way to advance to a managerial level is to take a course that specialises in this type of training. Many training providers offer these courses for both graduates and non-graduates. Now that there’s a large shift in remote work, you can attend these courses online or at a training centre.
If your degree is in business or similar then no doubt you would have done some roleplay of how to manage projects and your colleagues. Whilst this would have been a good introduction, it isn’t a specific course focused on learning to manage people in the workplace.
This approach doesn’t guarantee you a managerial role like a graduate management training scheme does. But, it can help a lot. Your current (or future) employer will see that you are keen to progress quickly in your career by undertaking a management training course.
Also, if you are already employed, it’s worth speaking to your current manager and HR to see if they’ll fund your course. This shows your willingness to continue learning as well as the desire to progress within the company.
Smart companies will want their employees to grow in their job, many give yearly training fees incorporated into the job package. Even if you don’t get a promotion soon, you can add this experience to your CV which will help boost your chances of securing your first managerial role.
Start a Business
This option is the most unorthodox out of them all but is probably going to be the most exhilarating. Starting a business isn’t for everyone, but if you have an entrepreneurial spirit then it can be a great way to progress quickly. It is, however, arguably going to be the hardest and most stressful option. Also, there’s the small part of coming up with the initial business idea and getting funding.
Starting your own business will require you to cover all areas until you can employ specialists in certain areas. Therefore, this method falls into the fail fast learn fast category. For some time, you’ll likely be in charge of everything; hiring, budgets, managing employees, and much more.
If this is your chosen approach, taking courses in management training and other areas of leadership is a great way to learn fast. Courses alongside learning on the job will fast-track your career progression.
We’re going to leave you with the great story of the Innocent Drinks brand. Three university graduates quit their jobs to found the business. They did so after asking festival-goers to taste their smoothies and put the empty bottles in a yes or no bucket of whether they should quit their jobs to start the business!
Featured image by: August de Richelieu from Pexels
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