“How Do I Get a Manager Role If I’ve Never Been a Manager?”
When I decided I wanted to move into a manager role, I ran into a frustrating wall I didn’t expect:
I kept getting told I needed management experience to be considered.
But here’s the thing — I had experience.
I was mentoring new teammates.
I was coaching others through roadblocks.
I was leading project standups, cross-functional efforts, and even giving feedback.
I just didn’t have the title.
The Catch-22 No One Warns You About
There’s this weird paradox in most companies: they want first-time managers to already be experienced managers.
They’ll post roles looking for 2–3 years of “people leadership,” or they’ll quietly backfill internally with someone who’s already “proved it.”
And if you’ve never had the official title, it’s easy to feel stuck.
Invisible.
Like no one sees the leadership work you’re already doing — because it doesn’t look like what they expect.
So What Does a Manager Look Like?
Here’s something I wish someone had told me earlier:
Managers don’t start with a title.
They start with behavior.
Think about it:
- Are you the person teammates come to for help?
- Have you onboarded a new hire?
- Have you handled a difficult teammate or conflict?
- Have you presented or advocated for your team’s work?
That’s management. It’s just not paid, recognized, or titled yet.
Why It’s Still Not Enough
But even if you're already showing signs of leadership, it doesn’t mean you’ll get the role.
Because there's another layer: visibility and confidence.
Most companies don’t promote the most ready person.
They promote the most obvious one.
That means:
- You need to advocate for yourself.
- You need to show that you're not just a peer — you're ready to coach and challenge others.
- You need to speak the language of leadership before you have the badge.
And that’s not easy. Especially when you're not sure what the expectations are.
How I Started Making the Leap
For me, the shift started when I stopped waiting.
I asked to lead retros.
I volunteered to give performance feedback to a struggling intern.
I practiced difficult conversations before I had to do them live.
And I got clear about why I wanted to manage.
Not for status.
But because I loved seeing other people grow.
The more I leaned into those moments, the more others started to see it too.
Eventually, when a role opened — I wasn’t just a maybe. I was a “yes.”
You Can Start Right Now
If you're trying to make the leap into management, here’s my advice:
Don’t wait for someone to give you the title.
Start acting like a manager.
Start thinking like a manager.
Start practicing the conversations real managers have — the hard ones, not just the happy ones.
Because when that next opportunity opens up, you won’t just say you’re ready.
You’ll already be doing the job.