Transitioning from IC to Manager

Engineering managers work through their teams. Management is about building teams with the skills and autonomy to make good decisions. This starts with developing a deep understanding of company goals and how they map to projects. Next comes recruiting; finding great engineers who fill the right gaps and contribute positively to team culture. When the team is set, managers can move on to mentorship; matching individuals to work that excites them while also satisfying business goals.

How to transition within your company

The best way to start transitioning roles is to talk to your current manager. Let them know that you're interested in management and curious about what it would take to get there. Your success reflects well on your boss, so he or she will likely be receptive to the idea. Be open to having a frank discussion about your strengths and weaknesses, and work out a plan from there. It's pretty common to start with a trial or experiment where you'll run a small team for a short period of time (3 or 4 people). They may not report directly to you, but you're expected to lead. Use this time to practice people management skills.

"Focus on aligning passion, or drive, and work available. Engineers excel when they're passionate and when they feel supported and challenged, but every person is different so it's interesting to look into what drives them." - an EM at Google

When the trial period ends, you'll have a good sense of what you still need to work on. Depending on the company, you may continue leading the same group or transition somewhere else.

Transitioning to management takes time and the right opportunity. Even if you aren't able to make the transition immediately or don't see the opportunity now, letting your manager know that you're interested will make it more likely that you hear about future opportunities when they do arise. They may also be able to work out alternative options like a hybrid technical lead/manager (TLM) role, sometimes called an IC Manager (ICM), where you continue to work as an engineer but take on additional leadership responsibilities within the team.

Is it possible to transition by switching companies?

Getting hired as a manager without prior management experience is unlikely, but not impossible. If you worked as a technical lead for a larger company and you have a strong history of delivering complex projects, you may be able to secure a management position with a smaller company where the line between managers and ICs is blurry. Smaller, fast-growing companies generally have more frequent openings as more ICs are hired. These new teams need managers and the few senior people at the company won't be able to cover everything.

Tip: Try to secure a referral (or two!) from other managers. Check out this lesson on securing referrals for guidance.

If you join a new company as an IC but intend to transition to management, it's best to make that clear as soon as possible. Your manager will work that goal into your career development plan, and you may get amazing opportunities to develop your management skill-set.

Do's and Don't's

• Do pay attention to specific EM job descriptions to make sure your experience maps well to company requirements. If you're facing a lot of rejection, you may want to seek out additional knowledge or experience. Exponent offers tons of resources for both, so don't be disheartened.
• Don't expand your search too fast. You want to be able to monitor your submission process and make changes intelligently. Noticing high rejection rates when applying through LinkedIn? Time to take tweak your profile. Not making it past calls with hiring managers? Really think about how those conversations. Is there a technical area you need to work on? Or is your communication hindering you?
• Do ask for referrals, but be respectful. Generally, people are willing to help if they don't feel pressured or deceived. This means being straightforward with your ask - don't beat around the bush. And always try to offer them something first.
• Do personalize your reach outs. If your application could be re-used for a completely different job, then it's not personalized enough. Recruiters and hiring managers notice the extra work. For instance, add a line in your application about why you're specifically excited to work at the company.