Am I ready for a management promotion?
You may already be handling most of the workload, but short tenure or a lack of outside experience can still make you doubt your ability to take on new responsibilities. Letting this fear stop you from pursuing the role means risking a doubled salary and losing your only path to progress if an external hire takes the spot.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1faking it until you make itDid this help you?
- 2learning things on the goDid this help you?
- 3taking time to understand issues and people before actingDid this help you?
- 4relying on knowing how to find answers rather than knowing everythingDid this help you?
- 5Waiting until the standard two-year mark to be considered for a promotion.Did this help you?
- 6Continuing to handle the increased workload without the manager title.Did this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“However, I am having some doubts about whether I am fully ready for the jump to a management level and if I will be able to handle the new responsibilities.”source ↗
“I doubt myself frequently but moved to my current role as IT Manager 5 years ago.”source ↗
“Is there any reason I shouldn’t pursue the promotion? I am currently handling most of the workload already, and the promotion would nearly double my salary.”source ↗
“I know that I haven’t been with the company as long as they would like (previous promotions have occurred around the 2 year mark) and I lack outside work experience.”source ↗
“My fear is that if they hire someone new I won’t have anywhere to progress until that person leaves.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 4Imposter syndrome when changing jobs after working solo
- 5Passed over for a promotion because I'm too valuable
- 10Should I leave my job if I was passed over for a promotion?
- 7Am I too unstable mentally to be a teacher?
- 9Is it normal to doubt yourself during your first year teaching?
- 2How to break out of being stuck at the same level