Manager or Techie? What direction would you like to take?

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Eventually, at some point in the future, would you like to take the management route or stay technical?

There's a lot of money in management but personally right now I'm too much of a nerd to go down the management route, and if I can get away with it, I'd prefer to stay technical and get my hands dirty.

I've been a Team Leader for 8 years now and love that so I want to try and always have a team but I don't fancy being a line manager because to me, you start to loose touch with "how things are done" and concentrate more on "are they getting done" which isn't for me where I'm at now. If anything I want to get even more technical! Some Technical people I've met can earn a lot more than the people managing them

How about you?

** Edit: Sorry should of said this thrad assumes you already work in IT and are currently not a line manager. . . . . .unless you are a manager wanting to drop back down?

 

I'm sure you are a proficient Techie

Oh and another reason I want to stay technical is I prefer to spend the budget rather than review it

 

I don't know.. Some days I'd like to focus on/develope my career more on the strategic side (eg implementing ITIL/FITS properly, creating vision statements and 3-5 year plans, etc), other days I want to continue down the technical route (eg learning and implementing new skills like SQL 2008 which we have to mirgrate to, working more with virtualisation/servers/new technology). Hence why I'm doing both technical and management quals, not just because to fulfil my current job role but to answer this question

-Ken

 

If anyone is undecided I think its a great idea to get a well rounded skill set. I know a few techies who have the ITIL Change managers cert (or backup as they call it ha ha)

 

I love leading a Team but when you have your own problems, and everyone elses, it can get a bit much at times. Still its nice getting paid more for the book to stop with me

 

Now this should be an interesting thread

I myself am still undecided.

Whilst I do like the techy side of things, I also like the service management side of things that would lend itself more to a managerial role.

My manager has made the hints at me, that she thinks I can do the job. (eg - in appraisal - "where do you see yourself in 5 years time? My job? Good that's what I see too" - without my input in the conversation! lol).

But I see the amount of work that a manager (well, my manager has to do, the amount of flack and stress they divert away from the department, and plus I don't think the pay is really that corking either...

...

I'll pass, and hope against blind hope I finish my novel some time soon and can lend being an insomniac to some other career!

 

Nah nah nah, MY boss is a techy manager, and I've never known a busier person in my life!!

 

Of course, I assume we're all taking the definition of 'manager' to be one who is managing a team of people exclusively?

I mean, as Dazza pointed out (though possibly not from this viewpoint) the two are not mutually exclusive.

In larger companies, a systems administrator for example, who is a tech by definition, would probably be expected to co-ordinate lower-line techs in their job roles.

I am expected to co-ordinate the helpdesk for example, which does incoroprate soft-skill management into my day-to-day role. Much to my self-esteemless bottomless hole of chagrin.

 

Sorry yes you are right, I'm talking about a manager who does just that and doesn't do "the day job" so to speak, just manages 1 or more staff

 

Thats OK mate because my family life has taken a knock this year and I've probably come across as stressed at times on this forum. I kinda offload a lot onto here, certainly more than I would offline

This years been a killer for me with so much study, new baby, new job and new team have meant I haven't had much time. I'm lucky to get a new team because I learned a lot from my last bunch and feel compfortable taking a step back. I failed an exam today and I was more gutted because it means I've got more study ahead . . . .

 

It hasn't worked like that at IBM or ATOS. . . . so good on you mate

 

Sounds like me mate, I’m just finishing up work just now (working remotely).

In regard to the poll I dunno what direction I want to go in, Ive managed teams of techs and still help out to this day when there are problems. I take on too much though and I need to change that going forward so that I can progress.

 

You are obviously a hard worker Sparky. Do you work for a company or are you a contractor? (hope you don't mind me asking)