[erhserhdfd]

I agree with the majority of the other posters; internal is typically best.

In my experience, usually how this plays out is:

1. Establish yourself has a high performing SSE. You need to build this reputation both on your direct team and department, but ideally across the org broadly.

2. Make it known you wish to become a manager at some point in the future. Have conversations with your direct manager, but also consider having conversations with other managers and leaders in the organization broadly. Ask them how they made the transition and what advice they would have for you.

3. Try to take on as much manager-like responsibilities as you can. This could include: a. Mentoring and helping onboard new employees b. Informally overseeing the activities of some employees (interns or junior employees can be a great place to start) c. Figure out if your organization offers some type of future manager training. Enroll in that. d. Getting involved with interviewing. e. Offer to take on special projects outside of your day to day work.

4. At some point when you have done the majority of steps 1-3, sit down with your manager and put together a written plan. Some companies will have great competency models or career frameworks that you can leverage, but many don't. If you fall into the later camp, check out online resources for companies that have published their engineering manager competencies. Use those to inform your plan and cite them in the document.

5. Get agreement from your manager on this plan and then execute.

6. Never stop working on your management skills. Being a people manager is a huge responsibility. Its deeply personal and you have a huge impact on the day to day welfare of your employees.

Edit: some engineering manager reference career frameworks http://www.engineeringladders.com/EngineeringManager.html Square: https://assets.ctfassets.net/1wryd5vd9xez/6bDnTwb4H7bfiFvg55... Dropbox: https://dropbox.github.io/dbx-career-framework/m3_engineerin...

[ryandrake]

Definitely do #2! I bailed on a job where I did plenty of 1 and 3, but instead of actually saying I wanted to manage, I crossed my fingers, hoping that all the good work would be noticed and rewarded. Well as the team grew, I thought to myself, "yessss they're going to need a manager now and I've definitely been showing that I could do it for the last few years! I am certainly at the top of the consideration list!"

Well, on a random 1:1, manager said "Oh, by the way, the team is growing and is too big for just me. We couldn't find a good internal candidate so we hired a new manager for you guys externally. Hope it works out!" Finally, at this point, way too late I said "Gee, I was kind of hoping to make that move myself!" Manager looked at me mystified that I'd be interested in career growth. Total miscommunication. I was really bummed, demotivated, disgusted, lots of negative emotions. I didn't even last another year there.

Don't do what I did :)

[HeyLaughingBoy]

I'm sorry that happened to you but I agree that it's a lesson that's good to share here. I always try to ask my reports what they want to do/what changes they would like to make because I understand that a lot of people assume that I'm somehow going to know. I can't read minds!

That doesn't mean that if you tell me you want to be a manager and there aren't any positions available that I'll start thinking about firing you (I really believe some people think this). It means I'll add it to the list of options available to you so, e.g., if a small leadership role becomes available, now you're a potential candidate.

[frankc]

That is partly on you but also more on your manager. He should be talking about where you want to go with your career in 1-1s and certainly in reviews.

[ftkftk]

"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. -Wayne Gretzky" -Michael Scott

If you want a leadership position the first step is to make it known to your manager. While a good manager (particularly in a growth company) will be constantly on the look out for potential new leaders, you can't wait around and just hope to be noticed.

Making your career objectives known to your manager allows them to have a conversation with you regarding your aspirations, their assessment of your skill set/aptitude (and how to flex/hone them), and what opportunities are available in the company. It will also allow you to determine whether a future is possible at the current company (is your manager supportive, dismissive??) or if you are better off finding a new position somewhere else.

[wcarss]

Expanding a little on #2 and those discussions, I've come to appreciate this adage: 'if you want advice, ask for money. If you want money, ask for advice'. The adage seems to still often apply after substitution of 'the thing you want' for money.

Asking around for advice about becoming a manager may help to make anyone looking for a manager consider you: you're showing you respect their opinion, and you're being thoughtful about the role, its needs, your fit, and your strategy in getting there. Conversely, asking directly if people might make you a manager may get them to instead critique your ask, your position relative to their needs, or other attributes you have.

Clearly, you will need to make it well-known to at least your own manager that management work is an interest you have and want to explore. But how you approach the topic with others who might have opportunities available can take things in very different directions.

[skrtskrt]

This is the answer ^

Part of both #1 and #3 can be jumping at opportunities to serve as a "tech lead" for either just a single project or, more officially, for a small team.

This isn't necessarily "people management", but it involves a lot of constantly-iterative planning and prioritizing work, which can only really be done well by getting lots of input from others, trusting their time/effort estimates (while challenging assumptions), establishing interface boundaries across teams, gaining consensus, etc.

[aprdm]

This is pretty much what I did.