[luke_s]

I've mentored many developers at this stage in their career - it's a challenging leap to make, because your moving from a world where improving your technical skills moves you forward to a world where you need to improve your soft skills to progress.

Some general advice that may prove helpful:

- Read "The managers path" by Camille Fournier. It's an excellent and very readable guide, with great advice at any stage of your career. - Be aware of the difference between "People Management" and "Technical leadership" and know which direction you want to head in. Some companies merge the two roles to a greater or lesser extent. Others clearly define and seperate them. - Look for opportunities to mentor others, particularly grads or juniors. Mentoring is often the first step on a path to leadership or management. - Leadership means being responsible for the success of a team, not just your own work. Look for opportunities to step up, take ownership and be responsible for your whole teams success. - Find a mentor and meet with them at least once a fortnight for at least half an hour. Come to each meeting prepared with a list of things you would like to get their perspective on.

Lastly DO NOT lie on your resume. Lying would be a really great way to land up in a position where you don't have the support you need to succeed. It's fine to be up front and say "I've been static for a long time in my current job without opportunities for promotion. I'm keen to find a role where I can be mentored and grow into a manager and leader"