All of the above can be learned, honed and developed through a number of activities. While at university you could:
Join student societies – you could become the captain of a sports team or sign up to chair a pre-existing club. If your area of interest isn’t represented you could use your initiative to create and become president of your own society, or alternatively apply to represent the student body as a students’ union officer. Learn more about standing for student elections and the importance of extra-curricular activities.
Complete an internship or period of volunteering – upon graduation you could take part in an industry internship. These look great on your CV and provide a first-hand glimpse of what it’s like to manage a team. As well as building up your skills and confidence, internships also provide you with a list of useful contacts, which could help you to secure a job in the future. To gain experience in a supportive capacity, you could volunteer as a mentor or sports coach. This could see you working with adults in the community or with children in education settings. Other relevant volunteering activities include leading a community team on an environmental project and managing a group of charity fundraisers.
Find part-time work – management and leadership skills can also be built through part-time employment in team/department leader and supervisory roles. It doesn’t matter where you work, you could manage bar or hospitality staff, supervise retail or factory workers, man reception desks or lead admin teams. All experience is valuable, especially when you’re in a position of responsibility. Discover how to balance work and study.
After graduation you could:
Study for professional qualifications – research from the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) reveals that three quarters of employers believe more graduates should undertake professional qualifications since these provide evidence of, and help to develop, practical managerial skills. To find out what training is on offer, see management courses and professional qualifications.
Take online short courses – if you feel that your management skills need a boost consider signing up for an online short course such as the five-week CIPD People management skills programme run via FutureLearn.
Seek out a mentor – this could be a current or previous employer, a contact you’ve made through work experience or an internship, a family member or friend or even someone that you admire from afar. Contact them and ask if they will act as your mentor, In this capacity they will be able to give you advice, guidance and personalised feedback in regards to your management style.
