Manager vs Individual Contributor - Deciding Which Path Is Right For You
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As a woman in technology I have watched my fellow women be pressured to take on management roles - which can be difficult to decline if you don’t have an alternative plan. However, managing people comes with a completely different skills set than the individual contributor role many of us...
As a woman in technology I have watched my fellow women be pressured to take on management roles - which can be difficult to decline if you don’t have an alternative plan. However, managing people comes with a completely different skills set than the individual contributor role many of us start our careers with. I hope this talk gives you an opportunity to evaluate if management or individual contributor is a better career path for you and next steps to get there.
Meet The Speaker
Glenn is a Manager of Agile Project Management at WW (formerly Weight Watchers). At WW our purpose is to inspire healthy habits for real life, for people, families, community, the world - for everyone. Glenn’s career in technical project management has spanned small start-ups to large public companies, but she has brought the same fundamentals to every role. Coach towards agility. Take ownership of problems. Give individuals agency. And always lead by serving.
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Q&A
Q&A guidelines-
What is the career prospects of a person who chooses individual contributor over management?
By: Stephanie, Technical ArchitectPosted on 2020-05-19 -
What is the career path for product manager ?
By: Lakshmi Pranitha , Technical Program ManagerPosted on 2020-05-19 -
As an Individual Contributor, how do you prove that you have the leadership qualities to become a Manager? What kinds of attributes/experiences should I place on my resume? How do you transition...
By: Camellia, Operations ManagerPosted on 2020-05-19 -
How do you climb up the career as a individual contributor
By: LeelaPosted on 2020-05-19 -
What are the top two strengths or skills that you had as in individual contributor that positioned you to become a manager?
By: A-CSMPosted on 2020-05-19 -
How important are advanced degrees or certifications to advancement to management positions?
By: Analicia, Business AnalystPosted on 2020-05-19 -
How can you convince companies looking for candidates with years of Product Management or Technical Project Management experience that you're a great fit for the role if you only have Project...
By: Kimberly, Program Project ManagerPosted on 2020-05-18 -
How intertwined have you found leadership skills with management skills are in your career so far?
By: JayaPosted on 2020-05-18 -
what is one piece of feedback that you received that led to a positive change in how you approach your role as manager?
By: KimberlyPosted on 2020-05-18 -
What's been one of the biggest surprises from becoming a manager?
By: KayleyPosted on 2020-05-18 -
As someone who's served in management (and enjoyed it), how to best explain my interest in an IC role?
By: Christy, UX UIPosted on 2020-05-17 -
How do you know when is the time to transition from contributor role to management role? How do you know which one is the better option?
By: Ila, SysAdminPosted on 2020-05-17 -
How is the best way to answer an interviewer’s question about why I might be applying to an IC role after years of management experience?
By: Carmel, Learning & DevelopmentPosted on 2020-05-17 -
I struggle on interviews because my management skills are on off-shore teams and companies think I can’t succeed managing direct reports due to lack of experience. How can I change this...
By: Mariella, Technical Program Manager - SalesforcePosted on 2020-05-17 -
Almost every day I sign up for free classes online to brush up on some computer skills. My education is in Architecture and Interior Design so I use technology on a daily basis. Are there any...
By:Posted on 2020-05-16 -
I've been in customer facing roles my entire career: Business Development and Account Management and most recently Senior Customer Success Management role. How do I position myself to take on...
By: Cindy, Customer Success leaderPosted on 2020-05-15 -
Can you share how you began your career in Technical Project Management ?
By: Brooke, IllustratorPosted on 2020-05-14 -
How do you climb up the career ladder as a individual contributor?
By: Siboney, Product ManagementPosted on 2020-05-14 -
What is the best way to become a manager form an individual contributor role?
By: Marlene, Graphic Designer SystemPosted on 2020-05-14 -
How to climb the 'financial ladder' as an IC (it could be as an employee or as a consultant / freelancer)?
By: Ana, Product ManagerPosted on 2020-05-14 -
Do you have any tips for someone who decides not to transition into a management role but wants to continue to grow their career and show leadership in other ways?
By: RuthPosted on 2020-05-12 -
Could this thought process be applied to deciding to become an entrepreneur?
By: Kara, Database AdministratorPosted on 2020-05-12 -
Most opportunities seem to focus on either software/firmware (general umbrella) or management. I live in a not-so-populated city and am neither qualified, nor interested in either of those paths....
By: Kyra, Hardware EngineerPosted on 2020-05-12 -
Also interested in skills sets of managing an office or a project without managing employees that report to you.
By: Elizabeth, Compensation AnalystPosted on 2020-05-12 -
I tried a more advanced IC role over the last few years, but I don't enjoy it and want to return to the work I was doing before. How do you I get potential employers to understand that previous...
By: Jasmine, HR ProfessionalPosted on 2020-05-12 -
How do I maintain a decent attitude at a job that has no future for me while I wait for another opportunity to arise?
By: AprilPosted on 2020-05-12 -
I'm struggling with a decision to leave leadership to become a contributor. How will I know when I'm ready to pull the trigger? I feel a strong sense of FOMO of current leadership activities.
By: Cindy, Scrum MasterPosted on 2020-05-11 -
can I be in a middle between a manager and an Individual Contributor?
By: Natalya, UX/UIPosted on 2020-05-11 -
How do you navigate and thrive in a culture where individuals are not given agency ?
By: Erica, Technical AnalystPosted on 2020-05-11 -
I was laid off after only 10 months of transitioning to sales managing. While I search for my next role I find that I'm in a no-man: not experienced enough for another managerial role because it...
By: Penelope, SalesPosted on 2020-05-11 -
When is the time to move to a managerial position, if your entire experience is being an individual contributor
By: Hema, Fullstack DeveloperPosted on 2020-05-11 -
IC vs Manager in an enterprise vs a start up
By: Joori, Product ManagerPosted on 2020-05-11 -
Manager vs Project Manager. Challenges of Management without authority?
By: Fawn, RiskPosted on 2020-05-11 -
How should one strive to gain management experience with out subordinates?
By: Lindsay, Frontend DeveloperPosted on 2020-05-11 -
What is the biggest mistake you can make at this time on your resume or outreach when looking for a new job during Covid-19 and post Covid-19?
By: Jagdish, Operations ManagementPosted on 2020-05-11 -
How to be a good manager
By: Jooanne, UX UIPosted on 2020-05-11 -
How can you make proper balance between tech and business or code and people ?
By: Fatma, Fullstack DeveloperPosted on 2020-05-09 -
What if your skillset lends itself to both?
By: SallyPosted on 2020-05-09 -
What are some steps to take to moving from a contributor to a manager?
By: MeganPosted on 2020-05-09 -
Do you have remote management opportunities?
By: FarnsworthPosted on 2020-05-09 -
How do we leverage daily opportunities as a contributor to move into management roles?
By: ChantalPosted on 2020-05-09 -
What is the best way to leverage expertise as an individual contributor? You may have had management experience but simply not be interested in that route, can you still advance?
By: NiaPosted on 2020-04-20 -
Would you recommend someone who has never officially held the "manager" title to apply to manager roles even though they've been a leader in previous positions?
By: Estrella, RecruitmentPosted on 2020-04-20
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