| The following information about a career as a manager was obtained from several people; their responses have been combined into a single article. |
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A manager is someone who works with people, as a leader. For example, a small store manager makes sure the people who work in the store are doing their jobs properly, are properly trained, are courteous to customers, and are getting along with each other. The manager must know how to direct his or her staff to do their jobs properly, and must maintain the respect of the employees at the same time. This is not a skill that you can learn easily; the best preparation is a lot of job experience working for someone, so that you gain knowledge of how a business should be run. A college or university degree might help you obtain a job like this, since it could set you above other applicants, but there is no substitute for experience and good interpersonal skills. A manager must also be organized, and usually must have some computer experience, as he or she is also responsible for training staff, and maintaining work schedules. Managers in large companies make a lot more money, but the requirements for looking after a large number of workers mean that you will have to have formal training in business management, at a college or university. Specific industries may also require that you have specific skills. For example, a manager in a bank would also need education in accounting or finance, while a manager at a steel mill might require an engineering degree. It used to be the case that managers worked their way up from entry-level jobs; now, however, managers in large industries must have a degree first, and related work experience as well. |