Good managers are in demand. You have to master the sometimes difficult balancing act of not only being well versed in your field but also having the necessary human qualities to be able to lead your team well. If you want to apply for a management position, you have to show that you can do both. We’ll tell you in our guide what you should consider when applying as a prospective manager.
What is decisive for an application for a management position
Every company needs managers. Good managers make a significant contribution to the success of a company – that’s why they are always in demand. When applying for a management position, you should heed the same tips that apply to any other application. This means that your application should, among other things, be precise, convincing, and error-free. It should make it clear to the decision-maker: Here is an applicant who has everything we are looking for.
But what is that anyway? What is important for companies that want to hire management staff? Anyone applying for a management position has to be convincing not only professionally, but also personally. A good manager is characterized by more than his content-related competencies, even if these must be available without question.
An employee in a management position must be able to optimally lead the subordinate team. Soft skills are crucial for this. A boss who cannot lead is not good. It is therefore crucial for prospective managers that they make it clear in their application that they can do both – do their job in a technically satisfactory manner and lead their team with empathy and the necessary decision-making power.
You can find out what that means in detail for your application for a management position in the following sections – from the cover letter to the résumé to the specification of your salary expectations.
Application for a managerial position: The personality decides
If you are writing your application for a management position, you must not ignore your personality. Even more than with other applications, it is about making it clear to the potential employer what he can expect from you on a personal level.
As a prospective manager, you must be able to guide your team optimally to achieve important goals and advance the department. In the event of conflicts and problems, you have to intervene early on and with a sense of proportion so that they do not torpedo the productivity of your employees. You also have to get along well with your team yourself – you don’t have to become friends, but you won’t get very far as a manager without the respect of your employees. It is essential that you can communicate clearly and well.
Being able to do all of this is the prerequisite for a company to hire you in a management position. But how do you convince the decision-maker that this is the case? By using every opportunity in your application to point out your leadership qualities – comprehensibly with examples.
In the best case, you already have experience as an employee in a management position that you can demonstrate. Then it is important to highlight your successes. If you don’t, it doesn’t automatically mean your chances are bad. It’s then about making it clear what potential you have in you. To do this, you have to highlight previous experiences in which you have demonstrated leadership. Perhaps you have successfully led a project group, have taken on responsibility in certain areas, or have taken the lead in your private life – for example as the captain of your soccer team.
Important characteristics of a manager
That you are suitable as a manager on a personal level is the basic requirement for a successful application for a management position. Various personal characteristics are required for this. As a manager, you have to be able to think and act strategically. You have to be able to develop strategies for the future and have the necessary analytical skills with you. Unlike your possible future employees, you have to keep the big picture in mind to be able to steer your team optimally.
As a manager, you cannot decide at your own discretion which direction you want to go. You need to know the company you work for and make its goals your own. You must do this in a committed and determined manner. At the same time, you should be able to contribute your own ideas and not only plan your visions, but also actually implement them with the active support of your employees.
People in managerial positions are in demand who not only like – and successfully – plan, but also repeatedly question existing processes critically. To optimize processes, which ensure the most efficient way of working, it is necessary to check again and again whether everything is really handled in the best possible way. A manager must not shy away from making adjustments if necessary – and at the same time has to demonstrate the necessary sensitivity to get their team on board. You can only be successful as a manager if you succeed in motivating your employees.
Employees in management positions are not the least problem solvers. You have to keep a cool head even in stressful and complex situations and go to work with the necessary decisiveness. You have to be someone who doesn’t get upset even when there is a need for action on several fronts.
The cover letter for management positions
When applying for a management position, the following applies: Describe concisely on no more than one page what defines you, why you want to work for this company and why you are suitable for the position you are aiming for. You should also state your goals. Go into successes in your career so far – and conclude them by using them as evidence of your suitability.
A good cover letter as a prospective manager is written in a lively manner and is understandable through examples. It focuses on the essentials and does not contain any empty phrases. It does not make sense if you simply name characteristics such as “managerial” or “assertiveness” without at the same time making it clear where you have demonstrated these characteristics. Such information is not credible without examples.
Appear self-confident but not arrogant – even if you have not yet worked as a manager. In this case, don’t emphasize that this is your first leadership position – it will only weaken your position unnecessarily. Rather, explain where you could show important properties.
When applying for a management position, salary expectations are usually asked. This information is difficult for many applicants, and it is often a little trickier for prospective managers. Too low an imagination suggests that you don’t know your worth. Too high a specification can appear aloof and reduce your chances. Therefore, find out in as much detail as possible what salary you can expect. Include your experience and skills, the company, the industry, and the company’s location. Enter your salary expectations as a gross annual salary.
The ideal résumé for managers
The résumé is the heart of your application – at least from the point of view of HR managers. Whether you have the necessary qualifications and experience to be suitable for the position can be seen on your résumé. Structure your résumé as usual and describe your professional experience with a few keywords. When selecting exemplary activities, be guided by what is presumably particularly important for the company. You should also mention successes. The sooner a clearly recognizable red thread runs through your résumé, the better.
Only include experiences and qualifications in your résumé that are directly relevant to the respective employer and the advertised position. This means that you should change your résumé for each new application. Leave out what happened too long ago or is simply not interesting for the employer.
When applying as a manager, it can be a good idea to list your core competencies on your résumé as a kind of short profile. You can name important properties or show in the form of a bar chart how pronounced each characteristic is in you. You can arrange this short profile at the top of your résumé.
A good application photo is also crucial. Invest in images from a professional photographer that will best represent you. Never underestimate the subtle yet serious effect a photo can have. Your application photo should underline the message you want to send.
Cover sheet: yes or no?
It is basically up to you whether you want to use a cover sheet in your application for a management position. This part of the application is optional. Many applicants choose to do this voluntarily because the cover sheet is eye-catching and offers important information about them at a glance. Typically, a cover sheet consists of your name, a large application photo – which is then no longer integrated into the résumé – and your most important data. You can also add core competencies, which make sense as a prospective manager.
Many HR professionals are critical of cover pages in applications. This has to do with the fact that no new information can be found there. From the point of view of many HR managers, this makes the additional document superfluous. Decide on a case-by-case basis whether you want to use a cover sheet. If you choose to do this, it is important that your cover page is attractively designed and offers clear added value. The photo used should also be of very good quality and show you how it benefits your chances.
Which attachments are important when applying for a managerial position?
With all applications, it is important that you only send the most necessary documents. No HR manager is happy when he is allowed to leaf through tens of pages of applications. Make a sensible pre-selection that is optimal for the respective company and the desired position. This also means that with each application you decide individually which components of your application are important and what can be dispensed with.
The attachments should contain up to three current job references. References can also be suitable, for example, if you have previously been self-employed or if you simply have well-known and convinced advocates. Also, send the certificate of your highest educational qualification. School reports are usually not relevant. Which other systems are useful depends on your qualifications. You can prove important further or advanced training with the associated certificate. However, you should only do this if the skills you acquire are essential. Otherwise, your application will be too extensive.
Printed application: You should consider these points
Most applications are sent digitally. However, if you want to send your application for a management position by post, you should also consider a few aspects. Even more important than usual are good print quality and high-quality, not too thin printing paper. How you submit your application immediately indicates how careful you are.
A high-quality application folder is also crucial in the case of a printed application. Choose a portfolio that doesn’t look cheap and is easy to use at the same time. It is impractical if the HR manager needs a lot of space on his desk to be able to open your application folder completely. Whether you choose an application folder made of cardboard or plastic is up to you – application folders made of cardboard, however, often look more valuable.