Know-How Exchange : Career/Training

Dear rpecos,

You may think you're qualified to be the manager, but the bigger question is, does your BOSS think you're qualified?

Are you qualified on paper? Or are you qualified on paper
AND with regard to your work experience?

Being qualified is one thing, DOING the job is another.
So, how do you prove yourself? How do you get this job?

You earn it.

You make an appointment with your boss.

You come straight to the point because time is money.

Youtline your plan on one sheet of paper and with eight to ten bullet points and you tell your boss that within 7 days, you will have achieved this, that within 14 days, you will have achieved that, and that within 21 days and 28 days, that you'll have achieved the other.

All of these will be stretch goals. Not inhuman, and not requiring superhuman powers. But they will be stretch goals.

You ask this person firmly but politely to give you a chance to prove yourself for no extra money (this reverses their risk and shows you have the moxie to hammer out a deal), and you request (again, firmly but politely) that at the end of the 30 days, that you either be promoted to the position of Purchasing Manager, or that you be paid for the extra work you've done and that your application be considered along with those of other candidates.

You make your boss aware that you have the nuggets and the know-how to pull it off, and you ask that at the end of the 30 day period that your position and pay at least be reviewed.

If your boss is the kind of person I suspect they are, they ought to at least consider your request. Even if they say no, at least you'll have the satisfaction of knowing that you can be bold and you'll have clearly telegraphed the signal to the head honcho that you are a force to be reckoned with.

If your boss says "OK kid, show me whatya got!" then you have to do what you say you'll do—you have to deliver. And when you DO deliver, you'll have proved to you boss that he or she has made a great hire and that you can be relied on to come through when the work stacks up.

If your boss agrees to your terms and signs off on it, then my friend, then you work your ass off. And I mean you haul butt like no other employee has EVER DONE.

The trick is to make yourself uber valuable. I did something similar 25 years ago. I had a part time job and I was only paid for two and a half days per week. But by making myself invaluable and by working FIVE days a week (on two and a half days pay), I got myself promoted to a full time gig.

Will this work for you? How he heck do I know? All I know is it worked for me, and I hope it works for you. Good luck to you.

Gary Bloomer
Wilmington, DE, USA

Congratulations, you have a great opportunity. I agree with the advise to begin acting as manager. But let me give you some specific strategy points.

1) Arrange for a meeting with each of the departments that touch up against purchasing. Provide them with a list of your own priorities over the next few months. Dont come to them asking what to do, present them with your plan and ask for feedback.

2) After meeting with the departments, go to your superiors with your plan. Provide them with a scenario for a) not adding an additional person in purchasing for 3, 6 or 9 months. b) adding a part time clerical person to assume part of the slack, c) off loading some of the purchasing tasks to other departments.

3)Provide a plan for training a new person if you feel one needs to be brought on board.

4) Provide a recruitment plan for bringing in a new person.

What you described sounds totally unplanned. I am sure your management team is taken aback. You can use this to insert yourself not just into the purchasing department but into the total company managemet.