A career in management spans across a broad section of industries: finance, public sector, construction, education, and many more. Every organisation needs a manager, but finding the right candidate can be tough. Managers are leaders who can work efficiently and drive a team or organisation to succeed.

While many students aspire to management roles, they think getting a degree in the subject is enough to begin their career. While this qualification is an advantage, what attracts employers are the candidate’s skills and attributes.

Key skills

Here are some of the attributes that a student must develop for a successful career in management.

Organisation and delegation skills: A management profile comes with tremendous responsibilities. One has to supervise a team of employees working in diverse segments and ensure that they are being trained effectively. Also, delegation is important. A manager must know when and whom to delegate and motivate the workforce.

Emotional Intelligence: This is absolutely essential when dealing with people. One needs to have the patience to listen to other people’s concerns and to not overreact to situations. A calm and stable approach allows a candidate to enhance relationships in the workplace, and handle tough situations effectively.

Transparency: In management, there is no space for duplicity. A manager is responsible for leading a team, and employees need to be able to trust the leader. Being transparent in your dealings will ensure the retention of hard working team members and reduce attrition.

Commercial awareness: An appropriate understanding of the marketplace, how the business operates and a knowledge of the sector is essential. Knowledge of social and economic issues that might affect the business is also necessary.

Cheerleader: A manager should recognise and celebrate his/her team’s successes. By celebrating each win, they can make their team feel good and show that they care about their achievements.

Skills like these not only increase the chances of landing a management role, but also help one be an excellent worker. Internships, volunteering, professional courses will all help develop such abilities and pave your way to success.