Career Tips from a PM (6/30) – Brand yourself as a thought leader.
Your ability to communicate things like vision, strategy, expertise, and empathy will define your career trajectory.
So many people distance themselves from them because of some version of “I’m not in management.” But, the truth is, these skills are needed AND used long before management-level roles. The people that realize this early on often find themselves with better compensation, benefits, and work-life balance than their peers who don’t.
This is because the only real-world difference between independent roles and managerial ones is the scope of ownership you’re given, NOT the skills you use in said roles.
That being said, stop holding yourself back from developing “managerial” skills (ESPECIALLY your ability to communicate). Even if you don’t want to step into management (and that’s fine), know that those skills will directly influence what you get back from a job after what you gave it.