In this article, we will analyze the skills and experience that an Information Technology Manager may require to be considered a good candidate for this position.
We’ll talk a bit about the experience required for an IT Manager, the pros and cons of being an internal or external candidate, and an example of what an IT organization chart might look like.
After that, we will analyze the skills required by an IT Manager, which can be, for example:
- Technical skills
- Communication, writing, and documentation skills
- People management
- Time management
- Strategy skills,
- Financial skills,
- Vendor management,
- Decision making,
Next, we will analyze the skills and experience that an Information Technology Manager will require to be considered an excellent candidate to fill the position and succeed in the organization’s career.
Perhaps they will ask themselves, how many years of experience would it be convenient for the ideal candidate may have to occupy the Information Technology Management??
While there is no correct answer for that, in my opinion, I consider that at least a candidate who wants to occupy the position of an Information Technology Manager should have at least five years of experience working in technical positions as well.
However, years of experience are only one factor to consider, although it is not the only one; technical skills and his profile as an administrator must also be considered, in addition to thinking whether it could be compatible with the philosophy and culture of the organization.
It is essential to repeat it; all this may change, depending on the company, the size, if it is a small, medium, or large company, the culture, and the organization’s philosophy since each case is different.
In my opinion, the ideal candidate would be the one that already knows the philosophy and culture of the organization, that is, that they have previously worked or are currently working in a lower-ranking position in the same organization.
However, it is also valid that the candidate is external, comes from another company, has had enough experience, and comes to contribute all this knowledge to benefit the organization.
Whatever you choose, the most important thing is that the IT administrator has the technical, administrative, and people management skills to succeed in the Information Technology Manager position.
In this article, we will refer to an Information Technology Manager, to the head of the department, or to an IT Manager that manages each of the areas that make up the Information Technology department.
In other words, depending on the organization, there may be an IT Director, CIO, or IT Manager, who performs all the functions, or there may be several Managers, one managing each of the functional areas that make up IT, all collaborating under the IT Director or CIO.
For example, there may be an IT Operations Manager, an Infrastructure Manager, an Application Development Manager, an IT Services Manager, a Technical Support Manager, an IT Project Manager, and perhaps an Information Security Manager.
All of them are IT Managers with different and specific knowledge and skills required for each functional area they manage.
However, in this article, we will use the word IT Manager in general, although much of what we will talk about also applies to each of the different types of IT Managers.
Below is an example of an organization chart for an Information Technology department in a large company.
As we already said, depending on each organization, the organizational chart may be different, but this is just a guide that may be useful for you.
In a small or medium-sized company, the same person may perform all of these roles, perhaps 2 or 3 of them.
The IT Manager is responsible for everything related to technology; he needs to know everything, or at least, people will expect him to know everything about technology.
One of the fundamental aspects of an Information Technology Manager is the set of technical skills that he owns and has been able to develop over time.
For example, if the Information Technology Manager was previously responsible for the application development area or the technical support area, depending on each case, he will have different technical skills.
In a way, the IT manager must be an expert in everything related to technology and know many different technologies.
He must have extensive knowledge of technology and what is happening in the technology industry and business in general.
He must be aware of the new versions, operating systems, the latest Internet advances, and what big companies, such as Google, Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, and many more, are doing.
He must know about e-commerce, cellular or satellite technology, artificial intelligence, and general all the current technological trends.
He doesn’t need to know the details, but he needs to have at least a general understanding of how these technologies work.
If an IT Manager does not have such knowledge, he will have difficulty performing adequately as a promising IT manager.
A Technology Manager must always be updated on what is happening in the technology industry. He must also communicate adequately with senior management, other departments, users, vendors, etc.
He must write proposals, business cases, and presentations as part of his activities. In general, he will need to interact with both technical and non-technical people, for which he must be able to translate everything into a language in the most simplified way possible so that anyone can understand it.
He will also be in charge of organizing meetings, communicating correctly, and, as we have already said, being able to translate from technical language to non-technical language.
If he doesn’t have these skills, it will be tough for him to succeed in his career within the organization.
A Technology Manager must communicate effectively with other people, both in technical and non-technical language, both inside and outside the organization.
And I am not only meaning to speak effectively since he must also know how to listen to the needs of the users and senior management, but also be able to translate those needs that come in business language into a technical vocabulary to implement the most appropriate technology and give response to the needs of the organization.
Communicating in writing is one of the most important things that a good Information Technology Manager must have since, as we said before, it will require writing emails, policies, procedures, presentations, etc., for which he requires strong development of the ability to write correctly, without mistakes, both in technical and non-technical language.
A good help is the grammar checker tools that have become popular recently; for example, if you need to write in another language that you do not feel confident about, these tools can review the content and make the necessary corrections.
An essential skill is the ability to document a process related to technology, strategic planning, disaster recovery plans, projects, schedules, emails, presentations, policies, and procedures, among many others.
As an IT administrator, he must spend a significant portion of his time ensuring policies are adequately documented.
We are talking about the Operation Manuals for the equipment and business applications.
Documenting policies is also essential because policies are the rules of what is allowed, not regarding the use of technology in an organization but in writing.
In this case, it is much more convenient that new hires entering the organization can only consult these documents and understand perfectly well what is required to carry out their activities.
Another essential thing, an IT Manager, like any other administrator, will need to manage people as part of their daily activities.
He needs to know how to motivate his collaborators and resolve all the needs, complaints, and concerns of his work team.
In the same way, an important part is when situations arise in which he must correct the attitudes or behaviors of collaborators, which are not considered adequate for the excellent performance of the IT department.
It is also necessary to provide training and transmit their experiences and knowledge to younger collaborators just beginning their careers in the organization to facilitate their work.
It will require handling situations such as salary increases, vacation authorization, new hires, and even firing people no longewho r wanting to be part of the department.
A good Technology Manager necessarily requires proper time management.
Managing several tasks and several projects simultaneously is not easy, but it is a fundamental part of the success of a good Technology Manager.
Now, suppose he already comes from a technology background. In that case, an IT administrator is probably already familiar with and very comfortable with multi-tasking since, he was most likely already multi-tasking as a technician.
A technology administrator must be able to simultaneously manage servers, the network, security, backups, application development, meetings, presentations, quotes, authorizations, follow up on the status of projects and the budget, and also attend to the needs of senior management, all at the same time.
For all of the above, a Technology Manager must be a very organized person in his time.
As we have already mentioned, a technology administrator is not only a technician anymore but also has the responsibility of managing a technology area or department, for which he must be able to plan, have strategic planning skills at a high level, and be able to project into the future and decide what direction the IT department should take at least in the next 3-5 years.
It would be best if you worked closely with the business to understand their needs, with the technical people to know what they need, and who have the right skills to create the right strategy for business IT development.
A technology manager must work closely with other members of the organization to understand their needs and thus be able to create the right strategy to support business growth.
IT Managers must drive the business forward so that the technology team does not remain stagnant but is someone who is at the forefront, recommending technological solutions that help the organization in its goals, be more productive, reduce costs, reduce risks, obtain higher sales, and that the organization is technologically up-to-date at all times.
A technology administrator requires negotiation skills with vendors, trying to reduce costs, and constantly dealing with better conditions for the organization’s benefit.
Likewise, it will be responsible for managing an annual operating budget called OPEX and capital investments called CAPEX.
You must know the costs of purchasing new hardware and software renewal prices, analyze the different licensing schemes, monthly Internet expenses, etc.
Relations with suppliers are a very important part that an IT Manager must be able to handle satisfactorily since the vendors are the ones that offer and manage the new technologies, supply equipment, and provide services.
We are talking about vendors for software, hardware, computers, network equipment, printers, software, accessories, etc.
Perhaps the organization manages to outsource some services, which must also be managed by the IT Manager, which will need to revise contracts and service agreements for these projects.
An IT Director, or an IT Manager, is there to make decisions. Sometimes they are easy decisions, but they can be challenging at other times.
Some decisions may be made by himself, and he must consult with his collaborators in other situations. Still, without any question, the decision must be made by the IT Manager, who assumes the risk that this entails.
We discussed whether there were different alternatives to solve a situation or choosing between other options for developing a project.
Top management expects you to make good decisions based on the organization’s benefit, culture, and philosophy.
However, the technology administrator will not only be responsible for the strategy and defining the general panorama of the department but will also be responsible for the daily operation of the technological area, such as providing good technical support, always having properly operating the infrastructure, maintaining a secure environment technologically speaking, that the applications offer what the users require for their work, and making sure that everything is working at an adequate level of service.
As we have seen in this article, the information technology administrator requires many technical skills, but also administrative skills that lead to success in the performance of their work.
Obviously, the more experience you have, the better you will be able to understand and manage all the roles that a good Information Technology Manager requires.
Please leave us a comment if you like this article, or if you have any additional opinions or experiences you want to share.