Oh snap! A manager position just opened up where you work. You're going to apply for the job first thing in the morning, and you just know you're going to get it. You'll make tons of money, have a cushy job and never have to clean the toilets again. This is gonna be great!
Or is it?
Before you start printing out business cards, take a minute to review both the pros and the cons of manager jobs.
Pros of manager jobs
More money
You'll definitely make more money in a managerial position. Retail salespeople, on average, make around $9 an hour, or $18,700 per year. Get a retail manager job and your paycheck might just double. According to PayScale, a salary comparison site, the starting salary for a retail sales manager is between $27,000 and $40,000 a year.
The perks don't stop with just money. Managers usually get bigger discounts, better benefits, more vacation time and sometimes even bonuses.
More responsibility
It's a great feeling to know that you are trusted to make important decisions. You'll be in charge of employee schedules, ordering supplies and budgeting. You'll get to interview people, hire them and promote them. Managers have a great deal of responsibility, which for the right person, is a big job perk.
More experience
Getting a management position can be a great way to turn your current job into a career. Many managers go on to become general managers or district managers, overseeing multiple stores or restaurants. Some even move on to suit-and-tie corporate jobs. As an added bonus, your management experience can be used anywhere. Even if you decide, for instance, to go from the food service industry to the retail world, you'll be valued for your ability to lead a team.
Cons of manager jobs
More tough decisions
Part of being a manager is making some very difficult decisions. Is your favorite employee stealing money out of the cash register? Like it or not, you'll be the one firing them. Forced to lay someone off? You'll be the one who has to decide who heads to the unemployment line.
Managers have to make a lot of unpopular decisions for the good of the company. So if you don't have a thick skin and can't deal with people not liking you, then you're better off staying out of management.
More pressure
Not only will you have your manager breathing down your neck about cutting store costs, you'll have your employees demanding everything from a bigger paycheck to more vacation time. You'll be the one held responsible every time something goes wrong. Did the toilet overflow? You need to figure out how to fix it. Did three people call out for the same shift? Then you've got to replace them right now. Trust us when we tell you that the more responsibility you get, the more pressure you'll face.
More work
Nights. Weekends. Holidays. Get used to working them. Gone are the days when you could call in sick and go hang out with your friends - you're a manager now and have way too much work to do any of that. Most restaurant managers work an average of 60 hours a week. Compare that to how much you work now! While managers do get paid a bigger salary, when it's all said and done, they may actually make less per hour than some of their employees.
Did the pros outweigh the cons? Then start your management job search now.
About Amy White