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I am at managerial level at the moment, but as I am moving to another country I was thinking to secure any source of income

I applied for technical role.

After 3 interviews I think they will offer me the job soon.

During the interviews it was clear that my skills are exceeding this role.

Is there a way I can tell them that I am targeting managerial position in your company?

or shall I just accept the offer and not to mention that I would rather be in a managerial position?

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4 Answers 4

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So you applied for a position below your current level because you're moving and need to get something before you do.

The other answer of: "Well, just tell them. You should have told them from the beginning. It seems that you actually applied for the wrong position, actually." Doesn't really help because it sounds like you'd be happy getting any job for now and don't want to ruin the opportunity.

I do agree that you should ask about a higher position, but I would phrase it differently to avoid missing out on the opportunity to have any employment with this company.

It probably would have been better to do at the start of the process but that's not helpful to you now.


Saying something along the following lines would be my advice:

Are there any managerial positions open which I might apply for? I really appreciate the opportunity to join the company and am more that happy to work in a technical role, however, given my current level of experience I might be more useful to the company as a team lead. If there aren't any open at the moment, please may I be considered if any do come up?

The key things to remember are:

  • Don't give them the impression you will leave if a manger role comes up somewhere else (even if you might)
  • Try and convince them that you have the companies best interest at heart by wanting a PM role
  • Asking in any way might change their mind about employing you (e.g. if they get loads of PM applications but are having a tough time recruiting tech)

Good luck!

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  • @mattdm upon re-reading the question it seems I got that part from virolino's answer rather than the question. Have amended
    – Gamora
    Dec 19, 2019 at 14:33
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Is there a way I can tell them that I am targeting managerial position in your company? or shall I just accept the offer and not to mention that I would rather be in a managerial position?

There is no right answer here. If you desire a position on a different track or a more senior position, you should inform the recruiter and hiring manager as soon as possible during the interview process, because:

  1. There may not be an opening for the position you desire at the company.
  2. The interview process and hiring manager may be different from your current position. You may end up having to do more interview rounds this way.

Just remember you run the risk of the company not wanting to interview you at all if you tell them you are looking for a different position. At the same time, you should make a decision that you are ultimately going to be happy with.

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  • This is the correct answer. Negotiating during an interview process can pay off but is also a risk.... very hard for other people to assess your appetite for risk in these circumstances. Dec 19, 2019 at 16:31
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While it's okay to be ambitious, it's also important to respect the hiring process and staffing decisions of a potential employer. If they advertised a position, and you applied for it, that is the position they are considering you for. If there had been another open position which you were more interested in, it's fair to mention that during an interview - but it doesn't sound like that's the case.

However, that doesn't mean your hopes of being a manager are a lost cause. Many employers like to promote from within, and some even have dedicated programs to help people transition into manager positions. So, while it may be a little late in your current process to consider this, you can always take advantage of the fact that hiring processes are meant to be a two-way street: employers will evaluate your suitability for their position, and you have the opportunity to evaluate whether they will be a good fit for you.

If promotion opportunities are important to you, or you have a career track in mind, it's worth bringing that up during the interview. While it might come off as awkward if you ask, "can you hire me as a manager instead?" you may get a good answer to a question such as,

I am looking for an employer that I can grow with. As such, promotion opportunities are important to me. Can you discuss your company's approach to internal promotions? Do you have a practice of promoting individual contributors to management roles?

Some employers may balk at this (they may see you as a flight risk if they perceive you're looking for something bigger than the role you applied for) - but that's not inherently bad news, because it sounds like that kind of employer would be a bad fit for you! Other employers may enthusiastically respond about how they have a culture of helping people transition into management roles. That's the company you want to work for!

So - if you are already feeling interested enough in this company to pursue the job, even though it's not a management position, you may want to send them a follow up question to clarify if there are promotion opportunities. But keep in mind, they're hiring for the advertised role - so, if you really want a management position, it sounds like you may be best off abandoning this opportunity and only applying to manager jobs.

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Is there a way I can tell them that I am targeting managerial position in your company?

Well, just tell them. You should have told them from the beginning. It seems that you actually applied for the wrong position, actually.

or shall I just accept the offer and not to mention that I would rather be in a managerial position?

We cannot decide what you should accept or not. But I would definitely speak up my mind about it. Why did you interview for something that you did not want? I would have never done that.


It actually happened to me. I was contacted for a project manager job. I agreed to meet them. Driving there, because of the heavy traffic, I was contacted by HR again, to confirm if I am still interested. I was, of course. I arrive to the interview room, and they start asking programming questions.

I did not answer their questions. Instead, I asked how do those questions relate to the PM job. They admitted that they hoped that I would fall for a totally different job. I did not. I proposed to stop wasting time, and they agreed. I had a wonderful weekend afterwards (it was Friday afternoon already).


Bottom line: you should know your priorities, and go after them. Make a plan about the cases when you do not get exactly what you expect. Decide what you are willing to accept, and what you must not accept in any way.

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