How do you get into management?

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QuietStorm

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I'm in a management position at my current job. Has its ups and downs like any job. From what i've researched for ATC it looks pretty much like its definitely based on experience (mostly military it seems) and which certifications and clearances you have. I'm a tad interested right now and just wondering how they go about selecting? Are there any management training programs and etc.? Thanks :hiya:
 
I'm in a management position at my current job. Has its ups and downs like any job. From what i've researched for ATC it looks pretty much like its definitely based on experience (mostly military it seems) and which certifications and clearances you have. I'm a tad interested right now and just wondering how they go about selecting? Are there any management training programs and etc.? Thanks :hiya:

Failing in frontline? :sarcasm:
 
You should PM ALTTRACON, I think he will be able to guide you the "right" direction. If nothing else I am sure he will have some interesting info for you.:buck:
 
I'm in a management position at my current job. Has its ups and downs like any job. From what i've researched for ATC it looks pretty much like its definitely based on experience (mostly military it seems) and which certifications and clearances you have. I'm a tad interested right now and just wondering how they go about selecting? Are there any management training programs and etc.? Thanks :hiya:

My dad's supervisor at zau has only been cpc for 2 years, so I'm not so sure that it has as much to do with experience as it should.
 
I'm in a management position at my current job. Has its ups and downs like any job. From what i've researched for ATC it looks pretty much like its definitely based on experience (mostly military it seems) and which certifications and clearances you have. I'm a tad interested right now and just wondering how they go about selecting? Are there any management training programs and etc.? Thanks :hiya:


I would not advise making this known......
 
I would not advise making this known......

LoL duly noted. I saw a few announcements looking for supervisors and what not and other management positions? So is that job for the birds or what? Too many hours, way too much stress, will i turn into the world's biggest prick???
 
QuietStorm - you're going to find a lot of anti-management hype on this board, mostly from people who have NEVER worked for the FAA and frankly have no foundation to criticize anything or anyone. Are there bad managers in the FAA? Probably. Are there good ones? Definitely. Every manager I have spoken with in the FAA has been nothing but great and helpful. Even when they couldn't help me out, I understood why.

That being said, you probably should not be shopping for management level jobs until you've at least checked out at your first facility, unless you're looking for positions outside of the ATO.
 
So you want to be an FAA manager ? It's very simple... a slight surgical procedure for a lobotomy and removal of your spine and a fitting for your collared shirt and tie and you'll be all set.

Seriously...

There are no real qualifications to become a manager in the FAA anymore... for the past few years they have been selecting the lowest common denominator. What is now called a FLM (pronounced phlegm for Front Line Manager) which is the old supervisor position is in my opinion the worst job in the FAA. You catch all the crap... the controllers are pissed off and fighting with you all day and the upper level managers are giving you crap as well. The FLM's are the ones ordered to do the dirty work for upper level management and when it backfires they get cut loose and have no backing.

At a smaller facility it is probably not as bad but any center or larger tower or tracon the job is a major PITA.

As for pay it is a major jump for anyone under the new pay bands, it some cases it can be as much as 50K increase. For someone like myself it would not be any significant money. That is why the only people bidding on the jobs are these recent FPL's becasue it is a major pay bump... I can't really blame them but they do not have the experience for the job. I've seen several new ones at my center either request to go back to being a controller or try to get into an office job.

When I first started it was very tough to get a supes job, it was considered a good job and most supes had the respect of the controllers, they were guys you worked with for years, guys that trained you, etc. Now it's these three year wonders who have been running from traffic on day one.

Each to their own... I don't have a problem with someone wanting to take a certain career path, where I have a problem is when the biggest zero becomes a FLM and is now going to bust everyone balls... that is where as a rep I make it my mission to make their life miserable.

New hires that enter a facility and announce their intent to become a manager don't do very well. Controllers don't trust them and few if anyone wants to risk there ticket training these people.
 
I will say I have had several current controllers tell me to go for a management position asap because of the massive pay bump under the new pay bands. And these guys generally hate their current management lol. I will obviously take a wait and see approach. I first have to get through okc, then cpc etc..... before I even contemplate wether or not I would want to be in management.
 
Management at any union shop sucks... you get all of the responsibility but little power/authority.
 
You should PM ALTTRACON, I think he will be able to guide you the "right" direction. If nothing else I am sure he will have some interesting info for you.:buck:

Oh I have plenty of thoughts on this...lets see; have no clue of the operation, be a minority (sorry if it hurts but I have seen soooo many qualified people be passed up for those that were not even half a qualified because of race or gender), have a MAJOR almost midair..they want you off the Boards so they'll promote you, kiss ass, etc. I have NOT , in my 23+ year career seen the FFA promote someone who was a qualified applicant. There is ALWAYS some other reason why they were selected other than experience and/or knowledge.
 
the last person I heard that came into this job, saying he was going to be a manager, is no longer in the FAA, he washed out. In other words, take it one step at a time.

That said, I think we have way more bad managers than we have good. But that is not your question.

1st get hired by the FAA to become a controller
2nd make it through the program at wherever then send you. I think the washout rate overall is still around 50-60% overall?
3rd work as a CPC for 1 year, this part makes 0 cents to me, why it's only a year and not 5 years i will never understand. At a year, you will still be learning how to be a controller.
4th find an job opening you want to bid on, get rated by your local HR person, fill out some paperwork, write your KSA's and then apply for the job.
5th wait and see what happens

I sure there are other things you can do to become a manager, what they are I don't know.
 
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