Being a manager is not just a title, it requires skill and development over time. A manager needs to adapt from being just an employee to being able to manage processes and people. Over three million people are employed as managers in the UK. Their performance is critical to organisational performance and employee engagement, yet the UK Commission for Employment and Skills has shown that, as an occupational group, managers are the least likely to receive training. Those who do take the step of gaining professional accreditation through becoming Chartered overwhelmingly report becoming better managers for doing so and that they are recognised for doing so.

So-called ‘accidental managers’ are a common performance issue for organisations. Typically, employees are promoted from operational roles to management positions because of their technical skills in their field of expertise. However, they often lack the specific training and skills necessary to be effective in a management role. According to research findings, Chartered Manager is viewed as a highly effective route to becoming a professional manager. Of those interviewed, 90% state they became Chartered to improve their management skills and nearly four in five (79%) say they undertook Chartership to improve their performance at work. Most significantly, nine in 10 (88%) say that they use their accreditation to provide clear evidence of their individual impact on the performance of their organisation.

Measuring an individual’s impact on the performance of their organisation goes beyond financial results. Managers need to be assessed on how they achieve results. Both employer and employee gain significantly from independent evidence of the individual’s behaviours. Individuals can cite it in annual performance reviews or applications for promotion; employers can use it to assess the strengths and weaknesses of their employees and to identify areas in which they require further training and support.

In today’s competitive job market, it is incumbent on individuals to establish their credentials as professionals to stand out from the crowd if they wish to succeed. Employers too are looking for evidence that an individual is motivated and committed enough to be considered for investment in their professional development. From the individual’s perspective, Chartered Manager is clearly becoming a preferred requirement. 98% say they became Chartered to gain much-needed recognition of their status as a management professional, and 96% say they became Chartered to demonstrate their commitment to management as a profession. When it comes to demonstrating their experience and achievements, 96% have used Chartered Manager as proof of leading people and managing change. Seven in 10 (70%) state that they wanted to become a Chartered Manager to increase their visibility within their organisation.

There are several routes to becoming a Chartered Manager, but for those without a degree-level management qualification, the experiential route is the most applicable. To be eligible you must meet these criteria:

  • Have a minimum of 5 years management experience
  • Be able to demonstrate effective management practice within the last 18 months.

The assessment process is divided into two parts. The first requires a written submission to demonstrate consistent and effective performance in the past 18 months, followed by a telephone discussion with the assessor. The second, is an on-site interview assessing your knowledge against the certificate qualification which will involve gathering work based evidence and personal research.

After successful completion you will achieve Chartered Member (CMgr MCMI) or Chartered Fellow (CMgr FCMI) status as well as CMI Level 5 Certificate in Management and Leadership.

The benefits of this route are:

  • It is reflective assessment process
  • It does not require course attendance
  • It focuses on you and your job rather than abstract management concepts
  • You achieve a Level 5 Certificate in Management in the course of becoming Chartered
  • The award can be achieved in as little as 3 months, although up to a year is more usual.

A L Consulting can provide support and guidance at every step of the way. We can:

  • Support you in completing your written submission by helping you to identify your relevant experience and ensuring that all appropriate supportive evidence is included. At this stage we can ensure that you have fully demonstrated all key competencies, identified all the required linkages and set them out clearly, together with any additional information that will strengthen your application.
  • Provide training to address any knowledge gaps in key competency knowledge
  • Provide coaching to thoroughly prepare you for the on-site interview to give you the confidence to impress.