I'm wondering, since I've never been anything but someone's dumbass assistant/secretary/minion, can I even think about applying for management jobs?

Depends what kind of management job. Managing who? Or what? I mean, it seems like it would be relatively easy for you to move into like an office manager job.

I'm wondering, since I've never been anything but someone's dumbass assistant/secretary/minion, can I even think about applying for management jobs? Will anyone even take that seriously?

A lot of the jobs I'm applying for now have titles like "Program Manager" or "Administrative Specialist," and they seem like they're made for people who are good at the administrative side of things, but are trying to make the jump out of the clerical world.

ETA or Office Manager jobs, which I avoid like the plague because I figure I'd hate the work.

Universities seem to have a lot of these types of jobs, FWIW.

Depends what kind of management job. Managing who? Or what? I mean, it seems like it would be relatively easy for you to move into like an office manager job.

I know that I want to make the jump into media. Maybe an industry job, here.

ION, is it crappy that I'm not at this going away party at work for someone I've smiled at in the hallway but never had an actual conversation with? They're giving speeches. That's no fun.

I know that I want to make the jump into media. Maybe an industry job, here.

Oh, that's not necessarily "management," in the way I think of it. I mean, you wouldn't be applying for PR Director jobs or whatever, but there are other jobs in the same department you could get, I'm sure.

Like business manager at a small production company or post house or something, Allyson?

The Overheard in New York folk make Joss proud

Guy #1: See that, that's the New Jersey Transit.

Guy #2: Good God, that's where they get in?

Guy #3: And everyone thought Sunnydale is where the Hellmouth is.

--Penn Station

Overheard by: Joseph

I think that there are coordinating jobs -- here is a herd of projects, make them all go the right way on deadline -- and there are office-management jobs, which is what Allyson seems to be in (though perhaps not called that or paid that way). Certainly, the coordinating jobs have more potential to moving up into "deciding who will coordinate what" and then to "what projects will we take on" stages.

It's possible to make a nice living as the person who does all the HR/purchasing/billing/etc. of a small company, and stay there for 20 years. Depending on your temperament, this may be bliss or boring.

However, unless you can spin your current experience into "I coordinate lots! See me coordinate!" then coordinator jobs are likely to start way back at the bottom of the pay scale, and possibly be populated with recent college graduates.

(Can you tell I made this kind of transition recently? 4 years ago, now. I did move up quickly, but that first year, I was po'. I don't know if it's the same for all values of "coordinator," but I think it's true of a lot of them.)

Like business manager at a small production company or post house or something, Allyson?

Yeah, that seems like it might turn up something. I know someone who runs a post house that mostly does reels.

It's possible to make a nice living as the person who does all the HR/purchasing/billing/etc. of a small company

This is what I'm doing and I like it, because it leaves time for writing, plus no one breathing down my neck.