What is management experience? Detailed explanation of necessary achievements, skills, work contents, etc.

What kind of experience does the “management experience” you see in job listings mean? We will explain in detail the achievements and skills required to claim to have management experience, and the work content required for those with management experience.

1. What is management experience?
2. Reasons why companies require “management experience” from human resources
3. How to answer when asked about “management experience” in a resume or interview
4. Skills required for management
5. Tips for gaining management experience
6. Main qualifications related to management skills
7. Summary

1. What is management experience?

Management experience mainly refers to management experience. In addition, experience of organizing teams such as project management, or educational experience of subordinates and juniors may also be counted as management experience. In recent years, due to the diversification of businesses, the number of job offers for human resources with management experience has increased, and the number of cases where high compensation is offered is increasing.

1.1 Main positions that can be said to have “management experience”

Of course, the experience of managers such as section chiefs and department managers is equivalent to management experience. In addition, the experience of managing members such as project managers, leaders, and directors and managing the progress of projects is also equivalent to management experience.

■ How many subordinates can be said to have “management experience”?

The number of subordinates who have managed can be said to be “experienced in management” from one person. Management experience is the experience of managing subordinates and members as superiors, and does not necessarily have to target a large number of people . When asked about the size of the team that managed it, it is important to answer the correct number of people.

1.2 Three requirements that correspond to “management experience”

So far, we have introduced management experience, but the applicable requirements can be summarized into three categories: “managerial experience,” “project management experience,” and “subordinate education experience.”

■ Management experience

Managerial experience mainly refers to experience in labor management, training, and evaluation of employees who are section staff or members . It also manages the expenditure budget and income budget, and is responsible for the performance of the department. It is also required to understand the situation of each subordinate and follow up as necessary so that the team can proceed smoothly.

■ Project management experience

Project management experience is a term that refers to management experience of projects and businesses. In addition to basic employee management, you need to be familiar with the content of your work. This includes the experience of launching a project and leading it to success .

■ Educational experience of subordinates

The educational experience of subordinates refers to the experience of developing human resources. In addition to providing direct guidance, the experience of creating a training curriculum is also an educational experience. In addition to the experience of instructing subordinates and juniors, the experience of developing human resources as a person in charge of human resources corresponds to this.

2. Reasons why companies require “management experience” from human resources

The reasons why companies require “management experience” from human resources are as follows.

background	Overview
Lack of management personnel for SMEs and venture companies	Unlike large companies with a large layer of human resources, small and medium-sized companies and venture companies tend to have a shortage of management personnel.
Lack of leaders who can support business expansion and transition	Because there are few human resources who can take charge of business expansion and reorganization / regeneration of business structure
Increasing demand for managers of companies celebrating their second founding	As business succession needs increase, candidates for the next president and managers are being sought.

2.1 The market value of experienced managers is high

Not only the skills as a manager, but also the market value of all managers with experience is increasing. For example, in the case of an engineer job, there are many reports that the presence or absence of a good manager determines the success or failure of a project.

This is because system development leaders are required to identify and appropriately assign engineers with diverse skills to meet QCD (quality, cost, delivery). Nowadays, the scale of projects is increasing, and the demand for skills that can manage large households is increasing.

3. How to answer when asked about “management experience” in a resume or interview

Then, when asked about “management experience” at the place of application for a job, I will introduce the points by dividing it into a work history and an interview.

3.1 Points to note when describing “management experience” in the work history

It is recommended that you keep the following points in mind when writing a resume that emphasizes your management experience.

• Clarify the scope of management (specific content)

• Clarify the scale of management (number of people, budget, etc.)

• Specify the period of management

If the explanation of work experience includes company-specific terms, it is important to replace them with terms that are objectively easy to understand. For example, if there is a position of “chief engineer” and it is generally equivalent to a “section chief”, state that fact.

Also, be careful that the content of the management work you are involved in does not contain any unique terms or expressions. It is important to write so that anyone can read it .

3.2 Points when asked about “management experience” at the interview

We have summarized the frequently asked questions and points of answers for cases where “management experience” is asked in the interview.

Frequently Asked Questions	Point & answer example
Please tell me the number of years of management experience and the number of subordinates.	[Points of answer] • The ability to accurately convey the specific number of years and content is required [Answer example] I have been a manager for 8 years. First, for five years, as a team leader in package development, I managed the process of an engineer team of about six people. For the next three years, as a project leader of a development project with 30 people, I manage the budget and manage the overall progress.
Please tell me your management style	[Points of answer]• The ability to see yourself objectively is required • Asked if it matches the talent that the recruiter wants [Answer example] As a manager, I will hardly be involved in the work after being assigned to the members. We value the independence of members, but if problems such as delays in progress occur, we will check the situation as soon as possible. We also place great importance on creating an atmosphere where members can discuss solutions whenever they feel a problem.
How has your management style changed as you gained experience as a manager?	[Points of answer]• Willingness to grow as a manager is questioned • Asked how they have grown so far [Answer example] Previously, I also interfered with the work after assigning to members, and I thought that detailed follow-up was the job of the manager. However, as I received feedback, I realized that even if I made a mistake, thinking for myself would lead to the growth of the members.
What are some of the most common mistakes managers make?	[Points of answer]• You will be asked if you are thinking about management from a big perspective, not just the scope of your experience. [Answer example] I think that one of the mistakes managers tend to make is to impose their own successful experiences on the members. If you force yourself to do the same because you succeeded if you were a member, you will be dissatisfied without being able to fully utilize the abilities of the members.
What would you do if you failed? Or did you deal with it?	[Points of answer]• Acknowledge your failure and be asked if you are responsible • Asked how to recover from failure [Answer example] When the progress of the project was delayed, the cause was not attributed to the individual members, but it was an opportunity to review their own management. Instead of thinking “I can do it myself”, I re-evaluated the characteristics of each member and adjusted the allocation.
As a manager, how do you think you can contribute to the workplace?	[Points of answer]• Asked how you plan to contribute to the workplace • Asked if they understand the role of the manager within the company [Answer example] We believe that it is an important role to raise the morale of employees including members and maintain motivation for work. We also believe that we can contribute to responding to customer needs and making connections as a contact point for the company.

4. Skills required for management

Skills required for management include “communication ability”, “goal setting ability”, “analysis ability”, “judgment ability”, and “result evaluation ability”. The details of each are summarized in the table.

skill	Overview
communication ability	Successful management requires a firm grasp of the capabilities and progress of its members. For that purpose, high communication ability is required.
Goal-setting ability	In order to achieve the goals of the team and, by extension, the company, it is necessary to set short-term, medium-term, and long-term goals and share them firmly with the members. It is also necessary to set goals that are not too high to be achievable, but not too low to reduce motivation.
Analytical ability	Analytical skills are required to make a concrete plan to achieve the goals you set.
Judgment ability	Judgment is required to determine the necessary actions based on the results analyzed above.
Evaluation ability	Appropriate evaluation will increase the motivation of members. Evaluation not only raises salary and job title, but also improves responsibility and authority in business.

5. Tips for gaining management experience

” Listening ” and ” position change ” are the tips to acquire management experience .

First of all, “listening” means listening carefully to the other person’s words. By listening sincerely without interrupting or denying the other person’s story, it becomes easier for the other person to speak the true intentions in the heart and to elicit opinions . This listening also helps improve communication skills in management.

Next, “position change” is “trying to replace your position with the other party or a third party.” By always checking from a third-party perspective, you will be able to see things from multiple angles, and you will be able to find problems that are often overlooked and their solutions .

6. Main qualifications related to management skills

There are three main qualifications related to management skills: “Project Manager Examination”, “Business Manager Examination”, and “Small Business Consultant”.

6.1 Project Manager Exam

The Project Manager Exam is a national exam that is an advanced category of the Information-Technology Engineers Exam. You will be asked for in-depth knowledge of project management methods related to IT. Since it is set as a bidding requirement for government projects, there are cases where companies with close relationships provide qualification allowances.

Formal name	Project manager exam
Examination schedule	Every autumn (around October)
Exam fee	7,500 yen (tax included)
Main target audience	An engineer who has gained experience and has been appointed as a leader of a development project
Eligibility to take the exam	nothing special
Pass rate	14.4% (Reiwa 3rd Fall Exam)
Official site	https://www.jitec.ipa.go.jp/1_11seido/pm.html

How difficult is the project manager exam? Commentary from pass rate to study time

Is the project manager exam advantageous for changing jobs? I also investigated the annual income that I was interested in

For studying for the project manager exam! Introducing from thesis countermeasures to recommended reference books

6.2 Business Management Certification

The Business Management Certification Test is a private qualification for middle managers run by the Tokyo Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Comprehensive knowledge about management is required, and knowledge about management such as communication and marketing is also covered in the examination range.

Formal name	Business Management Certification
Examination schedule	October 14th (Thursday) -November 8th (Monday) (14th)
Exam fee	7,700 yen (tax included)
Main target audience	Person in charge of middle management of the organization
Eligibility to take the exam	nothing special
Pass rate	62.6% (13th)
Official site	https://www.kentei.org/bijimane/

6.3 Small Business Consultant

A registered management consultant is a national qualification for developing human resources who can identify problems that SMEs tend to have and give advice on management. As a management consultant, you need to acquire all the knowledge necessary for managing a company, such as management theory, operation management, business legal affairs, financial accounting, and economics.

Formal name	Small Business Consultant Exam
Examination schedule	August 21st (Sat) and August 22nd (Sun) (Reiwa 3rd year 1st examination)
Exam fee	Primary test: 13,000 yen (tax included), secondary test: 17,200 yen (tax included)
Main target audience	Those who want to acquire various knowledge required of management consultants
Eligibility to take the exam	nothing special
Pass rate	36.4% (1st examination of Reiwa 3rd year)
Official site	https://www.j-smeca.jp/contents/007_shiken.html

7. Summary

How was your management experience? In a word, management experience is not only the actual management experience, but also the experience of being a leader in a project and the experience of teaching subordinates and juniors. We hope this will be helpful for those who are considering projects that are looking for human resources with management experience and those who want to gain management experience in the future.