Is interim management right for me?
"Think carefully before taking the plunge"
A career as an Interim Manager can be one of the most exciting, challenging, varied and rewarding there is. It has the potential to offer a real challenge, excellent financial rewards, greater control, less 'politics', greater variety, an opportunity to focus on what you are really good at and a better work/life balance.
However, it is not for everyone. There are some very real potential downsides including uncertainty, risk, the need to market and sell yourself (for which many do not believe they have the skills or motivation), time away from home, isolation and a loss of corporate perks.
You will be running your own limited company as well as delivering services to clients. This means that, in order for your company to remain viable, you will need to address all the areas typical of any limited company including finance, sales and marketing, research & development and professional development.
You will find the following pages helpful in making the decision.
- Interim or Consultant? – What is an interim manager and how does the role differ from that of management consultant.
- What makes a successful interim? - An interim manager is a highly skilled professional who is able to provide a solution to resourcing problems or to resolve corporate crises. This page provides a breakdown of skills and personality traits that can lead to a successful career as an interim.
- Upsides and downsides – Interim Management is not an easy option and before making your decision it is important to have a clear understanding of what you are letting yourself in for. This document lists the typical pros and cons of the life as an interim manager. Of course a ‘pro’ to one person could be a ‘con’ to another so it is important you sort this list according to your own view. It will give you a very realistic view of interim management and will enable you to see the potential challenges that lie ahead.
- Relevant research – Additional research that will help you in your career as an interim manager including research from Russam GMS and the IMA on the state of the market.
- Case studies – Here you will find some case studies of individual interim managers in their first year. They discuss their reasons for becoming an interim manager, how they set about finding their first assignment and their experience of delivering their first assignment