Become a City Manager

City managers develop city budgets, manage workers and act as a go between for elected city officials and citizens. To become one, you’ll need to get the appropriate education, which usually includes a Master’s degree. You’ll also need a considerable amount of relevant experience, because a City Manger is not an entry-level job. Using online job boards and your contacts can help you find and apply for a job as a City Manager.

Steps

Getting Your Education

1. Earn a Bachelor’s degree. Some city manager positions only require a bachelor’s degree. However, if they require graduate degrees, you’ll still need to get your undergraduate degree first.
   • The type of major for your undergrad degree is pretty open. Programs in business, public administration, urban planning, economics, and political science will all set you up for a good future as a city manager.
2. Get your Master’s degree. Most cities require that city managers have a graduate degree. A master’s degree in public policy, public administration, or business administration will give you the necessary education for a city manager position.
   • You can find quality graduate programs in public policy and administration by checking out the resources of organizations like the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration. Their website has a list of accredited programs.
3. Hone other skills. Written and verbal communication skills are important. You might also want to be familiar with information technology. Taking extra courses in English or technology while you’re in school can help you gain these skills.

Gaining Necessary Experience

1. Intern in a city administration office. Some undergraduate programs in public administration, political science, or public policy require that you complete an internship before you get your degree. An internship is a great way to get hands-on experience in public administration before you begin applying for jobs.
   • Internships in a city's budget, engineering, or planning departments are a great option here. You can also look for internships with private planning firms.
   • If your undergraduate or graduate programs don’t require an internship, you can contact your school’s career center and see if they can set you up with an internship.
2. Apply for an entry-level position. You won’t be able to get a City Manager position right out of school, because it’s not an entry-level position. Instead, apply for positions in individual city administration departments, like finance, planning, and engineering.
   • Most cities' official websites have a link to a "Careers" page that lists all the openings in the city's administrative offices. Look for positions that are listed as "entry-level."
3. Look for opportunities for advancement. Once you’ve secured an entry-level position, you’ll want to start working on moving up. Look for opportunities to move into supervisor or manager position within your department. From there, you could move toward being an assistant city manager.
   • Make sure you let your superiors know that you're looking to move up in your job. This keeps you at the front of their mind as new opportunities open up.
   • You can also check the careers page of the city's website to see when and if new, higher-level positions get posted.
   • Keep in mind that it might take you a few tries to get into a new, higher-level job. Moving up within the city’s administration won’t necessarily be a quick journey.
   • You can also look for advancement opportunities outside of the current city you work in.

Applying for a City Manager Position

1. Write your resume. Your resume should include your degrees, any internships or work experience you have related to city management, and a list of references. If you’re still in school, you can ask your career services office to help you create your first resume.
2. Check online job websites. Websites like Monster, Indeed, and LinkedIn list open assistant city manager and city manager positions. You can narrow down the results by state or metropolitan area if there’s somewhere specific you’d like to work.
   • Search terms that will turn up city manager positions are "city manager," "assistant city manager," "city planner," and "city management."
3. Search city jobs websites. The official websites of most cities have a “careers” section, which will list all of the current openings in the city. You can search here for city manager positions.
   • Check city websites frequently – most cities only post openings for a week, so if you wait too long, you might miss an opportunity!
4. Use your network to find jobs. As you earn your education and work your way up through city administration, you’ll be building a network of other students, professors, and superiors. Rely on these people when you’re looking for a new job by asking them if they’re aware of any openings anywhere.
   • To build your network further, consider joining a professional organization like the International City Management Association (ICMA).

Tips

• City managers may work longer than 40 hours per week and must be available for emergencies, government meetings and committees.

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References

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