06-09-2020, 09:41 PMJumpierPegasus Wrote: I thought I'd come in here and note to all new members some advice, as someone who has been here for a while and seen a lot. While, back when I originally got a GM position, it was a different time, things remain the same. Get some experience

When I first popped into the league I applied to be a co-gm first at my old Prince George Firebirds junior team, before ever applying to be a head GM. I started as a co-gm for 2 seasons and then my head GM had to step down and I took his place. This is the easiest and most tried and true route to a higher management position. There are a few people who lucked into head GM roles, but usually those guys were heavily recommended by their former GM's and thought they would be a great head GM without past experience

But the league lives on experience, it will be a rare occurance for the league to throw the reigns to someone who has never GM'd before, especially an expansion franchise, which can be tough waters to navigate

To everyone who applied and is bummed, but doesn't have that background, try and get some experience. Work closely with your current GM's or former Juny GM's. Even if you don't have an official co-gm title, work closely in front office, you might get lucky and the GM chooses you next to take over for co-gm (this literally just happened in Texas. Jay stepped back, and Puoli, who was incredibly active in our front office chat, and incredibly influential in understanding the sim, was named co-gm because Dan was impressed with his ability even without a nammed title).

Expansion roles are tough to get as a new member, they will often go to experienced members who have shown they can GM. I'd recommend definitely going hard at co-gm roles, front office roles in general, and just getting yourself out there and you will probably land yourself a job in short order. Don't get discouraged, because head GM roles are scarce (there are only 24 of them and we have hundreds of members)

Just putting my two cents in, but everything JP said is right. During the expansion to Anaheim and Lethbridge, I asked if they'd consider me as AGM, they both politely declined. I made it my mission to be someone who GMs would want in their management. I knew what I was capable of, but no one else did. I looked at my own strengths and tried to make myself invaluable. I wanted to help scout, I had some basic excel knowledge but I spent hours learning new things so I could make automated spreadsheets for scouting. After making something that could grab almost all relevant information off the site and put it into a nice organized table for scouting, the opportunities started opening up.

At first I was brought into the Colorado management chat and helped Kimmy run the S45 draft, then I was brought into the EDM Scouting chat and helped with the S46 draft. When Karl stepped down and Keygan took over, he saw what I could bring to the table and named me AGM. My advice to any person who's not a GM and is looking to become one is to find what qualities make you a good GM and then show them off to the league. If you help your team and they're not responding, make media displaying what you can do. People who take initiative like that will not go unnoticed.