I've gone "back to technology" from management a couple times in my career and was always glad that I did. If you've got a reputation as a PHB, you might have

I've gone "back to technology" from management a couple times in my career and was always glad that I did. If you've got a reputation as a PHB, you might have to switch companies and you really can't expect to be hired into a technical position unless your skills are current. Get to work learning the skills related to your next position (and don't quit your day job). Explaining the reversal is easy ... you followed the traditional promotion track and after too many years of drudgery, you realized your true passion is the technology. Forward looking companies will now have a technical promotion track and you won't hit a ceiling like the stodgy older companies. At one point, I hired a newly-graduated MBA (at half my salary) to do the paperwork parts of my job and made sure I was viewed as a "technical manager".