I'm going to interview for an associate team lead role but I've never had a leadership role before. How can I demonstrate I am team leadership material? Are these team lead positions worth it or is being an IC better?

The best way to prove your ready for the next step is to perform at the next step. That and a team lead role is usually the same as a higher IC level.

My rule of thumb:
IC3 = Senior developer with project level impact
IC4 = team level impact
IC5 = org level impact
IC6 = company level impact
IC7 = industry level impact

The numbers vary company to company, but after senior dev the rest is pretty much leadership and scope changing.

So start trying to have impact on your team now. Process improvements, increasing developer experience, and mentoring juniors.

@lungdart Thanks for the advice but I'm currently unemployed 😅

If you want to be an IC, you continue being one. Managerial roles are not for everyone

On the other hand, if you are inclined towards pursuing management related roles, you should be having a minimum of the qualities below

1. Listening and hearing out your team's concerns. Be it technical or not
2. You should have decent communication skills. The language, articulation and presentation skills, the ability to summarise and list the key points in any kind of discussion driving things towards closure
3. Ability to segregate information from noise. You will be thrown a hell lot of things at you as you grab the ladder and walk upwards
4. Inclination towards solving problems or at least guiding your mates towards finding solutions. Nobody wants yet another whiner and a bossy fucktard

Whatever you choose, I wish you the best in finding a job you love. God bless you and all of us🙏

@asgs Thank you my friend for your insights and words of encouragement. Many blessings to you too.

One sentence will send you straight to the top: "I have no gag reflex." Good luck!

@bols59 Thanks for the tip (hehe) but this is a remote position, not sure how useful that skill would be.