Notes on breaking into Product Management

Product Land: a blog about product management where I share insights, tips, and strategies to help you become a better product manager.
In this blog post I’m gonna cover topics that intrigue aspiring product managers - what is product management, why is it becoming an ever more exciting field, what makes a better product manager, and will brush on getting a PM job.

What is product management?

Note this is not an exhaustive definition, but rather an introduction to a vast topic.

Some say it’s about management, and some about the product. It can be about new product development, but very often it is about managing existing ones. From how they are sold, marketed, updated, or integrated. One should look at it as changing cogs in a machine, or a system, they are interconnected and objectives can vary. Some focus on maximizing market share, some on profit, and others on revenue - all valid objectives.

As markets can change, it ends up being a process of guiding a product from conception to market launch. From identifying customer needs, defining features, creating a plan, prototyping, and going to market. The goal of product management is to create products that meet customer needs and solve their problems while also achieving the company's business objectives.

Product managers wear many hats - from strategizing and conducting market research to analyzing customer feedback and making data-driven decisions to ensure success. In some companies, product managers would even make sure future releases are well aligned and would act as product owners during development sprints.

Product management requires a broad range of skills, including business knowledge, market research, product design, project management, communication, and technical skills in some cases. Successful product managers can balance the needs of customers, stakeholders, and the business to create products that create value.

Sources of Inspiration
I have always looked up to inspiring professionals so I can learn good practices and receive valuable lessons. I found the latest online event I attended very valuable, especially for people looking to break into product management. It was hosted by Twenty, a coaching & community platform for young adults navigating their twenties, with guests Stephany and Julia. Both are inspiring product managers with diverse backgrounds - having worked for companies like Google, Instagram, Glossier, and the latter graduated from Stanford with a Product Design Engineering degree. They shared how they got interested in product management, their journey, and experiences along the way.

I have summarised some key takeaways that particularly stood out to me below.

How to brake into product management?
Learn skills that are essential for product management - product development, agile methodologies, data analysis, UX/UI design, marketing and sales, technical knowledge.

Talk to people. Some of the best job opportunities are discovered through people that you know, not job boards, and they also help the company hire people that would be a good fit.

Keep good relations with your coworkers and communicate your aspirations within the company, sometimes a good opportunity can come from a coworker going to another department or a company.

When interviewing with companies highlight your accomplishments related to product management.

Where to start your product management career?
There is no standard way for starting a career in product management. It is up to you to decide whether you want to join a mature company or a fast-growing start-up.

Established companies generally have a well-defined structure and processes that can provide employees with good practices and tools for building successful products. You also have a good chance of finding a mentor who can help you with stepping into the product world.

Start-ups can be a great career start for someone that learns from practice. However, please be aware that in a fast-paced environment, individuals may not have sufficient time to provide you with mentoring. With that being said, when you are interviewing it’s crucial to evaluate what the company can offer you. The hiring process is a two-way street, something that can easily be overlooked in the early stages of your career, as most of us are eager to advance or join a particular company. Keep in mind good talent is hard to find, companies spend time and resources acquiring talent.

How to land a job?
Feel free to attend career fairs and be ready to network with people in the product management sphere. Let them know you are interested in becoming a PM. Although you may not see immediate results, you could be among the first candidates in their mind when the appropriate job opening arise.

Explore PM case studies available online and practice with friends. Many of the questions that come up during interviews have remained consistent over time, so you can prepare yourself thoroughly by practicing. Two works better so join some Slack channels like Product School, and Mind the product.

Another way to land a PM role is through the company you are currently at. Communicate your future career aspirations, and that way when a suitable opportunity becomes available, your company will be aware of your interest and potential fit for the position.

How to be an effective product manager?
Be an excellent connector between the different teams you work with. Product management typically involves cross-functional teams that work together to develop, launch, and manage a product.

Over-communicate. This is something that was highlighted during my course with Product School, and was also mentioned at the event. Communication is crucial when working with a variety of teams. Being able to communicate clearly is valuable and useful in product management. Keep in mind people have different views, cultures, and, most importantly, assumptions - we need to over-communicate to break down all barriers keeping people from being on the same page.

Another key point mentioned is at the event is “clarity of thought”. There are a lot of stakeholders, and it is your job to make sure there is clarity in terms of what you are building, why, and the outcome you what to achieve. Be able to articulate that. It is the PM’s job to make sure it is clear to everyone.

Having expertise in one part of the product development process can be very beneficial for you. It can be anything you are interested in - data analysis, user experience or interface, or more technical skills. Nowadays you don't need to be an engineer to become a product manager, but you should have a good understanding of technology and the development process to be able to communicate effectively with developers. Things will go over your head sometimes, but getting the gist will get you “the nod” from a developer on your team.

And last, but not least…
Keep in mind that there are different types of product managers depending on their focus and responsibilities - general Product Manager, Technical Product Manager, Marketing Product Manager, UX/UI Product Manager, and others even more specialized sometimes.
What will be your career path depends on you, your expertise, and your interests.

About me
I’m a professional with 8 years of experience in client-facing roles with plenty of touch-points with engineers. I have worked in startups in FinTech, mobility, and IT training. I also had a stint as a co-founder of an IT training company. Product Management was a career path that fired me up as it does not focus only on one field but requires multiple hats and is closer to starting a business than anything else. I also recently became a Certified Product Manager (CPM) with Product School. You can reach me via my LinkedIn profile.