Bootcamps or online courses offer excellent avenues to acquire essential skills and frameworks in product management. Product managers serve as linchpins in software and product development, fostering collaboration between engineering and design teams, prioritizing customer needs, and articulating product vision. Their absence can lead to organizational silos, system breakdowns, and the development of products and services that fail to resonate with the target audience.
In addition to commanding competitive salaries—Glassdoor cites an annual income range of $121,000 to $204,000 for product managers in the United States—the role presents abundant opportunities for leadership, innovation, and engagement with groundbreaking technologies. If the prospect of a career in product management excites you, here are actionable steps to embark on this journey, irrespective of your prior experience:
- Recognize Your Transferable Skills
Transitioning to product management need not entail starting from scratch. Your unique background and expertise can be assets in the tech industry. For instance, skills honed in fundraising, such as data analysis and customer engagement strategies, translate seamlessly into product management roles. Similarly, experience in customer service equips individuals with insights into consumer needs and advocacy—a valuable asset in product development.
Even seemingly unrelated roles offer transferable skills sought after by hiring managers. Anthropologists, for example, possess a deep understanding of human behavior, making them valuable additions to product management teams. Rather than disregarding your existing skills, leverage them to your advantage in your job search. Craft a compelling resume summary highlighting your key strengths and accomplishments, using action verbs to underscore your impact on business outcomes.
Additionally, recognize the value of management skills acquired in previous roles, which can accelerate your ascent within the product management hierarchy. While you may start at an entry-level position, your managerial expertise can expedite your progression to higher roles within the organization.
- Bridge Skill Gaps with Courses, Bootcamps, or Certifications
Certainly, possessing diverse skills doesn’t automatically qualify you as a product manager without any training. While coding knowledge isn’t obligatory for many product management roles, being “technically literate,” as Reiss notes, implies understanding technology’s construction, function, and usage.
If you lack the time or finances for a full-time academic program, bootcamps or online courses offer excellent avenues to acquire essential product management skills and familiarize yourself with relevant systems. These options also allow you to build a portfolio to present to potential employers.
Although a master’s degree in product management isn’t mandatory, especially for those transitioning careers, participating in a bootcamp or similar program aids in upskilling. “Obtaining such certifications objectively demonstrates investing time and effort in mastering the core principles of product management, signaling that you’re not starting from scratch,” Reiss advises.
Exploring platforms like LinkedIn Learning or taking Cole Mercer’s product management courses is recommended by Reiss. Alternatively, Fortune’s compilation of top product management bootcamps caters to diverse learning preferences.
- Self-Educate Through Books or Projects
Some individuals prefer independent learning to minimize startup costs or test the waters of product management before committing heavily. Both Breen and Reiss have witnessed aspiring product managers succeeding via this route, particularly by initiating their apps or websites. “Engage in a side project,” Breen suggests. “It’s crucial to be able to function as a product manager independently.”
During job interviews, Reiss emphasizes, “It’s a means of demonstrating your genuine commitment to pursuing this as your new career path.”
Books also serve as valuable resources. Breen and Reiss recommend the following reads:
- “Escaping the Build Trap: How Effective Product Management Creates Real Value” by Melissa Perri
- “The Product Mindset: Succeed in the Digital Economy by Changing the Way Your Organization Thinks” by David H. DeWolf and Jessica S. Hall
- “Competing Against Luck: The Story of Innovation and Customer Choice” by Clayton M. Christensen, Karen Dillon, Taddy Hall, and David S. Duncan
- “The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon” by Brad Stone
- “Cracking the PM Interview: How to Land a Product Manager Job in Technology” by Gayle Laakmann McDowell and Jackie Bavaro
- The works of Marty Cagan and The Product Guy
Self-teaching may not suit everyone and could potentially impede their job search or consume excessive time. Ultimately, Reiss advises, “Understand your optimal learning method.”
- Explore Rotational Programs or Internships
Certain companies offer temporary positions where novice product managers gain real-world experience, potentially leading to permanent roles if they excel. These programs benefit both parties, enabling organizations like Walmart, Google, and Meta to shape talent according to their needs and invest in future leaders.
However, Reiss cautions that competition for these positions can be fierce.
- Pursue Adjacent Roles
Securing a product management position isn’t the sole gateway, and waiting for one to materialize might be time-consuming. Reiss suggests entering another tech or tech-related role and gradually working toward an internal transfer.
For instance, if you’re currently a nurse, consider applying for roles in healthcare tech where your medical background can be leveraged, such as a customer service representative or account manager. “If you’re already an employee, express your interest in product management to your manager and inquire about volunteering for additional work projects,” Reiss advises.
Once within a company, establish relationships with the product team promptly to find mentors and advocates. “I’ve had the privilege of doing this for certain individuals, and they often evolve into exceptional product managers because of their genuine passion for the field,” Reiss remarks.
Joining a startup with limited resources may present opportunities for individuals outside the team to contribute to product management. “For instance, a marketer might suggest, ‘We’re lacking customer interviews, which we should prioritize,'” Breen illustrates. “Or, if you’re an engineer, you might propose, ‘While we’re designing architectures and writing code, recent releases have received little traction. Can I conduct usability testing for our next UI?'”
Skills required to be a product manager
Given that product and software development are fast-paced and intricate, product managers necessitate these skills:
Comfort with ambiguity: Decisiveness is crucial for product managers, as Reiss notes, “If you’re not adept at making decisions with incomplete information, you won’t excel as a product manager.”
Problem-solving: Breen emphasizes analytical thinking as essential for product managers to dissect complex issues into manageable components for easier resolution—an ability many engineers possess.
Time and project management: Reiss asserts that successful PMs possess the ability to discern priorities swiftly and manage tasks efficiently.
Communication: Effective communication is paramount for product managers, who must actively listen to both internal stakeholders and customers, articulating their vision persuasively to garner support from diverse parties.
Collaboration: Product managers thrive in team settings; as Reiss states, they cannot function as solitary entities, relying heavily on collaboration with various individuals to develop features and products.
The takeaway
To embark on a career as a product manager, refine and showcase your transferable skills while acquiring training in both technical and interpersonal proficiencies necessary for the role—whether through formal education, such as courses or internships, or independent learning from resources like books and blogs.
Alternatively, engage in projects within your current organization, leveraging your product management skills to position yourself for future career opportunities.
Ultimately, succeeding in product management demands not only inherent aptitude, formal instruction, or prestigious certifications but also unwavering determination and commitment. As Breen emphasizes, “The role entails significant pressure, stress, and time investment, so lacking that extra level of dedication can lead to hardship and frustration.”
