I fell into Product Management.
My path into Product was unconventional. Here’s what I recommend to people trying to break into Product today.
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These days, the number one question I get professionally is, “How do I break into Product Management?” From my vantage point, there’s not one clear journey to becoming a Product Manager. Product Managers come from all walks of life! But, without a conventional path, many looking to break in don’t know where to start.
Here, I’ll share my path and some advice I give to those looking to get started.
An accidental start.
After undergrad, I dreamed of moving to New York City, at all costs. I began my job search in the aftermath of the Great Recession. At best, grads were receiving internship offers. And if they were lucky, they were paid. It was a precarious time.
I focused my search on what I studied: Journalism and Advertising. After connecting with a recruiter at the Huffington Post, she shuffled me to a different role at AOL, with a higher salary (AOL freshly acquired Huffington Post — and yes I needed all the salary I could get out of school). The job title was simply “Associate Producer.”
Recruiting phone calls went well, but because I wasn’t local, the team wasn’t interested in moving forward with me (what a time!). So, I covered my travel expenses to fly to NYC for the day to interview, demonstrating my excitement for the role (this day really deserves its own post…). My day trip paid off and I soon found myself with a rare salaried position after graduation.
In my new role, I reported into a Product Manager. And because of that, I got a daily view into what a Product Manager did. As an entry-level “Producer,” I dabbled in engineering, design, marketing and sales. Essentially apprenticing in Product Management. Quite literally, by accident.
One day, my manager suggested I too could be a Product Manager. So far, it looked pretty good and fit my budding skillset. With my manager as a mentor, I sought out a path in Product Management.
While I focused on what I knew how to do (build relationships and write), my manager encouraged me to learn things I didn’t know how to do, like familiarize with engineering concepts and engage with our cross-functional team. On my own, I attended classes at General Assembly and participated in events, like a Fashion Hackathon.
By the time I left AOL, I had the early makings of a Product career ahead of me. At the time, Product Management, especially in NYC, was still nascent. Product Managers were expected to be technical, and many roles were still Silicon Valley-based. But, the tides were shifting. Besides more roles popping up on the East Coast, Product Management was becoming less technical and more generalist. Companies had an appetite to take on non-technical Product Managers, like me.
I think a lot about the “hard work vs. luck” question from Guy Raz’s podcast, How I Built This. In my early days, there was a lot of luck. Yet, the opportunity and the path forward was mine to lose — so I like to think the luck, combined with my determination, set me up for success.
Today, Product Management is more accessible, in many ways. This is so exciting! But, because of my unique path into the field, I find it hard to share a relatable experience of breaking into Product Management today. Despite my experience, I’ve bore witness to others breaking in sucessfully. Below are some thoughts on what I’ve seen work well.
Before we begin…
…I want to call out the elephant in the room 🐘: I haven’t seen many companies hire Product Managers without any prior Product experience (even entry-level roles). I’m not saying it can’t happen, I’m just saying I’ve never seen it. If an Associate Product Manager role requires 2–3 years of Product experience, where do you get that experience? It’s really a classic chicken and egg.
It’s not insurmountable, but it’s important to call it out. Now, let’s dive in.
More seamless starts
I’ve seen a few things work really well as an entry into Product Management. These aren’t accessible paths for everyone, but if you have the chance, take them.
Lateral Moves
The most successful transitions I’ve witnessed into Product Management happen internally. Anecdotally, I’ve seen lateral moves from roles in UX Research, Data Science, Business Analysis and Program or Project Management. These transitions work really well because these roles usually work closely with Product Managers. So, aside from getting a view into the day-to-day responsibilities, there’s a sense of familiarity overall.
I also believe that lateral moves from customer-centric roles, like Customer Support and Account Management, make for great transitions into Product. Product Managers are meant to be customer-driven, so roles that center around the customer tie the transition story together nicely.
Associate Product Manager (APM) Programs
Rotational APM programs (like here & here) are becoming more common. If you get the chance to enter an APM program, this would be ideal IMO.
Playing the long game
Here are other ideas I’ve been sharing with future Product Managers.
Start in an adjacent roles.
To further my point above, starting with customer-centric roles, especially if they fit your skillset, is a great way to get into a tech company that has a strong Product team. This is not a short term play. But, it‘s a tactful way in. Bring your existing skills to adjacent roles, get in, and eventually, transition to Product. Some off the cuff ideas*:
- “I work at an ad agency.” → You work with clients, i.e. customers! Perhaps a customer support, success or solutions team could be a great fit.
- “I am a teacher.” → You think constantly about strategic communication. Perhaps a project or program management role would work for you.
- “I work in consulting.” → You handle research and data analysis. Perhaps a research or business analyst role might make sense.
At it’s core, Product Management is customer-centric. Use your current version of “customer focus” to connect the dots and highlight clear, transferable skills.
*These are obviously over simplifications.
Get “real world” experience.
I always advocate for “real world” experience above everything. There are so many unconventional ways to get “real world” experience as a Product Manager, including but not limited to contracting, volunteering, hackathons, networking events and internships.Of course, it’s a privilege to be able to take on unpaid work. If you don’t have the financial flexibility, prioritize contract work.
Market yourself better.
Making the case for a career pivot to a future employer is about marketing — the language you use to describe your experience and the way you sell yourself. When matching your current experience to a job description of a different role, look critically at the language used. More often than not, your existing experience meets the job requirements. Don’t get caught in the tech jargon. Let’s walk through an example I grabbed from one of the first APM job listings I saw on LinkedIn.
Job Description Says:
- “Build and actively manage a product backlog of features and capabilities that are refined and prioritized.” This is strategically managing a task list that maps back to business goals.
- “Identify the root cause of platform issues and come up with the approach to resolve for both short and long term.” This is problem-solving.
- “Collaborate on release plans and set expectation for delivery of new functionalities.” This is managing timelines and communicating effectively.
Job descriptions can be loaded and overwhelming. But, they can be really helpful tools if you know how to use them.
Aside from finding the right language, career pivoting also comes down to how you sell yourself. If you’re asking someone to consider you for a Product Management role without any Product experience, they are taking a chance on you! Because there are start-up costs associated with bringing on someone without prior experience, take on some of that responsibility. Vocalize what skills you’re bringing to the table to compensate for your lack of Product skills. This might come in the form of industry experience, adjacent experience, etc. Help build the business case on why you’re worth the risk. In other words, help them, help you.
Nice-To-Have: Take a class or get certified.
I get lots of questions about certifications. In my experience, certifications don’t make or break candidates. Work experience is priority. That being said, I do believe classes and certifications are great for learning and networking. And, if you can leverage your instructor as a mentor or for advice, get after it!
Over the past five or so years, MBA → Product Management has become a popular path. I know many people who took this path to get to where they are today (and they are crushing it 💪🏻). But I don’t believe that this is a necessary step to becoming a successful Product Manager. I do believe this is a path for some — for those looking to restart their careers, those more entrepreneurial, those looking to build a strong network in tech, etc.
A few years ago, surrounded by some badass female Product Managers, all fresh out of MBA programs, I asked myself if I needed a MBA to be successful in Product Management. I determined that the answer for me was no (this decision is deserving of a whole post…) This was a highly personal decision.
As you can imagine, there’s not one silver bullet into Product Management. There’s lots of winding paths to Product, which is unlike other careers with more clearly defined paths — like engineering, design, etc. Product Management is fuzzier. Hopefully the fuzziness can be advantageous.
I’d love to hear what your journey has been.
How did you get into Product? How are you trying to get into Product? What are the hurdles? What’s worked? I’d love to refresh my arsenal of tips and tricks :)
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