Breaking into Product Management: How to set yourself up for success

In 2013, after spending 3 years in the strategy consulting world, I was getting restless. As an engineer by training, I was itching to get back into a position that allowed me to follow projects from start to finish, and focus on execution. I embarked on a job search without knowing what the role of Product Manager was, or really what role I was looking for. I knew I needed more context so I began talking to anyone that either worked at a company I was interested in, or had a role I was interested in learning more about. I ended up sitting down with >20 business and technical professionals before I was introduced to the role of PM. It took another series of conversations and meetups to clarify the unique nature of the role and its variability company to company. When all was said and done, I spent a total of 6 months learning about the PM role, figuring out what I wanted, researching and networking, and ultimately locking down a job.

One of the biggest pitfalls I see from people looking to make a move into Product Management is a lack of a compelling story for why you are the right choice for the job. This often stems from a lack of understanding of the role of a product manager, as well as a lack of research into what the company needs. Breaking into Product Management is hard, no doubt about it. But there are some simple steps to follow to make the process a bit less painful.

Start with a plan

I often meet people who jump immediately into the job application process without a strategy for applying. If you are serious about making a move, start with a plan. I would argue you should spend almost as much time defining your job hunt strategy (including networking time), as time spent applying and interviewing. Set up a timeline for when you want to make a move (is it in the next 3 months? 6 months? 1 year?), and outline how much time you are willing to spend each week in the search process. Investing time upfront will ensure you focus on the opportunities align with your priorities.

Figure out what you want

This step is unfortunately often under appreciated. When I was going through my second job search I was given advice that helped simplify the seemingly endless possibilities that existed, and enabled me to better tailor my focus to companies and roles that were the right fit. A mentor told me to brainstorm a wishlist of characteristics for my next job and force rank them in order of importance. This helped me get a sense of what it is I cared most about and what I was willing to compromise.

Let’s take 6 common parameters people might think about in considering a job: 1) role/title, 2) the people you will work with, 3) the mission of the company, 4) the industry you work in, 5) compensation, and 6) work/life balance. Rank them in order of the level of importance in your next job.

What this exercise looked like for me:

1) People — I want to work with people who are smarter than me, fun to be around and are coworkers I respect. I will sacrifice all else to work with the right people.

2) Mission — I want to work on products that have a meaningful impact on society.

3) Role/title — I want to create a path to move into a product management role (although it wasn’t critical that it happen immediately)

4) Industry — I want to stay in the healthcare industry (I had been in the space for several years already)

5) Work/life balance — While I want better hours than my previous consulting experience, I am willing to put in nights and weekends

6) Compensation — As an unattached young person with some savings from my previous job comp is not as critical as other factors, at least in the first year. (I ended up focusing much more on equity compensation in my role as a negotiating factor to maximize other priorities).

Take note: you will have to compromise some items on your list, particularly if you are making a move into new territory (a new industry, a new role). How much you should compromise is a function of how well-qualified you are.

If you find an opportunity with 1 item from your priority list, you are likely short-changing yourself, move on;

If you find an opportunity with 2, that’s decent opportunity depending on the type of move you are making;

If you can find an opportunity that gives the top 3 things on your list, this is a solid opportunity;

and if you find an opportunity with >4 (that you are qualified for), pursue it with all you’ve got.

While the list of parameters might differ for individuals, the exercise of force-ranking and realizing what categories you are willing to compromise, can be extremely useful in helping to make sure your job search is focused, achievable and tailored to your long-term career aspirations.

Do your research

Once you know what it is you are looking for, and what is most important to you, you can start researching job opportunities and companies that are well aligned with your personal mission statement. Keep in mind, Product Management roles vary drastically company to company based a number of factors including industry, product lifecycle, technical skill set required, business model (consumer vs. enterprise for example), etc. Target the roles that play to your strengths and prioritize the key factors outlined from the exercise above.

I ended up targeting companies where I really respected the people I would be working with, and where I was very aligned with the mission of the company. Over the course of 3 months of conversations, I was able to find the opportunities that also afforded me the option to move into a Product Management role over time. I ended up taking a position at an early-stage healthcare tech startup, Augmedix. Initially the job offered my top priorities of people, mission and industry, however the role included non-product aspects that I had to compromise on while I proved I could thrive in a full-time Product Manager position over the first 4 months. After proving my capabilities I took on the role of the company’s first Product Manager, and ultimately built the Product team at Augmedix. It took an additional 2 years until I was able to better align work/life balance and compensation — the remaining 2 priorities on my list.

Think 2 steps ahead

One last piece of advice: landing a Product Management role, particularly if you are new to the game is often not a linear path. Depending on your experience and skill sets you may need to explore options outside of Product Management such as analytics, account management, or really any role that will help you deeply understand the users and business cases associated with your company’s product. In this case make sure the role positions you to be a better candidate for Product Management, and be upfront with your employer about your intentions and passion for product.

Lastly — network, network, network! Don’t be afraid to ask anyone to a coffee who can help explain their role, path to product management and industry expertise. When you find something that fits your criteria, don’t be afraid to jump at the opportunity. Product Management can be a scary unknown, but can be a rewarding career at the cross-section of engineering and business.