What I Ordered Vs What I got: Product Management Career Episode
The assumptions I made before getting into the role and my reality today
After a year-long journey (probably longer) trying to transition to product management, I have now spent 9 months in the role. It has been an intense and exciting experience. Looking back now, I don’t remember all the reasons why I wanted to be a PM. I had done some research on no-code-required tech roles and it just seemed like the best fit for me. The struggle to find the first job is a story for another day. I had an idea of what life would be like e.g many meetings and constant communication, but I definitely got a few surprises. So here are my expectations and what my reality is.
Assumption 1: “I’m going to have all these great ideas and build cool stuff”
I thought I’ll just see something cool online and say “hey, we should totally do this for our users” and then do it. On presenting my ideas, I was always met with the question “What problem does this solve?” (In fact, that’s the first section in our PRD template). Like my manager says, the role of a PM is to solve problems. While those problems may require you to build innovative solutions, you shouldn’t start off being rigid about what you want to do without carefully considering “why”. I would only get approval when I could demonstrate that I clearly understood why that thing was important. In reality, rather than randomly generating new ideas, I’ve spent more time thinking “why are users not completing their profiles?” or “why are users not coming back after X months?” and solving those problems.
N.B: Not everything solves an existing problem. Some features/products help prevent problems in future or meet some of your other goals.
Assumption 2: “I’m going to work on everyone’s fave product and engage in cool Twitter banter”
I actually blame PiggyVest for this one (jk jk). But tbh, they seem to have customer loyalty on lockdown.
I knew I wanted to be a product manager at a startup and so the companies that were top of mind at the time were those that were hyper-visible on Twitter. Mostly fintech tho (you know them). Since I saw so much of them, I just assumed I would work there and have users be so excited about everything we do. Except I never saw a PM opening from them, and my attempts at using internal connections were futile. Then I saw an opening from Reliance and I applied and got in. If you’ve ever tried getting an entry-level PM job, you know the struggle is real. It is a great example of “anywhere bele face”
Reality: I work in health insurance today. Yep, health insurance. I wouldn’t have chosen this industry, but I’m super glad I’m here now. We’re not great with Twitter banter but I must say our reels game is on fire, check out our IG.
Assumption 3: “I’m going to work on new stuff only”
Somehow, it didn’t occur to me that since I would be working at an established company they would have ongoing projects that I would need to complete. I thought I’ll just start off on a fresh slate, but there I was, looking for old PRDs and demo videos so I could figure out how things work. To build anything new, you need to understand how the existing products work and their interdependencies. I have built some new stuff, but I’ve also worked on finding new/better ways to use our products.
Assumption 4: “I’m going to have the power to do whatever I like”
Technically, this is correct. But like they say, with great power comes great responsibility. While I can cook up ideas and get my design and engineering team to run with them, I think the harder task is understanding why I shouldn't do some things (yet). I had to learn how to prioritize and utilize my engineering resources efficiently. Then I learnt the importance of collaborating with other divisions so I don't change something that breaks another product.
Also, I work with my division lead and some other stakeholders who give their input before work is done. So I guess not as much power as I thought.
Assumption 5: “I’m going to be a product manager”
Well, that's what I put on my resume but on some days, I’m not sure what I do. I thought that I will only be a PM, but due to resource constraints, I’ve found myself playing the role of UX researcher, UX copywriter, UI designer, or even technical specialist at different times. For me, wearing multiple hats is doing things that nobody else will do because it's not their speciality but are necessary to get work done.
I think the ambiguity in the product management role leaves room for variance across companies. Also, depending on company size and stage, some roles are more specialised than others. E.g while one company might have an interaction designer, UI designer, UX designer and UX researcher, another might have one person doing all these things.
Assumption 6: “It’s just a job”
This is my fave because my reality couldn’t be more different. My work has become more like a mission. Everything is my business — design, engineering issues, customer support, social media, you name it. I feel like I have a child lol. Work hours don’t mean anything to me anymore since at 8:43 pm I’m randomly thinking “how can we do X better?”, “We need to do Y”, “what if we try Z?”
Maybe it's just me and my work ethic. I think the best jobs are the ones where you’re connected and you find the outcomes rewarding (by all means get your coins).
It's common for jobs to seem like one thing on the outside and then you have a different experience. For me, I can handle the surprises I’ve gotten so no complaints here. I hope you only get pleasant surprises.
