» Larger companies are far more likely to hire for intern, junior or associate level PM positions, but competition will be greater
» Product success comes from the way its product manager makes decisions, thinks, communicates and relates
Getting your first job as a product manager can seem impossible. Thankfully it’s not! I share my advice on how to break into a career in product management.
» Early in your career, focus on building one skill at a time
» Find out what a company’s really like by meeting a contact there informally before the interview
» Practice experts can enjoy a varied career, but may find it harder to work in some domains
» As a product leader, what are your identity, superpower, mission and impact?
“Hi Jock, I’m currently applying for loads of product manager jobs. I’ve received an offer from a sales-led company where the Product team reports in to Sales. Should I take the job?”
Because so much of product management is about working with people, it’s important to take time to reflect on the kind of first impression you make to those people. In this latest entry for my series of 100 things I’ve learned about product management, I pass on my coaching advice to help you make the best possible impression every time.
» When starting your next role, gather opinions and evaluate them before making your own appraisal of the state of the product
» Think of your first month’s activity in terms of people, product and personal
» The transition from product manager to leader requires many new skill sets
» To set up a new starter in your team for success, be clear on their role and goals
I’m often involved in the interviewing and hiring process, so I’d like to share with you my product leader’s guide to interviewing product managers.
Starting a new product manager job can be daunting, particularly if you don’t change jobs very often. I work freelance, so I find myself in a new organisation roughly every 3-6 months. Let me share with you my tips for your first few months in a new role.
“I was looking for inspiration and guidance as I am searching for a career change and Product Management/ Project Management are my areas of interest. I was looking to understand if in such roles technical skills are required.”
» Qualifying yourself to be a product manager
» Finding a product manager job
» Janna’s advice on how to get into product management
» Landing and starting a new product manager job
» What it’s like working at a startup
» Job fairs and job boards
