Product management is one of the best non-programming roles in the tech industry, and tech is one of the most exciting to work in. It develops skills that are more widely applicable than a software engineer role and offers comparable pay. Programming experience is not required, but it is also a great next step for software engineers.
Benefits:
Gain valuable skills, especially the soft skills needed for leadership positions that are more difficult to develop in technical jobs
Early career influence and responsibility
Relatively well paid (similar to software engineering, less so than quantitative trading, senior law and consulting)
University level programming and quantitative skills are not required
Inconveniences:
Can be stressful and involve many things at once
Possible loss of professional skills
Key information about Fit:
Experience working in a technology company; exceptional people and communication skills (for example, you have successfully led teams in the past); the ability to manage your many conflicting demands on time. If you already work in technology, try moving into product management at your current company or applying for product management jobs at other companies. Check out this detailed explanation of what Product Management is and this guide on how to get a job. How is it different from other related roles?
Product managers differ from these related roles in the following ways:
Vs Product Manager:
Product managers often also manage projects, but the roles are distinct. The difference is that product managers determine what needs to be built, while project managers coordinate plans that are already decided.
vs User Experience Designer:
The product manager defines the overall goal of the product and coordinates the various teams, while the user experience designer focuses on talking to the user and turning that understanding into a design to deployment. The two often work closely together, and product managers need to have a clear understanding of what users want. Why go into product management?
Acquire valuable transferable skills that can be used to work directly on a variety of critical issues
Product managers develop skills that apply to a wide range of jobs, with exceptionally good organizational and communication skills, as well as a good understanding of software. They also find out how many departments operate in software companies – they frequently work with engineers, designers, senior management, sales, marketing and customer support.
Tech companies are also great places to learn about existing best practices and connect with talented people. This is because they tend to hire people who are highly skilled and have a culture of optimization and improvement. This is especially true at high levels
growing startups or high-growth startups (like Google or Airbnb).
Product management in social impact startups:
There are tech startups that have the potential to make a huge impact, like Wave and Segovia.
The technology startup ship:
The skills of a product manager closely resemble those of a non-technical co-founder of a software startup. A tech business gives you the opportunity to both earn a very high income (make money to give) and have a significant direct impact through technology.
Project management and management roles in high performance organizations:
The project management and communication skills that product managers learn enable them to move into management roles in a variety of high-performing organizations. This will include working in an effective altruistic organization.
