In the last five years alone, interest in Product Management positions has doubled. This isn’t overly surprising — Product Management professionals have an extremely important role. They perform research, connect with customers, create product prototypes and handle many aspects of an official product launch.
In other words, it’s almost impossible to sell products without a Product Management team.
Depending on the size of the company, a Product Management team might be made of several different team members. Most Product Management teams have a director or a team lead, who provide direction for Product Managers, Analysts, Engineers and Marketers.
Almost anyone can find a rewarding career in Product Management. With the right attitude, and the right combination of skill and strategy, it’s only a matter of time before you discover the Product Management career you deserve.
What skills do I need for a career in Product Management?
Product Management educator Martin Eriksson calls Product Management “the intersection between business, technology, and user experience”.
What does that mean?
To succeed in Product Management, you’ll need skills in those three fields: business, technology and user experience.
Here’s are some of the skills you might need in a Product Management setting:
- Product Vision — Creating roadmaps that outline how products will be created, tested and released to the market
- Goal-setting — Setting objectives for product sales, and for the individual team members who help create the products
- Research — Investigating customer needs to create products that solve them
- Marketing — Launching and optimizing marketing campaigns that introduce new customers to your products
- Interpersonal communication — Speaking with internal team members, customers and executives about product details, market success and future product changes
- Time management — Balancing your workload between creating new products, improving existing products and reporting to company stakeholders
- Delegation — Assigning tasks to other team members, particularly product team members with specialized roles like research or data analysis
You may also need other skills, depending on your position. For example, if your company sells software products you may also need skills in web development and programming.
Once you develop the skills you need to succeed in a Product Management position, it’s time to find the right career.
What Product Management careers should I consider?
Product Management is a field with several different career options. If you enjoy data tracking, you might enjoy a career as a Product Analyst. If you prefer to spend time communicating with customers about their needs, you might prefer a career as a Product Manager. If you want to create the physical products a company sells, you might want more information on a Product Engineer career.
Each Product Management position has its own benefits, challenges and opportunities. Learn more about some of the most popular Product Management careers below:
Product Manager
Product Managers have many different responsibilities in a Product Management environment. They serve as the glue that connects customers, product engineers, sales representatives and customer support systems.
As a Product Manager, you’ll set the strategy and the pace for members of the product team. You’ll create timelines so that products are created, tested and released to the market on time.
Average Salary: $127,600+
Product Analyst
Product Analysts read through data, to identify trends that can help improve products. For example, Product Analysts might analyze data on customer preferences, to identify the new features that customers might want in future products.
As a Product Analyst, you have an important role in helping your company make decisions about their products. You’ll use data to help determine which products to continue, which to discontinue and which to improve.
Average Salary: $79,100+
Product Engineer
Product Engineers rely on skills in product design, problem-solving and creative thinking to create the products a company sells. You’ll work behind the scenes to develop your company’s products and troubleshoot any problems with those products.
As a Product Analyst, you’ll use your knowledge of the industry to come up with new and exciting product ideas. You’ll also help to design product prototypes and find ways to improve products that your company already takes to market. If you’re interested in creating the products your company sells, a Product Engineer position might be right for you.
Average Salary: $91,400+
Product Designer
Product Designers oversee the complete product design process. They use specific tools to design product details — including product colors, features, textures and words — according to your company’s brand guidelines.
As a Product Designer, you’ll lead your company through all phases of product design. Depending on your company, you might handle journey maps, wireframes and prototype designs. If your products contain technology, you might also design the interface that customers will see.
Average Salary: $140,300+
If you’re new to the Product Management field, you’ll likely start as an Associate Product Manager or a Junior Product Manager. Both of these roles help to support Product Managers, giving you the freedom to learn from more experienced Product Management professionals.
With more experience, you’ll become a Product Manager. Product Managers can become Senior Product Managers with even more experience, and a proven track record of product success.
Advancing beyond a Senior Product Manager role usually means moving into a leadership position. These upper management roles include Director of Product, Vice President of Product and Chief Product Officer (CPO) positions.
How do I start a career in Product Management?
You’re four steps from a career in Product Management:
1. Develop your experience and skills
You don’t always need a degree to make a name for yourself in the Product Management world. With the right fellowship program, you can develop the skills — and earn relevant Product Management experience — without paying for a four-year degree.
2. Create positive work relationships
One of the best ways to begin, or deepen, your Product Management role is by building meaningful relationships with other Product Management professionals. Take time to learn from your coworkers, particularly people in leadership positions.
Ask questions about how they make decisions, how they motivate team members and how they create products that last. Creating positive relationships with other Product Management employees helps build your network, which is valuable whenever you’re looking for advice, ideas or new opportunities.
3. Stay flexible
Even the best products don’t last forever. One week, a product might be very popular. In the next week, that product might not sell. It’s important to stay flexible as a Product Management professional. You need to be able to adapt so you don’t fall out of touch with your customers. If customer needs change, you should be flexible enough to exchange your products as a result.
4. Find quality education
If you’re serious about building or advancing your career in Product Management, you’ll need the right education. Take your career into your own hands and find a Product Management Bootcamp that teaches the skills you’ll need to thrive. The best Product Management bootcamps help keep your skills sharp and allow you to learn from some of the world’s best product managers.
Our Product Management Bootcamp does all of the above — it helps you improve your skills, connect with other professionals and gives you the power to earn the salary you deserve. We’ll also help you earn entry into our Product Management Fellowship program, where you’ll automatically begin a Product Management career working as a fellow for an industry-leading employer.
If you’re looking to stand out in a competitive industry, and increase your salary potential without traditional schooling, we’re ready to help. Connect with our Admissions team today to get started.
