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Product Industry?

How can I get into the product industry?

women-in-tech product-management product-manager
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Franklin’s Answer

Finding an internship within tech as a whole is as great way to get started. Product managers have quite a spectrum of skills and you can hone them from outside the role as well to help you better break into product management. Product manager roles are also rarer than early career technical roles so be creative in how you reach your goal.
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Kristen’s Answer

Hi Caressa, Product managers work with developers, designers, and stakeholders. I would try and learn a little about everything- some coding, some design, and some business classes and then look for an internship in product management.
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Khadijah’s Answer

It's great to start in tech more broadly to build your experience since product manager roles often target people who have been in the industry for a few years and have prior knowledge. You can start as a developer, a tech consultant, program manager, etc. If the current place that you work/aiming to work has a PM role, I would make them aware that you are shooting for that position so they can put you on track for that, because it can be a role that people get promoted into.
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Atul’s Answer

When you state “product industry”, there are two possibilities:
1) Product Mngt
2) Product Mktg
For 1) it is better to have a technical background in the software industry and have developed software in the cybersecurity to be effective/productive.
You need skill sets to talk the same language as software engineers do and at the same time need industry knowledge to know trends from the competitors and trade shows.
You own the product and you have to forecast potential revenue for the product and each new feature. Customers will ask for many features and need the skill set to prioritize features based on revenue and value of the customer (how much business/revenue they generate).
I have seen many Product Managers who do not possess these skills and get fired very quickly. This is a high risk/reward job.
There are certifications for the Product Mngt. Many Univ also offer courses/major in the product mngt.

For 2) you need skill set to promote product via preparing data sheets, blogs, prepare relevant presentations and present at trade shows.
You may need to be highly technical but it helps to have a background. Always know what you know and be upfront about what you do not know. Do not fake it. Acquire knowledge, or seek help.
What you make and deliver should be driving the point. You do not want GIGO - Garbage in Garbage out.
You can have a BS in Computer Sc and can acquire MBA in Marketing.
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Shiri’s Answer

I've been looking into this as well, because I am considering going into product management.

From what I've been told, learning the technical side of things can be really useful. A product manager that I work with now started off as a technical writer, then became a business analyst, then moved on into being product manager. These first couple roles gave him the technical knowledge and skills to be able to work smoothly with the product engineers.

If I decide to go into this field, I will most likely work as a business analyst first for this reason. You can still become a product manager without these, I believe, but it might be more of a learning curve.
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Madeleine’s Answer

There are many different paths you can take to work in product. I personally started in customer service, and this can be a huge benefit because you always have the customer's perspective and pain points at the center of your decisions. I was able to transition because when I spoke to customers who were encountering problems, I wanted to figure out how to solve the root cause of the issue instead of just fixing this one issue. From there I started working with engineers and the eCommerce team regularly and made connections there to transition into product. Key skills that are transferable from customer service are quick problem-solving and multi-tasking.
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Becky’s Answer

Business analysis is a good role to start with in this field. I began my product career as a junior business analyst. In this role you learn skills around feature/product requirements gathering, roadmap building, dependency mapping, problem solving, prioritization, etc. In many cases you have a direct link to customers for first hand feedback. I went through the ranks in business analysis and into product management for more strategic product planning and execution but my background in business analysis really helped shape my career.
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Michael’s Answer

Internships help or being in the "product" area of a company. I've seen many people with specialized skills become product manager just by being near the product management proximity. For example, project managers that work with product / engineering teams can transition as with designers, engineers. If you're early on in your career and can't find an exact product role or internship, try to get as close to the function in the company and also network with the people in the product department to learn and see if you can interview for an entry level role.
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