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Nowadays, one of the most popular jobs in the product field is product manager. With an increasing number of companies depending on product management to spearhead their overall progress, it's no wonder you might be considering a career in product management.
If you are wondering how to become a product manager with no experience, this guide will help you learn all the essentials for embarking on this path, regardless of your current knowledge in product management.
Let’s start with a brief introduction to the niche.
In a nutshell, product management has a vital role within companies that offer product design. Product management’s primary goal is to oversee and monitor a product's journey from its initial conception and planning stages to its delivery and launch phases.
Product management aims to align with the company’s goals and objectives while also satisfying end-user needs. It’s an interdisciplinary field combining multiple elements of business, technology, data analysis, user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) design.
Professionals who work in this field should have a clear vision of how to develop a specific product and should know how to develop successful work strategies.
Product managers have dynamic daily tasks that steer the entire product creation process.
Their role involves generating, organising, and prioritising new product or feature ideas. While they do all that, product managers must keep a close eye on both user requirements and the business goals and objectives.
Product managers analyse and monitor key performance indicators during the product design phase and create a roadmap hand in hand with the design team. Developing roadmaps is one of the essential tasks of product managers since they portray the product's vision and the strategy for bringing the product to life.
Once the roadmap is set, product managers focus on the product development. In most cases, they collaborate extensively with various internal stakeholders, company managers and leaders, including designers, engineers, marketing teams, etc.
Product managers are often in close contact with a product's CEO. They are the primary point of contact for all matters related to the product, especially if it’s a small-scale company.
Here’s a brief list of the skills you’ll need to be proficient in to be a successful product manager.
In-depth knowledge of product development and design: Product managers must have experience in all product development and design stages. They also need to know user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) design principles.
Strategic planning and thinking: One of the primary roles of product managers is strategic planning on developing a specific product. Therefore, being familiar with how to develop strategic planning strategies is a must.
Knowledge in data analysis: Product managers need prior experience in data analysis and research. Product managers should know how to gather and interpret various types of data to gain insights into user wants and needs and develop product-related decisions.
Soft skills: Good communication skills are essential and indispensable for product managers. Top-notch professionals in this field are almost always distinguished by their communication, teamwork, and narrative skills. These individuals will engage with various stakeholders regularly, so they should know how to communicate, show empathy with team members and pitch their ideas.
The list below contains tips and tricks on launching a successful product manager career, even if you’re a complete rookie in the field.
First, you’ll need to gain essential knowledge in product management. If you have no prior experience in the product design or management field, you should start with courses, podcasts and publications for beginners.
It’s essential to learn the basic concept of product design and familiarise yourself with all the steps managers and designers must go through during the product development stage.
Several platforms offer product management and design certificates catering to professionals seeking to enhance their skills and credentials. You can check out courses available on the following platforms:
Coursera: Many courses available on Coursera are developed by renowned universities and organisations. You can find specialised product management and design courses, often with certificates upon completion.
Udemy: This is a popular online learning platform with a wide range of courses in product management and design. They offer certificates for completed courses.
LinkedIn Learning: LinkedIn is more than just a website where you can build a professional profile and find a job or internship. It also provides courses in various business, creative, and technology skills, including product management and design. Once you complete one of their product design or management courses, you’ll get a certificate that can be added to your LinkedIn profile.
Cultivating a network is a strategic move that can enhance your career prospects and skill set. Engaging with a community of peers offers many benefits, from skill enhancement to mentorship and even job discovery.
Give these approaches a try to expand your network effectively:
Participate in product management groups: Joining groups dedicated to product management can be immensely beneficial. These platforms are excellent for exchanging ideas, discussing challenges, and staying updated with the latest industry trends. Membership often grants access to resources that can sharpen your skills and keep you ahead in the field.
Attend industry-specific events or seminars: Mark your presence at relevant industry gatherings and seminars. These events are not just about absorbing new information; they're also about connecting with fellow professionals. They offer a unique opportunity to engage with industry leaders, discover innovative concepts in product management, and even stumble upon new job openings.
Forge connections with experienced product managers: Establishing a network with experts in the field can be incredibly valuable, especially if you’re a beginner. They can offer guidance and share first-hand insights based on their rich experiences. Also, they can introduce you to new job opportunities and other experts in product design.
After you complete several courses and get a certificate, you can start building your product design and management portfolio from scratch. Your portfolio is an ideal platform to introduce yourself, showcase your past experiences, and highlight your strengths and capabilities as a product manager.
You can start by transforming your projects into case studies and displaying them on a personal website. The easiest way to build a website from scratch is to use a website builder with pre-made templates, such as Wix or Behance.
It's worth noting that top-tier product management courses often include hands-on projects, ideal for inclusion in your product design portfolio.
When you prepare your portfolio, don’t forget to network and get in touch with individuals who already have experience in the field. The easiest way to do that is by reaching out through forums on Reddit or connecting with individuals and companies that have a LinkedIn profile.
Once you acquire all the essential software tool skills, earn a professional product design certificate, create your first portfolio, and do a little networking in the product design industry, the next step is to secure your first internship or entry-level job in product management.
When you apply for open positions, focus on tailoring your resume for product management roles. You can do that by emphasising your knowledge of software tools or by mentioning your soft skills that would most likely be relevant to the job openings you are seeking.
Your resume and cover letter for product management should demonstrate that you possess relevant and transferable skills, even if you’re a newcomer with no job experience.
Once your resume and cover letter ideas are all set, you're ready to apply for product management roles. Some of the best websites where you can find remote and in-person job and internship opportunities are:
If you’re interested in learning more about product design, check out the latest articles on our blog.