How to Become a Product Manager


Speak to five different product managers and you’ll hear five different stories about how they “broke into” this highly in-demand tech role. This is one of the tricky things about product management, but also where the opportunity lies: the path to becoming a product manager is not as straightforward as it is for many other roles.
In this guide, we’re not only going to clarify how to become a product manager, but also look closely at:
- The skills, knowledge, and attributes needed to succeed as a product manager
- Globally recognized certifications
- Top product management programs, pulled from the best product management certifications
- Common career paths within product management
- The work environment
- Salary expectations
While a product manager is generally seen as a “jack-of-all-trades,” they do have key roles and responsibilities they must fulfill.
Product managers work with multidisciplinary teams to define and build digital products (websites, mobile applications, APIs, etc.) that provide value for their customers and users and assist their business with reaching its goals. This is why business strategy is a vital skill for product managers, because everything they do needs to connect to a company’s bottom line.
The product manager’s day-to-day work centres around three key responsibilities:
- Remaining customer focused
- Making data-driven decisions
- Managing key stakeholders
It’s these three activities that enable product managers to effectively perform their job. With these, they can understand their customers’ needs, define and launch impactful digital solutions, and make product improvements after a product launches to achieve desired customer and business goals.
Frequently asked questions
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What does the future for product management look like?
It looks very bright. Business leaders continue to realize the benefit that product managers provide to organizations. Product management currently ranks #10 as the most popular job in the US with 17,000 jobs available at the time of this publishing.
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What’s the fastest way to become a product manager?
There are many routes to becoming a product manager, however one of the fastest routes is by transitioning internally inside of your company. If your company has a product management team, express your interest and create a transition plan with your manager to support this goal.
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Do I need a business degree or an MBA to become a product manager?
Not necessarily. While they are beneficial assets to have (though not required), many have broken into the role from a different background. There are specific courses in product management though which you can check out here on CourseCompare.
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What is the difference between a project manager and a product manager?
A product manager is a jack of many trades that works with cross-functional teams to prioritize and define digital solutions that solve customer and business problems. A project manager oversees a project; the start date, end date, and resources of an initiative ensuring that it is seen to completion and success.