There are moments when I think the product management career is too ambiguous. And navigating it can be a lonely journey.
Without product managers, a company will not collapse right away (think software companies without software engineers to see the contrast). It is not easy to pinpoint the value they bring to the table.
Also, what product managers experience varies so widely among companies that it can be hard to cross-reference.
For the past years, I have been navigating the product management career through trials and errors. Looking back, there are a few lessons I would like to share with my younger self.
All roads lead to Rome; but there are roads which are shorter than others.
What makes a good junior product manager vs what makes a good senior product manager
Junior PMs
For a junior product manager (roughly less than 3 years of experience), good logical thinking ability, communication, and stakeholder management skills are the most important qualities.
If you apply for a product manger job after 1–2 years of work experience, the qualities mentioned above are most likely what hiring managers are looking for.
Relevant domain experience is a plus, but not a must.
This is because you are hired for your potentials. The expectation is that you will learn fast and fit in well.
Senior PMs
As you transit to mid-senior (3–5 years of experience) and senior (more than 5 years of experience) product manager roles, relevant knowledge to the domain of interest matters a lot.
I would like to classify domain knowledge into two categories: business know-how and technical know-how.
If you have been a product manager in financial services such as loans, the understanding of how the loan business works is the business know-how you might have.
If you have been a data product manager, the understanding of big data tech stack might be the technical know-how you possess.
You will need a combination of both. But depending on the roles, the depth of understanding for each category can vary.
A growth product manager role tends to require an intimate understanding of what drives user adoption and retention for that specific business.
On the other hand, a payment channel integration product manager role needs you to have prior experience integrating with banks and payment gateways.
The difference in expectation is because a more senior product manager is expected to contribute their expertise to the team, and help shape its direction.
The implication
Being aware of this difference helps you realise that after a certain point in your product management career, there is a need to focus on a particular domain to deepen your expertise. Otherwise, it is hard to progress.
And you might be thinking:
“I do not even know there are different types of product managers, not to mention having to pick an area of specialise in!”
If you are considering a career switch to product management, or if you are a PM searching for the next adventure and would like to have someone partner you in the preparation process, do check out my PM interview preparation service here.
