Any product managers out there?

[Dogandbabymama]

I’m thinking of changing careers to become a product manager. Currently work for the civil service, and am a bit fed up and would like something that will eventually pay more and allow more wfh options.

If you’re already a PM, do you like it? What are the long term career opportunities like? I would eventually like to become a senior manager in a company - is this possible as a PM? Any tips at all gratefully received!

I'm not a product manager but dh is a director of product management in an international company so yes, you can work your way up to mainly managing people.

What is your skillset/qualifications? I would say some of the main skills required, other than the standard communication skills, are strategic thinking, prioritisation, analytics and research and a strong user focus. While you don't need to be technically expert, you do need to be able to understand the technology. You need to be good at the big picture but also be good with details.

Yes, I am a PM. I've done it for nearly 15 years, though in the early days I was in ECommerce type roles (ultimately the Product Owner). Prior to that I worked in digital marketing for a number of years so have been in digital industry for 20+ years.

To answer your q, I've enjoyed my roles/career but after doing it for so long I've decided to pivot slightly away from it. I am now managing a couple of Product Owners, but I am moving into a more senior/business strategy/management role that will option up other opportunities in the long term.

I find the industry very 'young' and there are plenty of younger people looking to climb the ladder quickly. Being a 40 something with kids, I'm starting to feel a bit old in the position TBH. I reflected on the situation this year and really can't see myself working as a PM until my 60s and onwards, hence another recent to diversify my experience. I would think about your age/life stage as part of this decision.

Going back to the role, no day is ever the same. It's very busy and you need to be able to juggle lots of things at once. Stakeholder management/relationship building is critical; do not go anywhere near this role if you aren't confident you can deal with tricky stakeholders and get them on side. Having strong data skills is important too, to analyse performance and drive your prioritisation.

There is loads more I can say, you're welcome to DM me if you want to chat.

Thanks for your super useful replies!

My background is in data analysis so I think I’d be quite well placed. I haven’t done very techie roles though, but think I’d be able to grasp the technical elements of the role to a degree. Qualifications - wise I have a BA and MSc in social science subjects. My organisation are offering to train PMs up internally, hence why I’m thinking about it now.

The age point is super interesting @yoshiblue - I’m in my late thirties with 2 kids, so if I moved into industry would likely feel the same way you do. Although it’s reassuring to hear from both of you that it’s possible to move into more senior roles from being a PM.

Forgot to ask @yoshiblue and @OchonAgusOchonOh - do you/your DH wfh much?

in essence it's project work and around deadlines you can forget about your private life.
also you might get shouted at if change management is not well supported.

it's great for a couple of years though and the skills are very transferable and desirable.

Thanks @greenacrylicpaint. Can I ask what sort of role you transferred into afterwards?

Dh's last job was fully wfh. His current job is a mix but the team he works with is mainly based in the US so he really only goes in once or twice a week for a bit of variety. However, some companies are quite keen on co-location so depends on the company really.

I'm a senior product manager/ product owner in med tech. I enjoy it, but it helps that I'm passionate about the end product and changes/ new products have a clear path to helping our customers and their patients.
But PdM can be a thankless job - when it all goes well then marketing or the management take the kudos, when things aren't going well everyone blames product management - and there are a lot of stakeholders to manage.
My engineering teams are globally located, and I've wfh since 2007 - but precovid was with them a lot and it really can't be replaced virtually

I WFH mostly, in once per week but I’m starting to travel to other offices more. There is definitely more of a push to move PMs in various businesses back to the office. Only software engineering tend to have more sway to stay at home more often. Note this is across lots of businesses, as I’m friends with a lot of PMs!!!

If you’re being offered the opportunity to train as a PM through work, it sounds like a good option. I wonder in the civil service if they are struggling to recruit/retain PMs. When I’ve looked the salaries are too low for me (outside the pension option) and I’ve decided on a different industry.