
{"id":12881,"date":"2022-04-20T18:35:25","date_gmt":"2022-04-20T16:35:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/?p=12881"},"modified":"2023-02-20T15:58:55","modified_gmt":"2023-02-20T14:58:55","slug":"what-does-a-product-manager-do","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/blog\/product-management\/what-does-a-product-manager-do\/","title":{"rendered":"What Does a Product Manager Do? Your Complete Career Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The product manager job title is fast becoming one of the hottest in business. From a hiring perspective, product managers are crucial to company growth and success. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For those in the job market, product management offers a varied, fast-paced, and rewarding career path.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>But what does a product manager actually do? <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What tasks and responsibilities do they typically take on, and what\u2019s their exact function within an organization?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Consider this your complete product manager career guide. We\u2019ll explain, in no uncertain terms, what a product manager does\u2014as well as the skills that are necessary to succeed in the role. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And, if you\u2019re reading about product management with your own career in mind, we\u2019ll share some tips for how you can get started as a product manager.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here\u2019s what we\u2019ll cover. If you&#8217;d like to skip ahead to a certain section, simply use the clickable menu:<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"#what-is-product-management\">What is product management?<\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"#what-does-a-product-manager-do-an-overview\">What does a product manager do? An overview<\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"#a-closer-look-at-product-manager-job-descriptions\">A closer look at product manager job descriptions<\/a>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"#spotify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Spotify<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"#netflix\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Netflix<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"#american-kennel-club\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">American Kennel Club<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"#what-does-a-product-manager-do-day-to-day-tasks-and-responsibilities\">What does a product manager do? Day-to-day tasks &amp; responsibilities<\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"#how-much-do-product-managers-earn\">How much do product managers earn?<\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"#what-skills-do-you-need-to-be-a-product-manager\">What skills do you need to be a product manager?<\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"#how-to-become-a-product-manager\">How to become a product manager<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So: What does a product manager do? Let\u2019s find out.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"what-is-product-management\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1. What is product management?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In a business or organization, the product management department is responsible for overseeing the entire life cycle of a product or service. Those who work in product management\u2014be it a solo product manager or an entire team\u2014guide and manage the planning, development, and launch of the product. They also continue to manage the product once it\u2019s on the market.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Product management is a strategic function. It\u2019s all about factoring in the end user needs and the business goals to develop a strategy and vision for the product which, ideally, satisfies both. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s a multidisciplinary field, spanning <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/blog\/ux-design\/what-is-user-experience-ux-design-everything-you-need-to-know-to-get-started\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">user experience (UX)<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, business, and technology. Product managers are required to wear many hats, making it a varied, fast-paced, and exciting field to be part of.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You\u2019ll find <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">a <a href=\"https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/blog\/product-management\/what-is-product-management\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">complete introductory guide to product management<\/a> (and the product life cycle) in this guide we&#8217;ve created<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Another way is to get a good sense of it is to let an expert explain. Let CareerFoundry&#8217;s own senior product owner Z\u00f6e talk you throw what a product manager does:<\/p>\n<style>.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }<\/style>\n<style>.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }<\/style>\n<div class=\"embed-container\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/O4TReKaJx50\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: block; height: 20px; width: 100%;\"><\/div>\n<h2 id=\"what-does-a-product-manager-do-an-overview\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2. What does a product manager do? The role in a nutshell<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The role of the product manager is to develop a strategy and a vision for the product or service, and to coordinate and oversee the implementation of that vision. They guide the development of the product to ensure that it not only meets the end user\u2019s needs, but also drives growth in line with business goals.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The product manager is the go-to person for anything relating to the product. They collaborate closely with many different stakeholders across the business\u2014including the leadership team, designers, developers, sales and marketing, and customer care teams. Ultimately, anyone who is involved with the product or service in some way will be in contact with the product manager.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In a nutshell, product managers:<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Understand both the end user\u2019s needs <\/span><b>and<\/b> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the overarching business goals<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Develop a strategy which guides the development and maintenance of successful products<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Coordinate all the moving parts of the product life cycle, from ideation and development, right through to launch and beyond<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Keep everybody in the organization aligned and working towards a common goal for the product<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So far, we\u2019ve offered a bird\u2019s-eye view of the product manager role. Now, let\u2019s zoom in even closer and take a look at some product manager job descriptions.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"a-closer-look-at-product-manager-job-descriptions\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3. A closer look at product manager job descriptions<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the best ways to gain an understanding of what a product manager actually does is to look at job ads. You can see what hiring managers typically expect from a product manager, and get an idea of how the role can vary from company to company.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So let\u2019s do just that. Here are some job descriptions based on real job ads that are live at the time of writing. If you&#8217;d like to check out more of these, we&#8217;ve got a<a href=\"https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/blog\/product-management\/product-manager-job-descriptions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> full guide to product manager job descriptions<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"spotify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Spotify<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Our first product manager job description comes from a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lifeatspotify.com\/jobs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">job ad posted by Spotify<\/span><\/a>. Specifically, this role is for a product manager to manage <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/artists.spotify.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Spotify for Artists<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, a platform which helps artists to curate their presence on Spotify, to understand their fanbase, and to grow their profile.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-12888\" src=\"http:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/01_Product-manager-role-at-spotify.png\" alt=\"Screenshot of a Product Manager role at Spotify.\" width=\"2846\" height=\"1284\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/01_Product-manager-role-at-spotify.png 2846w, https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/01_Product-manager-role-at-spotify-300x135.png 300w, https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/01_Product-manager-role-at-spotify-1024x462.png 1024w, https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/01_Product-manager-role-at-spotify-768x346.png 768w, https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/01_Product-manager-role-at-spotify-1536x693.png 1536w, https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/01_Product-manager-role-at-spotify-2048x924.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2846px) 100vw, 2846px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For the role, Spotify is looking for a product manager to define the strategy and execution of products to drive artist presence and build on existing features, to identify new opportunities to empower artists (i.e. the end user), and to collaborate cross-functionally to balance risk and value.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The product manager will be expected to \u201chandle a large scope of diverse problem spaces, inclusive of technical optimizations as well as strategy,\u201d and to \u201clearn the technology that powers Spotify for Artists tools and collaborate with the tech team to facilitate trade-offs between tech debt and new feature work.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Last but not least, the product manager will \u201cbuild a roadmap to drive real value for Artists, Fans, and Spotify, with milestones for success\u201d and \u201ccollaborate with cross-functional teams to evangelize product strategy and influence successful go-to-market.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-12904 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/02_Product-manager-role-at-spotify_tasks-962x1024.png\" alt=\"Screenshot of the tasks involved in the Product Manager role at Spotify.\" width=\"962\" height=\"1024\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/02_Product-manager-role-at-spotify_tasks-962x1024.png 962w, https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/02_Product-manager-role-at-spotify_tasks-282x300.png 282w, https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/02_Product-manager-role-at-spotify_tasks-768x818.png 768w, https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/02_Product-manager-role-at-spotify_tasks.png 1354w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 962px) 100vw, 962px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As you can see, the role of the product manager is strategic and collaborative, requiring excellent communication, prioritization, and problem-solving skills.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-12905 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/03_Product-manager-role-spotify_requirements-1024x991.png\" alt=\"Screenshot of the candidate description from a Product Manager role at Spotify.\" width=\"1024\" height=\"991\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/03_Product-manager-role-spotify_requirements-1024x991.png 1024w, https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/03_Product-manager-role-spotify_requirements-300x290.png 300w, https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/03_Product-manager-role-spotify_requirements-768x743.png 768w, https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/03_Product-manager-role-spotify_requirements.png 1350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Spotify describes the ideal candidate as someone who \u201cexcels in a fast-moving environment\u201d and is a \u201ccreative problem-solver who understands how to ship truly exciting consumer experiences through data-driven experimentation.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The product manager should also be user and data-focused, have an ability to build empathy with users, be a strong communicator, and have a proven track record of \u201cworking with ambiguous questions and breaking them down into concrete work streams.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bear in mind that this ad is for an experienced product manager, so the skills and expertise required are relatively advanced.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"netflix\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Netflix<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Our next example is a product manager job ad posted by streaming giant <a href=\"https:\/\/jobs.netflix.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Netflix<\/a>. In this particular role, the product manager will \u201cdesign, strategize, execute, and prioritize projects.\u201d They should be \u201ccomfortable in a fast-paced environment\u201d and be able to \u201cbuild consensus and alignment without being afraid to push ahead when there remain some critics.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This speaks to the careful balancing act that product managers must often perform: managing different needs, expectations, and opinions in order to prioritize effectively with the overarching goals in mind.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-12906\" src=\"http:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/04_Product-manager-role-at-Netflix.png\" alt=\"Screenshot of Product Manager job ad at Netflix.\" width=\"1754\" height=\"1174\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/04_Product-manager-role-at-Netflix.png 1754w, https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/04_Product-manager-role-at-Netflix-300x201.png 300w, https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/04_Product-manager-role-at-Netflix-1024x685.png 1024w, https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/04_Product-manager-role-at-Netflix-768x514.png 768w, https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/04_Product-manager-role-at-Netflix-1536x1028.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1754px) 100vw, 1754px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this role, the product manager is responsible for building a strategic roadmap and taking product concepts from idea through validation, shipping, measurement, and iteration. They are also expected to \u201cauthor strategy memos and presentations, and represent the team\u2019s work to senior executives.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Further responsibilities include leading a team of colleagues across design, engineering, consumer insights, and data science to \u201cdeliver outstanding products\u201d to Netflix\u2019s customers, as well as building business cases and measuring the impact of product innovation (in collaboration with data scientists).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The product manager must also \u201cdeeply understand and socialize the evolving needs of customers\u201d in partnership with designers.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-14238\" src=\"http:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/06_Product-manager-role-at-Netflix_wishlist-1-1.png\" alt=\"Screenshot of the &quot;wishlist&quot; section of a Netflix product manager job ad.\" width=\"1480\" height=\"920\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/06_Product-manager-role-at-Netflix_wishlist-1-1.png 1480w, https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/06_Product-manager-role-at-Netflix_wishlist-1-1-300x186.png 300w, https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/06_Product-manager-role-at-Netflix_wishlist-1-1-1024x637.png 1024w, https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/06_Product-manager-role-at-Netflix_wishlist-1-1-768x477.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1480px) 100vw, 1480px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Netflix describes the ideal candidate for this role as someone who has a passion for growth, pricing, and\/or behavioral economics, as well as a proven record of prioritizing and successfully launching impactful products or platforms.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Additional key qualities on the wishlist are \u201cthe ability to inspire, motivate, and lead a cross-functional team\u201d and \u201cexcellent verbal and written communication skills.\u201d The product manager must be equally comfortable \u201cusing data to inform priorities and evaluate impact of initiatives\u201d and have \u201cstrong instincts for outstanding customer experience.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"american-kennel-club\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">American Kennel Club<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now let\u2019s consider a junior product manager job description, posted by the American Kennel Club. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this role, the junior\/<a href=\"https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/blog\/product-management\/associate-product-manager\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">associate product manager<\/a> will \u201cact as the voice of the customer when decisions need to be made about strategy and priorities for future feature development, including keeping up-to-date with the market and competitors.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The ideal candidate should be \u201ccurious about developing a deep understanding of user-centered design\u201d and always be \u201clooking for ways to improve the experience of the user.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-12912 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/07_Product-manager-role-description_AKC-1024x218.png\" alt=\"Screenshot of Junior Product Manager job ad for the American Kennel Club.\" width=\"1024\" height=\"218\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/07_Product-manager-role-description_AKC-1024x218.png 1024w, https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/07_Product-manager-role-description_AKC-300x64.png 300w, https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/07_Product-manager-role-description_AKC-768x163.png 768w, https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/07_Product-manager-role-description_AKC-1536x327.png 1536w, https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/07_Product-manager-role-description_AKC.png 1768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In terms of day-to-day tasks, the American Kennel Club expects the junior product manager to help set product strategy, prioritize features, and develop and ship high-quality products in coordination with stakeholders, design, and development.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They are responsible for translating requirements from stakeholders into tasks and projects for the development team to tackle, working with the development team to \u201cusher tasks through the development workflow\u201d, and working with the UX design team to \u201cpropose both short- and long-term improvements for end users.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Additionally, this particular junior product manager role includes communicating project status to partners, performing quality control on products, and leading meetings and presentations with various groups.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-12913\" src=\"http:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/08_Product-manager-tasks_AKC.png\" alt=\"Screenshot of the primary job duties of Junior Product Manager role at American Kennel Club.\" width=\"1718\" height=\"534\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/08_Product-manager-tasks_AKC.png 1718w, https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/08_Product-manager-tasks_AKC-300x93.png 300w, https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/08_Product-manager-tasks_AKC-1024x318.png 1024w, https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/08_Product-manager-tasks_AKC-768x239.png 768w, https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/08_Product-manager-tasks_AKC-1536x477.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1718px) 100vw, 1718px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To excel in this role, the junior product manager must demonstrate working knowledge of market research, consumer behavior, and marketing techniques, as well as an ability to collaborate and coordinate with many different stakeholders.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In addition to strong interpersonal skills and user empathy (a common thread in all product manager job descriptions), this particular role requires general knowledge of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/blog\/web-development\/what-is-html-a-beginners-guide\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">HTML<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/blog\/web-development\/what-is-css\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CSS<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/blog\/web-development\/introduction-to-javascript\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">JavaScript<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, knowledge of <a href=\"https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/blog\/product-management\/product-management-tools\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">project management tools<\/a> like <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ji<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">r<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">a<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Trello<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, as well as a strong drive to learn on the job.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-12915 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/09_Product-manager-skills_AKC-1024x319.png\" alt=\"Screenshot of the candidate profile for a Product Manager job in the American Kennel Club.\" width=\"1024\" height=\"319\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/09_Product-manager-skills_AKC-1024x319.png 1024w, https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/09_Product-manager-skills_AKC-300x93.png 300w, https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/09_Product-manager-skills_AKC-768x239.png 768w, https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/09_Product-manager-skills_AKC-1536x478.png 1536w, https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/09_Product-manager-skills_AKC.png 1548w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As you can see from these three job ads, the product manager takes on a highly collaborative role that spans business, technology, user experience, and market research.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now we\u2019ve explored the product manager job description, let\u2019s compile our own list of the typical day-to-day tasks and responsibilities a product manager can expect. Onto section four\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"what-does-a-product-manager-do-day-to-day-tasks-and-responsibilities\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">4. What does a product manager do? Responsibilities &amp; day-to-day tasks<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The product manager guides a product or service through each stage of the product life cycle, and their day-to-day tasks will vary depending on what stage the product is at. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The product life cycle spans discovery and development of the product, introduction of the product to the market, growth (where demand for the product increases), maturity (when initial growth begins to stabilize), and eventually, decline.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-24013\" src=\"http:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Product_life_cycle.png\" alt=\"Graphic showing the 5 stages of the product life cycle.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Product_life_cycle.png 1920w, https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Product_life_cycle-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Product_life_cycle-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Product_life_cycle-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Product_life_cycle-1536x864.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What are the responsibilities of a product manager?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Generally, the product manager is responsible for:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Understanding and advocating for the end user\u2019s needs<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gathering and managing ideas which come from different stakeholders and departments<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Developing an overall vision and direction for the product<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Writing product specifications\u2014a document which sets out the requirements of the product, outlining what will be built and why, what the new product or feature should achieve, and how success will be measured<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/blog\/product-management\/product-roadmap-guide\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Creating a product roadmap<\/a> (i.e. the strategic plan of action for the product)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Prioritizing what should be built and when, based on user needs and business goals<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Working closely with the design and development teams to oversee the development of the product<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Running analytics and experiments to gauge how the product is performing and to find opportunities for improvement<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Capturing and organizing user feedback<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What are the day-to-day tasks of a product manager?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Within these broader areas of responsibility, the day-to-day tasks of a product manager may include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Curating and managing an ideas backlog, prioritizing which problems to solve and when based on wider company goals and user needs<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Conducting market and competitor research<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Working with engineers and designers to define product requirements\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Defining success metrics for the product<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Translating stakeholder requests and requirements into tasks and projects for the development team<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Writing <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.atlassian.com\/agile\/project-management\/user-stories\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">user stories<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in collaboration with engineers\/developers and turning them into tickets (i.e. tasks) to be worked on<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Creating a product roadmap to lay out the product vision and set goals and milestones for the development of the product<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Working closely with customers, stakeholders, designers, and engineers <a href=\"https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/blog\/product-management\/proof-of-concept\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">to build proof of concepts<\/a> and prototypes, give and receive feedback, and refine product requirements<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Communicating with (and often presenting to) the leadership team to secure approval for product initiatives<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Building strong cross-functional relationships, advocating for the product roadmap, and gathering input from other teams<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Helping to design and run experiments, and commissioning customer insights and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/blog\/ux-design\/how-to-conduct-user-experience-research-like-a-professional\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">user research<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to inform product decisions<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Working closely with marketing and sales teams to drive adoption of the product by new customers\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Identifying opportunities for product improvements, changes, and additions<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Acting as the number one point of contact for anything relating to the product<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The exact tasks carried out by a product manager will depend on the size and setup of the product management team and the wider organization\u2014as well as on seniority level.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Either way, all product managers can expect to collaborate closely with many different stakeholders, to play a hand in shaping the vision and strategy of the product, to delve into user research and customer needs, and to be responsible for managing and prioritizing the development of the product.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"how-much-do-product-managers-earn\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">5. How much do product managers earn?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Not only do product managers enjoy a varied, rewarding career path; they also have the potential to earn well, too. So what is the average product manager salary?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to data from <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.indeed.com\/career\/product-manager\/salaries?from=top_sb\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Indeed<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the <\/span><b>average product manager salary in the United States comes in at just over $108,000 per year<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here\u2019s how product management salaries can vary based on seniority level:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Junior product manager salary:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> $68,156 per year<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Associate product manager salary: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$72,656 per year<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Product manager salary: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$91,276 per year<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Senior product manager salary: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$126,374 per year<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Director of product salary: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$162,788<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b><a href=\"https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/blog\/product-management\/principal-product-manager\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Principal product manager<\/a> salary: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$172,880 per year<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>VP of product management salary: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$191,021<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For the average product manager salaries around the world, and for different positions, check out our <a href=\"https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/blog\/product-management\/product-manager-salary\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">full product manager salary guide<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"what-skills-do-you-need-to-be-a-product-manager\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">6. What skills do you need to be a product manager?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As we\u2019ve seen, the role of the product manager is a varied one, spanning multiple disciplines. The best product managers are excellent communicators, relationship-builders, and problem-solvers. They have some technical know-how, are familiar with user experience principles, and are comfortable working with data.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We\u2019ve rounded up all of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/blog\/product-management\/product-manager-skills\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the most important product manager skills in this guide<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and here they are at a glance:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Technical know-how:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Product managers don\u2019t need to be able to code, but they <\/span><b>do<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> need to be able to collaborate closely with developers. It\u2019s important to have at least a basic understanding of the development process and the technology behind your product.<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>A user-centric mindset and an understanding of UX principles: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Product managers must advocate for the end user\u2019s needs throughout the product life cycle, so a user-centric mindset is a must. Equally, it\u2019s important to understand <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/blog\/ux-design\/the-ux-design-process-an-actionable-guide-to-your-first-job-in-ux\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the UX design process<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and fundamental UX principles. <\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Business acumen and strategic thinking: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While advocating for the user, product managers are also responsible for driving growth for the business. They need to be strategic, think critically, and be well-versed in key business metrics. <\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>An ability to problem-solve: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Problem-solving is a constant in the product manager role. In addition to solving user problems, product managers apply their problem-solving skills internally to optimize processes and overcome organizational, technical, and operational constraints. <\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Excellent interpersonal skills: <\/b>Product managers are in touch with different stakeholders on a daily basis, whether it\u2019s presenting new ideas, sharing status updates,\u00a0or gathering feedback. If you want to be a successful product manager, you\u2019ll need to hone your communication, collaboration, and presentation skills.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The list of skills required of a product manager may seem overwhelming, but don\u2019t let that deter you. Many of these skills are transferable and can be developed in unrelated fields. You probably possess a few of them already! With that, let\u2019s take a look at how you can get started in product management.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"how-to-become-a-product-manager\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">7. How to become a product manager<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019ve enjoyed reading about the role of the product manager, you might be wondering: How can you break into this exciting field?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The most important step is to develop the essential product management skills. Start with plenty of background reading and topic exploration through blogs, books, and podcasts. From there, consider a <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/short-courses\/become-a-product-manager\/\">free introductory product management course<\/a>\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">to move from theory towards practical learning.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And, if you\u2019re intent on making a career change and landing a job in the field, it\u2019s worth completing an <a href=\"https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/blog\/product-management\/product-management-certification\/\">official product management certification<\/a><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. This will guide you through a structured learning path, equip you with the hands-on skills employers are looking for, and leave you with <a href=\"https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/blog\/product-management\/product-manager-portfolio\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">a professional portfolio<\/a> and a recognizable qualification to demonstrate your expertise.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019d like to learn more about how to break into the field, we\u2019ve put together <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/blog\/product-management\/how-to-become-a-product-manager\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">a step-by-step guide on how to become a product manager<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That just about concludes our exploration of the product manager role. Hopefully you now have a clear idea of what a product manager actually does, as well as the skills you\u2019ll need to make it in this exciting field.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>If you&#8217;d like to learn more about the world of product management, take a look at these articles:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/blog\/product-management\/product-manager-vs-product-owner\/\">What&#8217;s the difference between a product manager and a product owner?<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/blog\/product-management\/product-owner-salary\/\">Our in-depth guide to product owner salaries and how to negotiate a better one<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/blog\/product-management\/stakeholder-management\/\">What is Stakeholder Management? A Guide for Product Managers<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The product manager job title is fast becoming one of the hottest in business. From a hiring perspective, product managers are crucial to company growth and success. For those in the job market, product management offers a varied, fast-paced, and rewarding career path. But what does a product manager actually do? What tasks and responsibilities [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":12950,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"yes","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[55],"tags":[79],"class_list":["post-12881","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-product-management","tag-product-page-product-management"],"acf":{"homepage_category_featured":false},"modified_by":"Matthew Deery","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12881","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12881"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12881\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":32340,"href":"https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12881\/revisions\/32340"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12950"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12881"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12881"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12881"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}