{"id":13930,"date":"2022-07-06T13:34:52","date_gmt":"2022-07-06T11:34:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/?p=13930"},"modified":"2023-01-13T11:48:08","modified_gmt":"2023-01-13T10:48:08","slug":"product-manager-career-path","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/blog\/product-management\/product-manager-career-path\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is the Typical Product Manager Career Path?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Product management is one of the fastest-growing areas in business, and we\u2019re seeing an explosion of roles and job titles within the field. <\/span><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re looking to steer your own career towards product management, you might be wondering: <\/span>What is the typical product manager career path?<\/b><\/p>\n

Well, wonder no more. In this guide, we\u2019ll map out the trajectory your career might follow if you work in product management, exploring some of the most common roles and job titles along the way\u2014from associate product manager all the way through to chief product officer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We\u2019ll also share some advice for getting started in product management and carving out your own exciting, rewarding career path.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Just use the clickable menu to navigate as you please:<\/span><\/p>\n

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  1. What does a product manager do?<\/a><\/li>\n
  2. What professional backgrounds do product managers typically come from?<\/a><\/li>\n
  3. Is product management a good career path?<\/a><\/li>\n
  4. What is the typical product manager career path?<\/a><\/li>\n
  5. A closer look at different job titles along the product manager career path<\/a><\/li>\n
  6. How to get started in product management<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Ready? Let\u2019s begin with a quick overview of what the product manager role actually entails.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    1. What does a product manager do?<\/span><\/h2>\n

    Product managers are responsible for guiding a product or service throughout the product life cycle. The product life cycle covers the discovery and development of the product, its introduction to the market, and its subsequent growth, maturity, and decline.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    \"Graphic<\/p>\n

    The product manager\u2019s role is a strategic one. They figure out what needs to be built and why, weighing up end user needs and business goals. From there, they define the overarching vision for the product and determine how the success of the product will be measured.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Then, as the product goes through development, testing, and market launch, the product manager collaborates with different departments to ensure the product strategy is being fulfilled. It\u2019s a highly collaborative role; the product manager is essentially the go-to person for all things concerning the product.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Ultimately, the product manager is responsible for carrying out the <\/span>product management process<\/span> and ensuring that the product is successful in meeting the needs of the target audience and driving growth for the business.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    You can learn more about <\/span>what a product manager does in our guide<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    2. What professional backgrounds do product managers typically come from?<\/span><\/h2>\n

    Product management<\/span><\/a> is an extremely varied, multifaceted discipline, and it requires a diverse skillset. As such, there is no single route into the field\u2014nor do product managers come from one specific professional background.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    The role of the product manager touches on and draws from multiple disciplines: engineering and software development, business strategy, marketing, project management, and <\/span>user experience (UX) design<\/span><\/a>\u2014to name just a few! Product managers can come from any of these fields (and more).<\/span><\/p>\n

    As you can see, it\u2019s not so much a matter of your professional background, but rather, how you transfer your existing skills and apply them to product management. A 2022 report by Product School<\/a> found that\u00a050%<\/strong> of product managers have a background in non-product roles.<\/span><\/p>\n

    It\u2019s also important to note that the product manager role relies heavily on soft skills<\/strong>. The most successful product managers are excellent communicators and collaborators, critical thinkers, problem-solvers, researchers, and storytellers.<\/span><\/p>\n

    These skills aren\u2019t unique to product management, or any one field. You can learn them in all different roles and industries\u2014even those that are seemingly unrelated. Product management courses<\/a> do help in this by making sure that everyone has a firm grasp of the tools and skills required.<\/span><\/p>\n

    In short: Product managers come from a variety of professional backgrounds and fields of study<\/strong>. Every product manager is unique in the skills they bring to the role, and no two product manager career paths are the same.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    We\u2019ll look at how to get started with product management (no matter your professional background) in section five. Now, though, let\u2019s consider the path your product management career might follow once you\u2019ve broken into the field.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    3. Is product management a good career path?<\/span><\/h2>\n

    Now that you know what it involves and that there are plenty of routes into it, it’s worth asking “Is product manager a good career choice, now and in the future?”<\/p>\n

    The answer to that question is undoubtedly “Yes.” The combination of a good salary, job availability, and future demand for the role are just some of the reasons why you should choose the product manager career path.<\/p>\n

    If you’d like to hear a senior Product professional tell you some themselves, check out this video from CareerFoundry’s own Senior Product Owner, Zo\u00eb Canaras:<\/p>\n