So, you want to become a PM. But, you haven’t coded, and you didn’t go to a brand-name school. You’re not sure you can do this.
Are you curious and hardworking? Then you can.
Here’s your process:
1. Develop a long-term plan
2. Put in the extra work
3. Develop PM experience
1. The first thing you need to do is develop a long-term plan. Start with a realistic, strong goal: You are looking for an entry-level PM role at a growing tech company.
Now, ladder back from that goal to yourself. What are the gaps in your skillset? PMs must have:
– Tech chops
– Business knowledge
– Product & design sense
– Teamwork skills
– And EQ
Many people coming from alternate backgrounds are strong in teamwork and EQ. Emphasize that in interviews! But, the long-term plan is about filling the gaps. To fill in the gaps, you have to put in the extra work.
2. Let’s start with extra work for tech chops. You should start reading the top tech newsletters: Not Boring, The Generalist, and Stratechery. You should also start building things in code. Start with something simple you are passionate about.
Then, there is extra work for business knowledge. You should begin learning about the marketing, analytics, and user research concepts you are weakest on.
Finally, you should improve your product sense. Read product newsletters like Lenny’s and mine. Then, go about asking yourself in normal life: Whom is this product built for? What is the job to be done it has solved?
3. Now that you’ve spent 6 months building your skills, it’s time to put a bow on the efforts with an experience you can put on your resume. Build a product, start a company around it, and list yourself on LinkedIn as the founder and product person.
Spend 6 months PMing that product. If you can, funnel its revenue into contract developers and designers. Write vision, strategy, segmentation, roadmaps, and specs for it.
You have now invested a year in becoming a PM. Now, you’re ready to get to applications. Make a list of 10 growing tech companies you want to work for. Create a separate note for each company, and begin to fill in research.
Then, use LinkedIn to find all posts from PM hiring managers at the company. Message all of those hiring managers with a very short message stating:
– You saw their post and are interested in their role
– You have been doing PM at your startup that achieved X
– Something unique you researched about the company
Simultaneously during this outbound process, practice interviews. Do mocks on YouTube. Pause before the right answer is shown, and do yours.
Now, put everything together. You have experiences, interview practice, and interviews. Make your way through as many processes as you need.
If you rigorously critique and improve yourself after every rejection, you will eventually improve your interview skills and experience presentation.
Then, you will move from dealing with the stress of getting a PM job to the stress of doing one. I’ll be here to help.
