As the role of Product Manager gains greater prominence, there are various people from different backgrounds who’ve found themselves drawn to the role. That means there are various different ways you can become a Product Manager in 2022. Luckily, that means you can probably find a route that suits your career path.
At HiCounselor we’re passionate about helping people pick the most suitable and rewarding careers. That’s why we like to keep you updated about all your career options. Read on to find out how you can become a Product Manager in 2022. If you’d like more help in mapping out your career, contact us and have a chat with one of our expert mentors!
Familiarize Yourself with the Role
You should know what the roles and responsibilities of a Product Manager are right at the outset. You should know the product life cycle, budgeting, customer needs, Agile methodology, and market trends. To be a successful Product Manager in 2022, you have to assess your teams’ talents and utilize them. You should be able to liaison between different teams and make sure everyone meets deadlines.
Study your Industry
To create a successful product, you must know what needs customers are looking to fill. You should study the market closely to see where there are gaps that you can bridge. This is the reason recruiters like hiring Product Managers who have some experience. According to a survey by BrainStation, around 88 percent of Product Managers have had careers in different fields. This gives them time to observe their industry closely.
Do Practice Projects
To become a Product Manager in 2022, put your knowledge to practice before you get a job. Once you understand the role, create some practice projects to experience the process. Obviously, you won’t be able to do everything by yourself, like liaison between teams. However, you can gain insight into all the steps, like writing scenarios, data analytics, building prototypes, etc. This will help you see your strengths and weaknesses too.
Work on Important Soft Skills
Apart from technical know-how, Product Managers must possess certain soft skills to help them keep the workflow going. A lot of these soft skills involve working well with others so you can practice them in your friends’ circle, family, neighborhood, etc. To become a Product Manager, you should have good communication skills, empathy, a collaborative spirit, and be an active listener. With these, you can get diverse teams to work for a common goal.
Enroll in a Course
To become a Product Manager in 2022, you can join a certification course. While research can get you so far, studying Product Management will arm you with the skills you need. It’ll also make your resume more attractive to hiring managers and give you an edge over those who haven’t studied the subject formally. There are many well-known institutes that offer courses, such as Cornell, UC Berkeley, and Northwestern.
Create a Portfolio
Since many who apply for these roles come from diverse backgrounds, recruiters like to have a portfolio of the relevant experience and skills. To become a Product Manager in 2022, you must create a portfolio to show what you bring to the table. Include practice projects, courses, relevant work experience, etc. Instead of trying to fit in everything you’ve done, focus on the skills and experience that fits in with the industry where you’re applying.
Try for an APM Position
Associate Product Management (APM) programs are one way to gain some experience in the field. This is also a good first step to becoming a Product Manager. These are usually temporary roles but can lead to job offers if the company likes what you do. You can apply for these roles with or without any work experience. Top companies like Google, Adobe, IBM, LinkedIn, and Facebook have APM programs. If you’d like to see more companies, check out apmlist.
Once you’ve done some or all of the steps mentioned above, you can simply start applying for relevant jobs. We hope this article helps you become a Product Manager in 2022! If you need more assistance in finding the right job, get in touch with us at HiCounselor and let our experts handle the job search for you.
HiCounselor has forged technical advances to transform the hiring landscape for job seekers and recruiters alike. Our career accelerator program provides job seekers with coaching and mentorship from industry leaders employed at FAANG companies while recruiters ally with HiCounselor to empower their hiring strategy and hone in on the best candidates. Learn more about HiCounselor here and reach out to us on LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube.
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