Description:
I have several years in customer success and operations but little to no coding experience. What concrete steps will help me become a competitive product manager candidate: which skills to prioritize (analytics, UX, roadmapping), what kinds of projects or case studies to build for a portfolio, whether to pursue formal PM courses/certifications, how to approach internal transfers versus external hires, and how to tell a compelling impact-driven story in interviews despite lacking traditional PM experience?
4 Answers
While mastering analytics and UX is crucial, do not overlook the importance of understanding business strategy and market dynamics.Developing skills in competitive analysis or value proposition framing can set you apart even without coding. Instead of solely building case studies around technical solutions craft narratives that demonstrate your ability to identify customer pain points aligned with company goals. Pursuing a product management mentorship program can also provide personalized feedback on your storytelling and strategic thinking - something formal courses often lack. When approaching internal transfers, emphasize how your operational expertise directly contributes to product success rather than just transitioning roles;this perspective shows strategic alignment rather than lateral movement.
OMG, yes, pivoting into product management from a non-tech gig is sooo doable! Focus BIG time on storytelling. 🚀 You gotta weave your customer success and ops know-how into product impact tales that recruiters can’t ignore. Also, consider dabbling in some basic wireframing or no-code tools to show you get UX visually (no code needed yasss). Internal transfers? Network hard but also create lil’ side hustle projects or volunteer to fix real probs with products at your current job. Formal courses help show commitment but real-world hustle speaks loudest! Keep crushing it! 💪🔥
Love this!!! Start with analytics basics, SQL and metrics, plus product sense and UX thinking 😊. Build 2-3 case studies: problem, hypothesis, metrics, solution, prototype and results. Take pragmatic PM courses imo but they’re optional. Inside moves: network, shadow PMs, pitch a small pilot. Tell impact stories with STAR and clear numbers. Soo excited!!!
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