Is the Product Manager role for you?
Why become a Product Manager?
The role of Product Manager is challenging, exciting, and varied. It offers the opportunity to develop a diverse range of valuable skills, working with a wide variety of people, while contributing directly to products and services that have a positive impact on people's lives.
Product Managers are highly regarded, well compensated, and in demand. The role has a high degree of autonomy, and a unique perspective across the business. Product Managers often go on to start their own companies, or progress into executive leadership positions.
What makes a great Product Manager?
There are a number of character traits that will help you succeed as a Product Manager.
Firstly, you must be passionate about technology, and the power of technology to help people. Product Managers often set the mood for a Product team, so positive energy, optimism, and enthusiasm is essential.
Because Product Managers do not normally manage the people who develop their products, they rely primarily on influence and persuasion to effect change. This means you need to enjoy working with people, be a good listener, be articulate, confident, and open to the ideas and opinions of others.
Product Managers often find themselves with many competing demands on their time, so you need to be organised and cope well under pressure. You will need to balance pragmatism with an attention to detail, and creativity with a logical approach to problem solving.
Above all, because Product Management spans so many disciplines and is constantly evolving, you need a voracious appetite for learning, and know how to get things done.