You could already have the skills to be a Product Manager
You could already have the skills to be a Product Manager
It’s common for people in Product Management to come from other careers and backgrounds. One reason this transition could make sense is…
It’s common for people in Product Management to come from other careers and backgrounds. This transition could be expedited thanks to the variety of skills required in PM, and how much overlap there is with other roles.
Introduction
Product management is a dynamic field that requires a combination of technical knowledge, business acumen, and soft skills. As an aspiring product manager, you may feel overwhelmed and unsure about whether you have the necessary skills to excel in this role. However, skills mapping can help identify transferable skills that can be applied to product management. In this article, we will discuss what skills mapping is, what product management really is, and how to map your skills to a career in product management.
What is Product Management?
Product management is generally considered the process of overseeing the development, launch, and ongoing performance of a product (all 3 of these things typically happen at the same time). The role of a product manager is to ensure that the product meets the needs of the customer while also aligning with the company’s goals and objectives. A product manager is responsible for defining the product strategy, prioritizing features, managing the product roadmap, collaborating with cross-functional teams, and analyzing product performance metrics.
Skills Mapping
Skills mapping is the process of identifying the skills that you possess and matching them to the requirements of a particular role or industry. In the context of product management, skills mapping can help you realize that you might already have the skills necessary to be a successful product manager. By breaking down the required skills into smaller, more manageable components, you can more easily identify areas where you may need further development, as well as areas where you are already proficient.
Transferable Skills for Product Management
There are several transferable skills that are important for success in product management. These include communication skills, analytical skills, leadership skills, and technical skills. I’m compiling a list that includes some of these skills, although there may be some different ways to split these out or some more specific skills I’ve missed.
Feel free to print this section out, and check the boxes for the skills you do have. Highlighting these skills can help you build a strong PM resume. You can then circle the other skills you want to work on, especially if any of those appear in the job descriptions you’re considering.
Communication Skills
Product managers need to be effective communicators to work with cross-functional teams and collaborate with stakeholders. They must be able to clearly articulate their ideas and plans, listen actively to feedback, and adjust their communication style to suit their audience. Some of these essential communication skills include:
Active Listening: You should be skilled in active listening to understand the needs of customers, users, and stakeholders, and to empathize with their perspectives.
Clear and Concise Writing: Strong writing skills are crucial for product managers to be able to clearly articulate product ideas, requirements, and plans in written form. This includes product and process documentation.
Persuasive Speaking: Product managers should be able to clearly and persuasively communicate product strategies, roadmaps, and plans to diverse audiences, such as executives, engineers, and sales teams.
Empathy: Empathy is a critical skill for product managers to connect with their users and understand their needs, motivations, and pain points.
Negotiation: Product managers should be skilled negotiators to manage stakeholder expectations, align priorities, and manage conflicting interests.
Presentation Skills: Product managers should be able to deliver engaging and informative presentations to a range of stakeholders, including executives, investors, and customers.
Analytical Skills
Product managers must be able to analyze data and draw insights to make informed decisions. They need to be comfortable with metrics and have a strong understanding of customer needs and behaviours. Some essential analytical skills for a product manager include:
Data Analysis: Data analysis skills are essential for product managers to gather insights into customer behaviour, product performance, and market trends. Product managers should be able to analyze large data sets, use data visualization tools, and identify patterns and trends to inform product development decisions.
Business Analytics: Business analytics skills are important for product managers to understand the financial and business impact of product decisions. Product managers should be able to analyze revenue, cost, and profit data, conduct break-even analysis, and identify key performance indicators (KPIs) to track product success.
Market Analysis: Market analysis skills are critical for product managers to identify market trends, customer needs, and competitive landscape. Product managers should be able to analyze market size, growth, and trends, conduct competitive analysis, and identify market opportunities.
Forecasting: Forecasting skills are important for product managers to predict future trends and identify potential risks and opportunities. Product managers should be able to use historical data, market trends, and customer feedback to forecast product demand, revenue, and profitability.
Product Metrics: Product metrics are critical for tracking and measuring product performance. You should be able to identify key product metrics, set targets, and use data to optimize product performance. This includes user interaction metrics, as well as latency, load time, and other software performance metrics.
Leadership Skills
Product managers need to be able to lead and motivate their team to achieve goals. They must be able to inspire and influence others, prioritize tasks, and manage conflicts effectively. Some of the essential leadership skills for a product manager include:
Communication: Communication skills are essential for product managers to effectively communicate product vision, goals, and priorities to cross-functional teams. Product managers should be able to communicate clearly, concisely, and effectively with both technical and non-technical team members.
Collaboration: Product managers should be able to work effectively with cross-functional teams, including designers, engineers, marketers, and sales teams, to align goals and drive product development.
Decision Making: Decision-making skills are critical for product managers to make informed decisions about product development and strategy. Product managers should be able to gather and analyze data, evaluate risks and trade-offs, and make decisions that align with overall business goals.
Motivation: Motivation skills are critical for product managers to inspire and motivate cross-functional teams. Product managers should be able to articulate a compelling product vision, set ambitious goals, and create a culture of accountability and high performance.
Business Skills
An effective product manager should have a range of business skills that enable them to drive product development, make strategic decisions, and manage product performance. Some of the essential business skills for a product manager include:
Opportunity/Cost Benefit analysis: Helps you make informed decisions about which features or products to invest in, by comparing the potential benefits of a decision with its potential costs.
Strategic Thinking: Product managers should have a strategic mindset and be able to think holistically about the business, including understanding the competitive landscape, market trends, and customer needs.
Industry & Market Knowledge: It’s necessary to have an understanding of the industry and market you’re working in as a Product Manager. This can be gained over time but will give you a competitive advantage if you have this experience going into an interview.
Financial Acumen: Product managers should have a basic understanding of financial concepts such as ROI, cost of goods sold (COGS), and revenue models, and be able to make data-driven decisions based on financial data.
Adaptability: Adaptability skills are important for product managers to respond to changing market conditions, customer needs, and competitive pressures. Product managers should be able to pivot and adjust product strategy and priorities as needed to ensure that the product remains competitive and meets customer needs.
Research Skills
Effective product managers need a range of research skills to gather and analyze data, identify customer needs and preferences, and make informed decisions about product development. Some of the essential research skills for a product manager include:
User Research: User research skills are critical for product managers to gain insights into customer needs, preferences, and pain points. This can involve conducting surveys, interviews, viewing user feedback, app, and customer reviews, as well as focus groups to gather feedback from customers.
Market Research: Market research skills are also important for product managers to identify market trends, competitors, and potential opportunities. This can involve analyzing data on market size, growth, and trends, as well as conducting competitor analysis and benchmarking.
Product Research: Determining whether your idea for a new product or feature might be successful and how best to develop and sell that product/feature often begins by investigating the market to see if similar products exist, what competitors are doing, and if users are experiencing a pain point related to that solution.
Testing and Experimentation: Testing and experimentation skills are important for product managers to validate product ideas and features, and to optimize product performance. This can involve conducting A/B tests, usability testing, and user acceptance testing to gather feedback and optimize product performance.
Competitive Analysis: Competitive analysis skills are important for product managers to stay informed about competitors’ products, features, and strategies. This can involve analyzing competitors’ websites, social media, and marketing campaigns to identify trends and opportunities.
Technical Skills
While not all product managers need to be technically proficient, having a basic understanding of technology is essential. They should be able to work with developers, understand technical constraints, and be comfortable with software development tools and methodologies. Common technical skills for a product manager include:
Architectural Concepts: Not always a requirement, but it can be helpful to have an understanding of basic data architecture and application architectural principals. Definitely a plus for certain roles.
Order of operations: Deciding what to build is important, but knowing what order to build it in is often just as important. This doesn’t have to be known through technical experience, but often is influenced by your team and how they work, and other external dependencies.
Understanding of Software Development: Understanding the software development process is important for product managers to communicate effectively with developers, understand technical limitations and possibilities, and manage development timelines.
Familiarity with Coding Languages: While product managers don’t necessarily need to know how to code, having a basic understanding of coding languages like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript can be helpful in understanding technical requirements and communicating with developers.
UI/UX Design: Understanding user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) design is important for product managers to effectively communicate design requirements to designers, evaluate design proposals, and ensure that the product meets user needs.
Data Tools: Familiarity with data analysis tools like Excel, Google Analytics, and SQL is important for product managers to gather and analyze data, identify trends and patterns, and make informed decisions about product development and strategy.
Agile Development Methodologies: Understanding agile development methodologies like Scrum and Kanban is important for product managers to manage development sprints, prioritize product features, and ensure that the product is delivered on time and within budget.
API Integration: Familiarity with application programming interfaces (APIs) is important for product managers to understand how different systems and applications can be integrated with the product, and to communicate effectively with developers.
How do you identify and fill your skills gaps?
Identify the skills gaps: Start by identifying the specific skills gaps that need to be filled. Use the job description and feedback from others to determine the areas where you need to improve.
Set learning goals: Once you have identified the skills gaps, set specific learning goals to fill them. For example, if you need to develop your project management skills, set a goal to attend a project management course or workshop.
Take courses or training: Look for courses, training programs, or workshops that can help you develop the skills you need. There are a variety of online courses and training programs available that can be completed at your own pace, making it easier to fit learning into your schedule.
Participate in on-the-job learning: Seek out opportunities to learn on the job. Ask your manager for new responsibilities or projects that will allow you to develop the skills you need. Look for opportunities to work with colleagues who have skills that you want to develop.
Practice: Practice the skills you want to develop as much as possible. Look for ways to apply your new skills in your current role, such as taking on a new project or assignment.
Get feedback: Ask for feedback from colleagues, mentors, or managers on your progress. Use their feedback to make improvements and continue to develop your skills.
Want help uncovering your current skills and charting your course to a role in product management? Book some time with a PM coach on a platform like MentorCruise. You can find myself and other highly qualified mentors there who can give you advice on how to adapt your experience and expand your skill set. See mentorcruise.com and browse the over 700 mentors there.
Conclusion
Skills mapping can help aspiring product managers identify their strengths and weaknesses and determine whether they have the necessary skills to excel in this role. By breaking down the skills required for product management into smaller components, it becomes easier to identify transferable skills that can be applied from other roles or industries. If you are considering a career in product management, don’t be discouraged by the seemingly daunting list of required skills. Instead, focus on the skills you already possess and identify areas where you can further develop. With dedication and hard work, you may find that you are already well on your way to becoming a successful product manager.