In the midst of COVID-19, when industries have been collapsing and job markets have been fluctuating, I made a daring profession leap. From the structured world of oil and fuel to the dynamic realm of know-how, I transitioned right into a tech position inside three months and developed right into a product supervisor a 12 months later.
This difficult journey is a testomony to the facility of strategic planning and execution. Right here is my playbook, rooted in precise expertise, for these in search of to interrupt into digital product administration.
One motive product administration is such an interesting profession is you get to sit down on the intersection of know-how, enterprise, and design.
— Gayle Laakmann McDowell, Cracking the PM Interview
Goal and Key Outcomes (OKR) is a robust mannequin that’s utilized by tech corporations to ship excessive influence merchandise. The elemental idea is to map out the outcomes you need to obtain, by describing what you want to attain to generate these outcomes (targets), and the important thing efficiency indicators and proof (key outcomes) that information your journey.
This mannequin was pivotal in my transition in the direction of clarifying my purpose: grow to be a product supervisor (PM) in an enterprise SaaS firm with fashionable product administration practices.
However if you’re an aspiring PM, how are you aware you make progress in the direction of your finish purpose? There are two indicators you possibly can monitor: main and lagging.
Main indicators act as early indicators, serving to you gauge whether or not you might be heading in the right direction with rapid suggestions in your efforts. Listed below are three key metrics to watch, together with urged frequencies in brackets:
Informational Espresso Chats (1–2 per week): Networking is essential. These casual conferences can present invaluable insights into the trade and allow you to perceive the talents and experiences valued in PM roles. Moreover, if executed accurately, it may possibly assist land your…