First of all, what is a product manager?

A product manager is the “CEO” of the product. Their role is to oversee the lifecycle of a product and ultimately the success of the product. They manage the teams that are responsible for bringing the product from creation to fruition. They are concerned with the customer or client’s needs and the business goals met by the product.

What skills do you need to be a successful product manager?

𝑭𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒔𝒌𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒔: analytical, organized, strong communication, curiosity, critical thinking, research abilities, empathy, negotiation, solution-oriented, story telling, likes to go down the rabbit hole, creating trust in your team

𝑰𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒎𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒔𝒌𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒔: understanding of UX, technical expertise and grasp of language product is using, business and market knowledge, ability to interpret data, stakeholder influence, cross-team collaboration and ability to manage across teams,

𝑨𝒅𝒗𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒅 𝑺𝒌𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒔: excellent ability to attain results, analytical skills such as prototyping, interviewing, testing, building successful teams

What background do you need to pursue a career in product management?

ALMOST ANYTHING!!! The role requires a broad range of skills that can come from a broad range of backgrounds including: business, coding, customer service, design, marketing, user experience, sales!

What is the average salary of a product manager?

According to builtin.com, the average salary for a product manager in Pittsburgh, PA is $115,00. But this amount can range from $55K to $150K depending on your experience and what the company has to offer.

What are the best cities to live in as a product manager?

*Menlo, CA    *Redmond, WA    *Boulder, CO     *Miami, FL

But there are amazing positions waiting for product managers EVERYWHERE!

Advice from product managers:

“Don’t worry about certifications, boot camps, and things of that nature. You very likely have transferrable skills that you simply need to make known. The path I took is a very common one now, though it was less so back then (2016) – getting your foot in the door as a support person, highlighting your technical skills, and not being afraid to think big and ask hard questions in the right way can go a long way.” -Nicole Johnson [Read full spotlight at https://witpgh.org/nicole-johnson-pm-spotlight/]

“As a PM, you need to have a lot of influence, but you have no authority on paper. You are no one’s manager, but you have to get your team on board to contribute to your vision. You need to be humble and admit when you don’t understand something – it helps build trust with your team. Always share the “why” behind why you want to do something with your team – they deserve to know. Ask for their input. And don’t be afraid to be confident in your decisions, but also realize when something needs a pivot.” -Hannah Sutor [Read full spotlight at https://witpgh.org/hannah-sutor-pm-spotlight/]

“When you take on a new challenges, you learn new things. When you learn new things, you grow. When you grow, you evolve.And that is why if you feel called to be a product manager, you should absolutely go for it.” -Alison Falk [Read more about being a mindful product manager from our founder at: https://typeshare.co/alison]