Product Manager is a position which is not always easily transferable.
As a software engineer these are the character traits I most value for a product manager:
- Knowledge about the history of a specific class of products; CAD, Mapping, consumer electronics... whatever it is we are selling.
- Capable of effectively translating customer needs to engineers.
- Capable of effectively translating engineer concerns to customers.
- The ability to prioritize requirements in succinct communication in both e-mail and in person.
Unfortunately "12 years of well known brands" does not mean much to me unless that experience is very closely related to the domain of the company. In a parallel example; I am not going to hire an 12 year expert in kernel hacking to build my SAAS payment system.
Unfortunately (for many people) software trends come and go fairly quickly. Business models of yesterday become the pejoratives of today. If your specific area of expertise has met such a fate... you need to re-tool.
Find a specific narrow niche in the larger business market and become an expert in that 1 thing. Grow outwardly from there. But target it based on your true personal interest... not what you think will be most profitable.
As a software engineer these are the character traits I most value for a product manager:
- Knowledge about the history of a specific class of products; CAD, Mapping, consumer electronics... whatever it is we are selling.
- Capable of effectively translating customer needs to engineers.
- Capable of effectively translating engineer concerns to customers.
- The ability to prioritize requirements in succinct communication in both e-mail and in person.
Unfortunately "12 years of well known brands" does not mean much to me unless that experience is very closely related to the domain of the company. In a parallel example; I am not going to hire an 12 year expert in kernel hacking to build my SAAS payment system.
Unfortunately (for many people) software trends come and go fairly quickly. Business models of yesterday become the pejoratives of today. If your specific area of expertise has met such a fate... you need to re-tool.
Find a specific narrow niche in the larger business market and become an expert in that 1 thing. Grow outwardly from there. But target it based on your true personal interest... not what you think will be most profitable.