Depends on the type of software, but for anything enterprise you should start in consulting/implementation. Best bet is the service orgs within product companie

Depends on the type of software, but for anything enterprise you should start in consulting/implementation. Best bet is the service orgs within product companies. Learn the industry, learn the customers, learn the product. Get vocal about enhancement, inch closer to the PM team. Get hired, done. Worked for me and a large chunk of the PM team I hired since then.