5 ms·

As a follow up question: What do I do to go from Software Engineer to Product Manager?

jbl 15y ago
I made this transition a few months ago. To be honest, I was called up by a recruiter, but I think the following led up to that call: - Be open to non-engineering roles, possibly to the point of actively seeking them out. - Having and showing an interest in the industry I work in. Product managers are focused on solving customer and business problems in ways that create value and solve pain points for the customer and make money for the business. - Developing a sense not only of the best technical solution to a problem, but also what business opportunities that solution opens up. Even when answering technical interview positions for my new job I would always back up a level and explore some other possibilities or motivations. - Learn to communicate potentially technical information to non-technical people. By this I mean concisely expressing problems, hiding details that aren't immediately important, translating "side effects" into consequences. - Demonstrate an ability to dig deeper into customer motivations and needs. They will often express what they want in terms of what is immediately visible. Sometimes you have to dig deeper so that you can come up with a design that solves their real underlying problem.
numbchuckskills 15y ago
I also made the same transition a couple years back. I always had the goal of moving from SE to PM and did it by: - letting my manager know my vision - get on projects that have a lot of customer / stakeholder interaction - demonstrate you can speak in front of a crowd: speak at conferences, in front of your peers, dev days, whatever - start a side business; being entrepreneurial is essential in understanding the big picture
williamcotton 15y ago
Amongst other things, take a pay cut I would imagine.
- jbl 15y ago
  Not necessarily. This depends on the companies one is leaving and going to. Sure, if you are leaving an engineering position at Facebook or Google, this is probably true. Amongst young but not newborn startups, it could very well be a bump in pay depending on background and experience.

jbl 15y ago

I made this transition a few months ago. To be honest, I was called up by a recruiter, but I think the following led up to that call: - Be open to non-engineering roles, possibly to the point of actively seeking them out. - Having and showing an interest in the industry I work in. Product managers are focused on solving customer and business problems in ways that create value and solve pain points for the customer and make money for the business. - Developing a sense not only of the best technical solution to a problem, but also what business opportunities that solution opens up. Even when answering technical interview positions for my new job I would always back up a level and explore some other possibilities or motivations. - Learn to communicate potentially technical information to non-technical people. By this I mean concisely expressing problems, hiding details that aren't immediately important, translating "side effects" into consequences. - Demonstrate an ability to dig deeper into customer motivations and needs. They will often express what they want in terms of what is immediately visible. Sometimes you have to dig deeper so that you can come up with a design that solves their real underlying problem.

numbchuckskills 15y ago

I also made the same transition a couple years back. I always had the goal of moving from SE to PM and did it by: - letting my manager know my vision - get on projects that have a lot of customer / stakeholder interaction - demonstrate you can speak in front of a crowd: speak at conferences, in front of your peers, dev days, whatever - start a side business; being entrepreneurial is essential in understanding the big picture

williamcotton 15y ago

Amongst other things, take a pay cut I would imagine.

jbl 15y ago
Not necessarily. This depends on the companies one is leaving and going to. Sure, if you are leaving an engineering position at Facebook or Google, this is probably true. Amongst young but not newborn startups, it could very well be a bump in pay depending on background and experience.