4 ms·

Every PM I have met pivoted from a technical or front line role. External hires for PMs without direct prior experience are probably lottery-esque happenings.

germinalphrase 4y ago
I expect you’re meaning product management here rather than project management, yes?
- natpalmer1776 4y ago
  Well, given my anecdotal, and oddly specific, experience with educators seeking to enter tech-adjacent roles I assumed that PM meant Project Manager. Either way, entering tech industry right now is a tough proposition and I would personally advise anyone looking at doing so to case as wide a net as possible, as moving between roles in-industry tends to be much easier.
  - germinalphrase 4y ago
    Got it. Thanks. What’s your anecdote?
    - natpalmer1776 4y ago
      Former teacher of mine sought their PMP to become a project manager, ran into issues getting the certification, I think they got their CAPM eventually and ended up getting an unrelated role at an accounting firm. Their reasoning for going after a project manager role however was basically that the job was identical to their current responsibilites as department 'lead' creating curriculum, lesson plans, etc. I have then gone on to see their comparisons between project management and teaching echoed in various forms online by various educators seeking to find something more financially rewarding.
      - germinalphrase 4y ago
        I came to look into the role based on the advice of a current PM I know at a mid-size tech company. I've also been talking to others in UX/UXR and Customer Success. Those conversations did support the transferable skills argument for education>PM though I'm currently in the interview pipeline for a position as a Solutions Architect (which, in actual responsibilities, is somewhere between PM and Customer Success and not at all in line with job postings for SA at other companies). Thanks.

germinalphrase 4y ago

I expect you’re meaning product management here rather than project management, yes?

natpalmer1776 4y ago
Well, given my anecdotal, and oddly specific, experience with educators seeking to enter tech-adjacent roles I assumed that PM meant Project Manager. Either way, entering tech industry right now is a tough proposition and I would personally advise anyone looking at doing so to case as wide a net as possible, as moving between roles in-industry tends to be much easier.
- germinalphrase 4y ago
  Got it. Thanks. What’s your anecdote?
  - natpalmer1776 4y ago
    Former teacher of mine sought their PMP to become a project manager, ran into issues getting the certification, I think they got their CAPM eventually and ended up getting an unrelated role at an accounting firm. Their reasoning for going after a project manager role however was basically that the job was identical to their current responsibilites as department 'lead' creating curriculum, lesson plans, etc. I have then gone on to see their comparisons between project management and teaching echoed in various forms online by various educators seeking to find something more financially rewarding.
    - germinalphrase 4y ago
      I came to look into the role based on the advice of a current PM I know at a mid-size tech company. I've also been talking to others in UX/UXR and Customer Success. Those conversations did support the transferable skills argument for education>PM though I'm currently in the interview pipeline for a position as a Solutions Architect (which, in actual responsibilities, is somewhere between PM and Customer Success and not at all in line with job postings for SA at other companies). Thanks.