A product manager who is not willing to own business outcomes can't be successful.

So you are indifferent between both the roles? Basically any role has the potential to uplift your career?

Product Manager

I'm a PM. However have come to realise what eventually matters is if your product is able to help achieve the desired business outcome.  Otherwise you may just keep on building for yourself.

Business. Product Wale will get stuck at some point of time, but Business is at the forefront.

Why do you say so? - I have seen many product guys reach CXOs level

Who says you can’t get stuck at the wrong CXO role

Pick a company where the specialisation doesn’t exist and you get to keep doing both

I joined my company (tech startup) as a Product Manager and over the course of 3 years have worked both in Product as well  as in Business teams. And to be honest, I like both the work.  Now, I am ...

Welcome to Product Managers's Private Community

I joined my company (tech startup) as a Product Manager and over the course of 3 years have worked both in Product as well  as in Business teams. And to be honest, I like both the work.

Now, I am looking for a switch and unable to decide which role I should pursue - Product or Business. So, I would need help from you all. 

From a long term career point of view keeping in mind compensation, scope of work and transitioning into leadership positions (CXOs), which is a better role and why - Product or Business?

Which role would you prefer from an overall career point of view - Product or Business?

Which role would you prefer from an overall career point of view - Product or Business?- Grapevine

Hi, I'm currently working as a Product Analyst at a promising startup, where I've been working on enhancing product delivery processes, keeping a check on deadlines (part of PMO), and driving client adoption for the past 1.5 years. 

Here my primary responsibilities involve conducting data analysis of projects and tickets, identifying trends and patterns, and providing insights to inform product decisions. However, I'm not directly involved in the core decision-making processes that shape product strategy.

This is my first job and I feel there will be nothing specific that I will own in project management and/or process excellence, there is nothing much to grow in this field, and pretty much anybody can replace this task, *please correct me if I'm wrong. 

I'm particularly fascinated by the prospect of building solutions that will directly impact our clients hence the real world, developing innovative product strategies, and bringing impact to the business. 

I have some questions and seeking guidance. Insights, personal experiences, or any guidance will help me a lot. Thanks in advance.

- Should I consider pursuing a product management role?
- Or should I step toward product strategy? 
- If I need to get into product strategy, how can I do that? is an MBA a must for this kind of role?
- Or are there other avenues that might be more suitable for my current skillset and experience?

Looking for answers and guidance on my career.

Product analyst

Hey all

I am a working as a technical product manager from 2+ years in a nbfc. My manager has given me the option to switch to business product manager.

Reason for switch : Our product (LOS and LMS) is a complex and extremely large. Due to this, I had asked for a additional product manager. Manager had hired it reluctantly. Now he feels that product does not require 2 products. 


Has anyone done such switch? How was the experience? Should I switch or should I deny?

Manager asking to switch from tech product to business product. Help required

Welcome to Indian Startups's Private Community

I was super curious for product management roles and switch to startups was one of easy bets, my current role( 3 yr work ex as implementation consultant)  in B2B  involved customer interaction and working on requirements on OOTB product,but back then i didn't appear many interviews, i wasn't actively applying but with recent scenario of all layoffs and startups fundings, what should be a good strategy now? Need suggestions from experienced folks

Product Roles

Associate Product Manager

Hello everyone,

I'm seeking suggestions and guidance on transitioning to a Product Management role.
I've been in the services-based industry for the past 1.5 years and I'm eager to make this transition as soon as possible.
Any advice would be highly appreciated.

Transition to Product

Project Coordinator

Hi All,
I need advice from experienced folks here. I joined a recruitment firm working in blue collar around 6 months back as a Product Manager. Around 4 months into the system, I was tasked to build the business intelligence system (it has been ongoing).

My manager asked me to whether I want to continue in data and build core skills in data analytics based on my interest and what plans for career.

I am a little confused here since I haven’t tried real Product per se and although I enjoy working with data I am not sure whether to build career as a BA and if I can build data competency working as a PM. I need to get back to them by next Tuesday.

What are your thoughts here? Please be brutally honest, will appreciate pros and cons

Thank You!

Need Advice - Product Manager vs Business Analyst

Software Engineer

Hey folks,
I'm wondering what kinda role I should pursue next after product management. 
I'm done with this role, works vary from company to company and team to team. It's tough to make people understand the difference between pre-PMF products & mature products, and how the metrics impact vary across the spectrum. 
And this completely changes the equation of your appraisal or your promotion as well. 
I don't see myself working in the same kind of role after 5 years.
So I'm wondering what kinda role I should look out for?
My general interests are more analytics & strategy centric. What do you guys think??

Where to go after Product???

Data Analyst

So I graduated from a Tier 1 college (non IIT NIT) in May 2021, majoring in CS, and got a job as a Software Engineer. And then just after a few weeks changed to a more CS based good named company. 

Gonna complete a total 2 years of experience, but not feeling if I want to be in the same profession my entire life (even if I consider becoming an Engineering Manager at some stage, that would easily require me first taking atleast 5 more years as an SWE). Not like I don't like coding etc. but feels like this ain't for me. 

So at this point I'm confused if this is my current job that I am feeling like this and it would get better if I change (there was a false alarm like situation that happened when I started this job, so could be a bias), or go back to school to do an MBA (lately I've been getting attracted to it like a magnet)

Even if I go for an MBA, I would want to try hands on on various specialisations (Sales, Marketing, Operations, Strategy), but will keep a good enough focus on Product, my prior tech knowledge could help me. 

Looking at both options, I've been in a dilemma since a very loooooonnngggg time, unable to decide which one to choose. 

Any people who've been in similar situations, can you please help me out ?

Confused on how to navigate my career. Need Help......

Hi guys
I just wanted to ask out of curiosity.

Is tech an essential if you want to make it big in product, especially in India?
I understand, people from any background can enter product, but in the long term does being from a tech background play an important role in determining your growth?

I understand people would say 'nah' that's not the case, however the stats point towards something different.
(The analysis could be a bit skewed as well since earlier product was purely seen from a tech perspective)

Anyways, let me know what you guys think
Thank you

Is tech the only way?

Hey all, I'm seeking some advice and guidance from this amazing community. I'm currently at a crossroads in my career and would appreciate any insights from those who have been in a similar situation.

For the past 12 years multiple domains like Business, Digital marketing, Ui Ux & digital transformation, lastly 1.5yrs back I had the opportunity to become a founder of a startup where I handled both product and marketing. Unfortunately, that venture didn't find PMF, but I gained valuable experience in the process.

Now, I'm considering whether to pursue a career as a product manager or product marketer.

Also i didn't borrow any salary from the startup will it have any negative effects & how to mitigate them?

Lastly based on the above background what would be the ideal package to go for?

Stuck Between PM & PMM

Product Management

Having worked for 6 years across startups across different roles, I believe it's time to give back to society. Ask me Anything

Tech to product to strategy

Growth And Strategy

I am an MBA in Marketing and currently working as a Market Researcher. I want to switch to Product Management. 
Suggest a good online course which is not too heavy on my pockets or if I should I consider something else? I’m looking to pivot from MR as the pay I’m getting is peanuts here, extra long working hours without any compensation and too slow of growth, monetarily. Help a brother out. TIA.

Switching to Product Management

Quantitative Research

Welcome to Business Roles's Private Community

Hi folks, hope you all are having a wonderful day!

I'm in a dilemma and need your expertise!

I'm a senior consultant(mix of business analyst and consultant) at a mid size organization with 3 YOE, 16 LPA from tier 1 college. 

From my understanding I'm entering a stage where i can still pivot to product management, as later on it will be pretty hard!

So my question to you all is that is it worth it to change career or should i climb ladder in consultancy.

I don't really have any passion, my main focus points are money and job security. 

What do you think i should do?, what pays more?, which field has more future opportunities?

Please advice.

Ciao

PM Vs Consultant

Senior Consultant

I am a Finance guy with around three years of experience but thinking to move to Product roles in fintech or a products that has anything to do with transactions. Where do I start?

Want to switch to Product Management

Director Finance

With over 10+ years of experience in Product management within the insurance and Fintech sector, I’ve realized that product management is still not understood/defined well as a role. I’m open to all sort of queries.

Ex-Policybazaar Product Head #AMA

Product Owner

Hey good folks, I’ve have had a decent long career of 9 years now, started with finance for 1 year switched quickly to category/program/ business facing roles for the longest time, I have worked in various edtechs - notable Unacademy initial days, currently working for a fintech company, I have a very good interest in tech as a whole for a long time, product management is the best role for me move forward and switch, I wanted to know a way to switch or learn in the right way, do courses work ? Will only practical experience work ? 

P.s not exactly a newbie in the space, I’ve identified problems, ideated, built and solved problems via features, functionality and process all in the purview of product + results - one of the reason why I find it extremely interesting 

What would be an optimal way to become a PM (wouldn’t say a right way)

Need guidance, switching from program/category managent role to a PM role

My total experience:

3.5 Years: Channel Strategy & Growth: Life Insurance
1 Year: Co-founded Start-up: Manufacturing 
8M: Digital Products: Life Insurance

Not liking the PM role - any way that I can move to Startups in Biz Role without compromising on salary.

Need Advice: Want to move from PM role to Biz Role

Hello Everyone, 

I am a 2018 BTech (NIT) pass out and  2022 IIM pass out with a total of 2.2 years of Workex (1.2 yrs post-MBA) and currently working as an Associate Product Manager. I am not really enjoying my role and I feel Product Management is not suitable for me because of multiple reasons some of them being,


1. I am doing issue resolutions rather than problem-solving which I love to do.

2. I am not very much interested in driving technical discussions or solving technical challenges in the process of Product Development which is the case in my current role. 

3. I want to be part of a Business role where I can leverage the knowledge I have gained during my MBA and work on some problem statements related to the core businesses of the company. 

4. There is no skin in the game of a PM compared to Devs, QAs, and Designers. As a PM I feel I am just delegating, prioritizing, and following up with the requirements. Most of my learnings are around managerial aspects and not business knowledge. 

5. I want to be a part of business roles where I can go deeper into problems and come up with my recommendations/thoughts on them. 

I am looking for new roles where Strategy, Analysis and Core Business Problem solving are involved. I am really not sure what kind of roles are these. 

Please help me with the roles I can explore and how to approach the job search for such kinds of roles. 
Thanks In Advance.

Need Advice - Job Role Switch.

I know Grapevine is full of young and ambitious people that either planning to get into Product or are already working as a PM. I don’t aim to discourage any of you. Moreover, if you need tips to break into Product I would be happy to help you.

I personally feel that knowing what you are doing is going to doom is better than normalizing it.

So I will convey my experience in simple words, how I hated every single day of it, why did I still stick around for 4 years, why product decisions are random political bullshit, why you should not let anything that happens get under your skin and affect your morale. Finally, few words for sociopathic Head of Products.

Lesson #1: Go through all stages of grief at once. Accept that product culture is broken and accept that it will not get better. Finally, you can’t fix it or improve it.

Lesson #2: Ratings are political bullshit. 
I can tell you the years I was rated worse I was probably working harder and better at my job. It just depends on the results you get in the last month before ratings and whether your DOP is vocal for you.

Lesson #3: Last piece of advice: do not let your Product years lower your self esteem or sense of self worth.

Also, some words for sociopathic Head of Products. F’ you.

You Must Get Out - My Experience of 4 Years In Product

Heavily second this. I’m a tech focus generalist who stumbled upon PMing after multiple startup exits. Absolutely bonkers role with no role definition, metric ownership, impact driving. Anyone who disagrees, is lying to themselves. What I can define PM in Indian / many valley based companies with Indian founders -> glorified bhains charane wala.

Thinking of switching to Product management and similar level roles.
I have around 9 years of exp in Saas production implementations.
Current organisations doesn’t have any such opportunities. 

What’s the best way to move forward here! Even open for 5-6 months on campus course. 

Please advise.

Genuine opinions needed

Consultant

Have been offered a Product manager role at Zycus. They offered the same CTC. 

Quick background:
Have 2 years of growth pm experience in the early stage SaaS startup, prior to this, 2 years in SaaS sales. 

After that did mba and got into analytics consulting via campus placemen, it has been 7 months. 

Looking to move back to the Product role in B2B space. 


Would highly appreciate it if some have insight to Zycus ( culture, product, career growth)

Which role would you prefer from an overall career point of view - Product or Business?

Discover More

Product Managers on

by Jordon Lee

Others

Looking for answers and guidance on my career.

Product Managers on

by Jordon Taye

Arya

Manager asking to switch from tech product to business product. Help required

Indian Startups on

by Aaron Olive

Stealth

Product Roles

Product Managers on

by Anise Dean

Stealth

Transition to Product

Indian Startups on

by Jordon Nadeen

Stealth

Need Advice - Product Manager vs Business Analyst

Product Managers on

by Dezi Lee

Money View

Where to go after Product???

Product Managers on

by Kendall Carmden

Stealth

Confused on how to navigate my career. Need Help......

Product Managers on

by Kendall Lee

Stealth

Is tech the only way?

Product Managers on

by Aaron Nadeen

Stealth

Stuck Between PM & PMM

Product Managers on

by Jordon Lee

Unemployed

Tech to product to strategy

Product Managers on

by Blair Lee

Kantar

Switching to Product Management

Business Roles on

by Dezi Everett

Stealth

PM Vs Consultant

Product Managers on

by Aaron Nadeen

Dunzo

Want to switch to Product Management

Product Managers on

by Kendall Vernon

Stealth

Ex-Policybazaar Product Head #AMA

Product Managers on

by Kendall Lee

Stealth

Need guidance, switching from program/category managent role to a PM role

Business Roles on

by Anise Everett

Aditya Birla Capital

Need Advice: Want to move from PM role to Biz Role

Business Roles on

by Kendall Everett

Student

Need Advice - Job Role Switch.

Product Managers on

by Kendall Hyrum

Gojek

You Must Get Out - My Experience of 4 Years In Product

Indian Startups on

by Kendall Carmden

Bajaj Finserv

Genuine opinions needed

Product Managers on

by Blair Taye