Finding Your Next Product Management Job

Finding Your Next Product Management Job

For many folks, the new year offers the chance to reflect on the past year and reset for the upcoming year. For some of us, whether planned or not, that includes your next product management adventure. So to start off the new year, we thought we’d share some tips on finding your next product manager job and ways to make your current one feel like new.

How to become a next-level product manager. In today’s competitive job market, shaped by the recent waves of layoffs and downsizing, setting yourself apart is more important than ever. With over a decade of experience in product management recruitment, we’ve met our fair share of Product Managers. Over time, we’ve honed our ability to differentiate a good PM from a truly exceptional one. The folks at Martyn Bassett Associates dive into what sets these next-level Product Managers apart and get the insights you need to unlock your potential and secure that dream job. (via Martyn Bassett Associates)

The busy Product Manager’s guide to getting a new job. Finding a new PM job can seem overwhelming. Between managing your current responsibilities and trying to stand out in a competitive job market, it's difficult to know where to start. With the right approach and strategic planning, you can successfully navigate the job search process and find a new position that aligns with your career goals and values. Joni Hoadley​walks you through the steps you need to take to find your next job as a product manager. (via Joni Hoadley)

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Join your product peers for inspiring keynotes and networking, valuable insights, and actionable strategies. Ultimately, you'll be empowered to gain more influence, spend your resources wisely, enhance your skills, and build meaningful connections. And if you register this month – you’ll save up to 30% on your passes – don’t miss out!

• ​New York Product Conference (New York City): April 18, 2024
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• ​Global edition of INDUSTRY: The Product Conference (Cleveland, Ohio): September 23-25, 2024

2024 is the year the AI industry gets serious.Axios predicts organizations are going to move beyond the hype surrounding the successes of ChatGPT and chip maker Nvidia and look to deliver results across a wide slice of business and life. Expect everyone using AI to seek proof AI is making their life or work better following 2023's surges of enthusiasm and fear. As proof of that, just look at planned AI spending. Gen AI's meteoric rise will not slow soon, as companies transition from early experimentation to aggressive infrastructure and trained data model building. By 2027, IDC expects spending to reach $151.1 billion, representing a compound annual growth rate of 85.9% over the 2023-27 period. How companies account for and disclose software costs might get updated—in a major way. The Financial Accounting Standards Board is considering a single accounting model for all companies whether they develop software or just use it in their business. Under this model, a company would have to expense over time all its direct software costs starting when they deem a software project’s eventual completion to be probable and until they substantially have completed it. That could mean that companies can no longer capitalize their software development efforts, a common technique for organizations to fund their custom software development. Free Steamboat Willie. As of January 1st, 2024, the earliest versions of the character seen in the 1928 animations Steamboat Willie and Plane Crazy have entered the public domain. That means anyone in the US can use and reference early versions of Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, and Peg Leg Pete without Disney’s permission. When you combine that with expanding AI capabilities, get ready for plenty of weirdness as people play with the original design for Disney’s characters.

If you are looking for that next great role, Product Collective can help! Join our free self-service Talent Collective today and a selection of hand-picked tech-driven companies will be able to find you! Plus, you can keep an eye out on the job board there for the latest postings from our partner companies. Check out this month's featured jobs:

The Home Depot ​Product Principal​ Remote | Senior | Full Time | $135-$240

The Home Depot ​Associate Product Manager​ Remote | Entry Level | Full Time | $70-$120

The Home Depot ​Product Manager​ Remote | Junior | Full Time | $90-$160

The Home Depot ​Senior Product Manager​ Remote | Mid-Level | Full Time | $100-$240

New Start

As we embrace the start of a new year, it's a time of reflection and new beginnings. For many Product Managers and Product Leaders, this might mean considering a fresh start in their careers. Finding your next product role can be daunting – but it also has the opportunity to be exciting as well. With that in mind, I have a few thoughts that may be worthwhile if you’re starting that journey…

Firstly, understand the importance of networking. Your network is your net worth in the product world. Hopefully, you’ve already been building up your network over the years. Even if you haven’t been, though, there’s no better time to start than right now. LinkedIn can be an incredible resource for not only finding opportunities but learning from some of the best in product. Even beyond LinkedIn, there are opportunities to join online forums (like our Product Collective Member Hub), attend industry events (whether it’s our conferences or local product meetups), and more to keep your network strong.

Second, focus on your personal brand. In today's digital age, your online presence is your resume. Keep your LinkedIn updated, contribute to those online discussions, and showcase your achievements and learnings. This not only helps in being discovered but also establishes you as a thought leader in the product space.

Lastly, never underestimate the power of continuous learning. The product management field is ever-evolving, and staying updated with the latest trends and skills is crucial. Whether it's through online courses, webinars, or reading, make learning a habit. It not only enhances your skill set but also makes you a more attractive candidate.

Landing that next product dream role isn’t a small task. But you can give yourself a better chance to find that role – and faster – if you put in the work now. And remember, we at Product Collective are here to help on all fronts! If there’s a way I can personally be helpful, let me know.

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Should I take a product manager job in a sales-led company? Jock Busuttil answers the question “I’m currently applying for loads of product manager jobs. I’ve received an offer from a sales-led company where the Product team reports into Sales. Should I take the job?” (via Jock Busuttil)

Product Manager career paths. As a product manager, you can have highly flexible career trajectories, since you have both breadth and depth of skills that we can easily transfer into a variety of roles. But, one challenge product managers face is having visibility into all the options. Clement Kao​pulled together a set of potential career paths for product managers. For each, Clement describes the responsibilities of the role, and shares some thoughts on how to best prepare for that role. (via Product Teacher)

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