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My only advice is if you intend to be a product manager you have to be able to relate to the work your customer does in a way in which you have real experience / stick time. Otherwise you are a liaison but the movie doesn’t do the book justice. So find a domain and learn it, deeply. Finance, operations, software, hardware, media, film, architecture, construction…it doesn’t matter so long as you are earning real credibility either doing the work or in a supporting role close to it. This is how most people I know get this wrong is what I’m saying.
Agree on focusing on a sector or subsector as a way to build domain expertise and a track record within a product area.
My majors do not directly align with the products I’ve worked on. I loved school and what I studied, but I tend to think enjoying learning and being willing to dive deep in unfamiliar areas and become familiar is where the value is (degree or not).,
For very high earning potential, a B.S. in Business Administration/Management or Statistics, and an MBA 👍🏻🤓
I was half kidding… I’m also in Product Management and don’t have a degree. Very close to finishing… might go ahead and take the last semester or two if need be. I’m currently interviewing for a Product role that pays $150k… we’ll see how it goes. 😬
Degrees are expensive and serve as a barrier to entry into product (and many other jobs), but you’ve gotten past that barrier and now have experience as a PM, which I find holds way more value in the market.
As a PM w/o a degree, where do you feel your shortcomings are at work and how do you think a degree will address them? Could courses, boot camps, or certificates (e.g., eng or data science bootcamp) address the gaps?
I know folks w/o degrees in tech (product, design, and engineering) making $150k-$400k. Now if you want to build bio/med-tech, microprocessors, headphones, etc i can definitely see having much deeper foundational knowledge as immensely beneficial and not having that as a blocker
Thank you. Unfortunately I’m not able to chat directly with you - it’s saying you’re unavailable
Subject Expert
Honestly, it’s a tick box on an application. I think a business degree is the most relevant (outside of a computer science degree, but that takes a specific type of mindset). Maybe look into Arizona State or Colorado State, or any other D1 school with an online leg. Depending on how many credits you have already, you may be able to complete your degree for an affordable price. But it may take 2 or 3 years.
ASU as an engineering degree (BSE) in User Experience Research. 5 year master
But I don’t have one.
Coach
If you've been out of school for more than 5 years, just say you have one. Nobody cares. You'll be judged on what you worked on prior.