Product Management For Dummies

Chapter 19

Getting to the Next Level in Product Management

IN THIS CHAPTER

Thinking ahead about what your career goals are and how to reach them

Building important industry expertise

Over a long career, product managers can work on many different products in vastly different fields. One product manager we know started in computer hardware and is now vice president of product management at a health insurance company. The great news is that the process for remaining employable and up-to-date in skills and your domain knowledge is the same for any product manager. In fact, over time and with practice, you can make the transition from one industry to another relatively painlessly if you have to or want to. This chapter shows you how to set appropriate product management career goals and achieve the best career results possible.

Mapping Your Career Path: Setting Goals and Target Dates

It used to be that companies would create career paths and development plans for their employees. These days, very few companies do this, so you as a product manager need to take the initiative and be responsible for your own career advancement. By setting goals with target dates, and creating a specific plan for where you want to go and how you want to get there, you increase your odds of success ...