Product Manager Role

[robocop]

Hello friends,

I'm thinking of making a lateral shift from engg. lead role to product manager role. I have a few offers. (Its in the wireless space).

My question is, from a R2I to bangalore perspective, how are product management roles there ?

Both in terms of oppurtunities, growth salary etc.

This job, I'm getting in the US is a senior product manager role (1 level below product mgmt director).

I know engineering roles are dime a dozen in india. I need specific info
on product management or product strategy roles.

Lots of Indian desis/engineers think of marketing dudes as idiots. From a long term career growth perspective, do u think things are changing ?

Also, I would like to know of strategy/business dev role in US/India versus product marketing (more inbound, less outbound) roles.

Thanks a lot.

[Desi_by_Nature]

Lots of Indian desis/engineers think of marketing dudes as idiots.[/quote]

You got that right. Yes they are usually idiots.

[robocop]

Can someone with experience in technology product management/marketing
please comment ?

Thanks

[Chicago Desi]

Product Manager positions give you an entry into the business side of things, where growth potential is higher than a purely technical line.

Make sure you have solid business skills and do not rely on your technical abilities alone.

I think its a great move for someone who has a good business sense or some business training. Also, not everyone is cut out for a purely technical role. The transition should do wonders for your career.

[robocop]

Excellent inputs, #4 and #5.

I need to make this decision in 2 weeks.

What are the long term growth oppurtunities in product mgmt/mktg ?

Could the skill sets and experience transferred over to a BD(business dev) role ?

Also, I suppose if I get an MBA (top tier) while I'm in this role, I could also move to strategy roles right ? (in a strategy consulting company or corp strategy in a tech firm)

I'm also looking at this from a R2I perpsective. I plan to R2I in about 3-4 years. I want to make sure I dont get into an area that is not so hot in des.

Thanks

[IndianByDefault]

IMO you are talking about two different areas. Marketing is not the same as product management. Marketing focuses on branding, positioning and selling a product. The role of a product manager is more focused on research - both domain specific research and surveying clients and coming up with priortized lists and ideas about how to make your product(s) better. Typically if you go to work for a good sized product company these two jobs are handled by different people. In most cases even sales and marketing is handled by different people even though they are under the same umbrella. I have worked for a product company for more than 10 years now and have switched between roles of client services, product management, project management. These roles are more closely tied together but very different from selling or marketing products. You are right that long term growth oppurtunities in product management would typically lead into more strategic roles like product development and other broad-based initiatives for your entire product line. Understanding the customer needs and accomodating it is a constant balancing act in the technology world. Most people who move from technology into product management fail to stay out of the technology aspect and focus on defining the requirements and spending more time looking at what the customer wants. If you can cut over this line easily you will do good.

[tejasvee]

Two things I would add to what IBD described very well before this post.

1. A Product manager can focus on building/enhancing the project, only if he/she occupies a stable product's management position. If you get to a company bogged down by bugs, you will be in catchup mode for months or even years, losing all steam by the time things get stable.

2. A product manager might be asked to spend a lot of time to learn from failed sales attempts. I have seen products enhanced very well this way, compared to pro-active research from the market/customers. This in no way takes away other targets of product development, so stress is a part of the game.

If you have the attitude to face both these situations, which are mostly non-technical skill sets, you should consider looking further.

[robocop]

Did any of you get jitters thinking about leaving behind a strong engineering background (10yrs+) and making a move to a product marketing role ?

Right now, I'm very jittery about this. THings are going fine at my current company. But I dont know if I want to keep doing programming/debugging/testing/project management forever. On the other hand, this move will be a new frontier for me and I have very little experience in mktg.

Can someone please post their experience about their shift to marketing from engineering ? What is the typical growth path/performance expectations
in a product mktg role in tech companies ?

Thanks in advance

[Chicago Desi]

I had BE and MS in Engg and 9.5 yrs of experience in Engg. I made a career change from engg to marketing post-MBA and changed industries while I did that. Both industries before and after change were non-IT. The best decision of my life. Never looked back. More job satisfaction, more money, more impact and better career growth prospects. Wish I had done this years ago.

I enjoyed my engg job and was excited abt it but then it became very repetitive and boring and I did not enjoy it any more. I was always inclined to the business side of things more, so that change came naturally to me.

I know many people who have strong engg skills and still enjoy their jobs and I also know one of my old bosses who gave product management a shot and came back to engg (in the same industry) because he just hated it. So it depends on what kind of person you are and what you enjoy. There is no right or wrong answer here.

[layman]

Did any of you get jitters thinking about leaving behind a strong engineering background (10yrs+) and making a move to a product marketing role ?

[/quote]
You bet!