How to Become a Product Manager

Product managers are leaders who promote collaboration between teams to create and improve products that meet both consumer and business needs.

Unlike careers like medicine or law, there’s no single way to become a product manager. These professionals enter the field from a wide range of industries and professional backgrounds, including tech, healthcare, and finance.

While the exact path and the industry may vary, there are a few common steps that you can take to build the right skill set and experience to break into the product management field.

Read this guide to learn what those steps are and the core skills you’ll need to succeed.

Product managers define the vision of a product, create a strategy to develop it, and manage its production timeline. They also serve as a key point of communication with cross-functional teams and stakeholders throughout the process.

Some of their day-to-day responsibilities may include:

Product management can be a great career path for someone who is organized, a strong communicator, and interested in product development. To succeed in this role, you’ll need a mix of skills and experience across different areas, including data analysis, market research, leadership, strategic thinking and time management.

There isn’t a specific path to becoming a product manager. In fact, people enter the field from a variety of backgrounds. Still, there are some general steps you should consider taking:

Most product managers have at least a bachelor’s degree. While there is no specific degree required for this career, many people have bachelor’s degrees in business, computer science, marketing, or a related field.

These degree programs can teach you fundamental skills and core knowledge in business, technology, data analysis, and market research, which are key to better understanding customer needs and product development.

Internships and mentorships can give you hands-on experience and insight into the daily work of a product manager.

Getting a mentor can help you learn more about what skills and qualifications are needed to get into product management. On the other hand, getting an internship in product development, project management, or tech roles can help you bolster your resume and make you more marketable to future employers.

Internship opportunities and mentors can also help you expand your professional network, which can come in handy when it’s time to look for jobs after graduation.

Building a strong foundation in product management tools, industry trends, market analysis, and other key topics early in your career can set you up for success as a product manager.

You can do so by reading industry blogs and news, attending industry webinars, and taking online courses. You can also consider product management bootcamps — short educational programs that focus on practical training and lead to a certification rather than a degree.

It’s also helpful to get familiar with common methods of product management approaches, including Agile and Scrum. These are popular frameworks used to guide how teams plan, build, and deliver products.

To succeed as a product manager, it helps to build a mix of both soft and hard skills before entering the field.

Soft skills, which focus on communication, include problem-solving, conflict resolution, and leadership. These are essential for working with cross-functional teams and making informed decisions.

Hard skills, or technical skills, can include knowledge of user experience, project management software like Jira or Asana, and programming languages like SQL. Having these skills before you start your career can make you more appealing to employers, as they may see you as easier to onboard and quicker to contribute.

Once you feel ready, look for entry-level positions to gain work experience and enhance your resume. You can look for roles such as a product coordinator, associate product manager, or business analyst. With years of experience, you can work your way up to managerial or senior-level positions in product management.

To land an entry-level position, tailor your resume to the job you’re aiming for by including relevant experiences, skills, or awards. Also, leverage your LinkedIn presence to contact recruiters, and try to attend networking events when possible.

Some product managers get additional certifications to show employers that they have the skills and expertise needed for the job.

Product management certifications can cover general product management topics or focus on specific areas, like Scrum or Agile.

Some options include those approved by the Association of International Product Marketing and Management (AIPMM) certifying board. These programs cost anywhere from $400 to over $5,000, but they can be a worthwhile investment for gaining specialized knowledge.

Product manager roles typically require candidates to have several years of relevant work experience.

Considering the time it usually takes to earn a bachelor’s degree (four years) and additional time to build experience, it can take anywhere from 5-8 years to become a product manager.

Also, while you don’t need a master’s for a career in product management, having one can help you advance to senior positions. If you choose to pursue a master’s degree, this can add an additional 2-3 years to your career timeline.

How much you can make as a product manager depends on your years of experience and what industry you are in.

For example, according to Payscale data from May 2025, the average base salary for a product manager in software is $109,160 a year. A product manager in ecommerce earns less — an average of $97,140 per year, as of March 2025.

Here are some factors to consider when deciding if product management is a good fit for you: