By Teresa Torres · producttalk.org · @ttorres on X · LinkedIn
Teresa Torres argues that aspiring product managers can break the 'chicken and egg' problem of needing experience to get a PM job by starting their own side project right away. She notes there is no shortage of unsolved problems and willing payers, so initiative can be shown immediately. Coding is not required; designing a solution is enough to demonstrate product skills. Doing this work, she says, makes a candidate stand out from most others applying for PM roles.
01Key takeaways
- Start a side project now to build the product experience that job postings ask for.
- Pick real problems and jobs people need solved; there are plenty to choose from.
- You can demonstrate product skills by designing a solution without writing any code.
- Practice requirements, wireframes, paper usability tests, prioritization, and competitive analysis on your own.
- Visible self-directed work helps a candidate stand out from other applicants.
02Key sections
- Breaking the experience paradox
- The author says the need for prior PM experience is a flawed loop that aspiring PMs can get around by creating their own work. Taking initiative on a side project is the way in.
- Designing without coding
- Torres clarifies that the goal is to design a solution, not necessarily to build it. Non-technical candidates can still show product design ability.
- A hiring example
- A company hired a school-leaver largely because he had built an Android app in his spare time, showing that self-directed projects can substitute for work experience.
- Concrete PM activities to practice
- She lists activities such as writing requirements, wireframing, running paper usability tests, managing a backlog, and analyzing competitors, all possible without a live product.
03From the post
“This post is part of the So You Want To Be a Product Manager series. Last week, I wrote about how you don't need specific experience to become a product manager. Too many people get caught up in the chicken and the egg problem of how can I get”
Summary and takeaways written by PM Atlas; quotes are short excerpts. © the original author.