From PM to engineer

Question

I want to transition from product management to engineering. Not only do I think my time as a pm would benefit my career as a dev but I am a very business minded and entrepreneurial person so I love to be efficient and just get things done.

However I know that once on the other side the grass won't be greener.

As a pm I constantly feel like I'm always screwed over by stakeholders changing their mind, or engineering taking too long and not even delivering on requirements.

But once I'm a dev, I'm curious to know what can I expect one day from my future pm? What are the eng only calls like and what do they complain about?

RyStout · Accepted Answer

Engineering has their own set of unique problems and they deal with bad PMs and Stakeholders all the time too. The biggest issue is non-technical people thinking they know the technical side of it. PMs and stakeholders ask for ridiculous things all the time and set unrealistic timelines and deadlines.

But just like from a PM perspective, there are always going to be good teams and bad teams. It's more about the people you work with, rather than the job you're doing imo.

mohitb117 · Answer

Good luck ! PMs unless they are aware of the tech limitations will always feel things are not going their way but that feeling comes because they are insulated with their version of a non-tech reality (like a scientist being asked to do something by a politician). The Steve job-esque focus on building products comes at a price of engineering burning the midnight oil and PTSD/stress which usually translates to $$$/recognition. It has been rare in my experience but the only good PMs I have dealt with are the ones who know engineering will always encounter roadblocks but PMs figure when to push and when to be led by engineering.There are engineering orgs who will be a be more political than needed and won't do what is asked but it's the healthy ⚖️ of both sides of the coin.

From PM to engineer

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