Product Manager leveling when switching companies

Question

Would appreciate some perspective on my current job search situation. thanks!

I've been a technical PM at a traditional asset manager for 2 years, but at the company for 5 years. My experience has been internal applications and data management. Previously, I held product marketing roles. I'm on track to make VP (= Senior PM) by the end of the year.

I'm interested in leaving my company for a smaller / tech-orientated organization and would like the product-focus to be external / customer facing.

It's been difficult getting interviews for Senior PM roles because I don't have the explicit 5 yrs of customer facing PM experience. I'm frustrated because I have worked on external products during my marketing years and I currently manage a junior PM. I know my responsibilities are at the Senior PM level.

Questions:

Should I change my search to look for PM roles that require only 2 years of experience, or would this be selling myself short?
Is it normal to have to take a step back in your PM career if you don't have those explicit 5+ years of experience?
Is this all dependent on leveling at other companies?

arbol22 · Accepted Answer

Questions/Answers:

- Should I change my search to look for PM roles that require only 2 years of experience, or would this be selling myself short?
Maybe? Depends on the size of the company. Imho, esp with pm/pmm pros like us, the skills can be transferrable so it's about how you tell the story on your resume. It's YOUR story and your experience. Holding onto a job title when the role doesn't quite fit  it is wayyyyy too common. Best advice I got from a recruiter was to adjust my titles to match the jobs I want to get, so as long as the skills match.

Is it normal to have to take a step back in your PM career if you don't have those explicit 5+ years of experience?
Sometimes. I think rather than looking at it as "a step back" the thought should be "pivot". Growth mindset is important and talking about your skills and experience more positively will help in the short and long term, especially during interviews.

Is this all dependent on leveling at other companies?
Possibly. What Google wants versus a startup is going to be very different so its more about what you want. Big team? Big name? Interesting projects? Fun team? Remote? Comp? I think this question boils down to what you want to get our of your career as a PM.

There's a job thread in here you can check out as well for companies hiring right now to see how different companies stack up. Just compare job descriptions 👍

paperplain · Answer

In particular for PM'ing the domain is often important (ex. consumer vs enterprise). If you do enough reading / preparation I think you can still do well outside of any domain you have most comfort with.

1. Yes - not change, expand your search to include lower roles. Come into the role, outperform and get promoted. At smaller companies there will be less rigid processes for promotions often.
2. Yes - This is normal across careers in general. Even when moving from small company &gt; big company, etc. Again I wouldn't worry too much because you can grow quickly assuming you have the background and can take more ownership quickly.
3. Not sure what you mean here exactly. Smaller companies are often more flexible on leveling. If that's truly a concern, target smaller companies. Note you might have a higher 'level' but be managing less people than at a bigco.

Product Manager leveling when switching companies

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