Product manager lateral entry: How do I become a product owner or product manager? An experience report

Whether you have a background in development, design, business or a specific discipline, we are seeing more and more people seeking a career change into product management. But how do you actually become a product owner or product manager, and what requirements and prospects does this profession offer? In this experience report, Sebastian shares his story with us and gives us an insight into how you can get into product management.

Sebastian's background: Where it all began

Sebastian comes from a development background and has already gained experience working in product teams. In the process, he became more and more interested in product management. He realized that he was not only interested in the technical implementation, but also in looking at the big picture, including market analysis and understanding market needs. He wanted to develop a vision for a product and position it successfully on the market.

He then began to gradually delve deeper into the topic of product management and read up on various books and articles. He later took on his first product management tasks and communicated his interest in the role of product owner within his company.

Preparation for the role of product owner and entry into product management

In Sebastian's eyes, it is important to position yourself close to other product owners right from the start. Even without an official title, you can actively take on tasks and responsibilities from product management.

"The principle is: Be a product owner before you become a product owner."

It's about developing the right mindset and realizing that you are ultimately responsible for the success of the product. Sebastian himself was lucky enough to already be working as a tech lead in a team that was supported by a product manager. However, as she was only involved in the project on a part-time basis, Sebastian took on more and more tasks from product management. He started to create paper prototypes, organized user tests and wrote user stories. Basically, he was already a product manager before he officially took on the role.

It is also important to acquire knowledge in project management, both in classic and agile methods, in order to be successful in the role of product owner.

Sebastian emphasizes how important it is to proactively approach the product owner(s) and communicate that you want to develop in this direction. POs are often grateful for help, as it is a complex and time-consuming role.

Understand the role of Product Owner

In addition to positioning yourself in the team, it is just as important that you understand your future role. Sebastian considers this to be one of the essential steps on the way to becoming a Product Owner. To gain the necessary knowledge, Sebastian read many books and attended workshops and conferences. He also exchanged ideas with other product owners to benefit from their experiences.

However, simply exchanging ideas and networking at events is usually not enough. They make it difficult to acquire knowledge and understanding in the long term without the right structure. Sebastian therefore recommends continuing your education in order to understand product management as a whole. A training course can be particularly valuable here, as it provides structured knowledge and certification. There are many courses and training programs that can help you with this.

You can find out more about the tasks of a product owner in our blog article: "What is my role as a product owner & product manager?"

First tasks as Product Owner

According to Sebastian, to prepare for the role of product owner, it is a good idea to actively participate in the development phase and contribute your own ideas and suggestions. As a developer, you could, for example, suggest supporting a feature in the discovery phase or writing user stories. You could also interact more with the product manager to gain a better understanding of the needs of the market and customers. This will help you to develop and manage the products optimally.

Sebastian also recommends offering yourself as a vacation or sick leave replacement for the product owner(s). Instead of just familiarizing yourself with the topic in theory, you take on active responsibility for a short period of time. This way, you can gain valuable experience and show your commitment and potential in product management, whether you are a developer, designer or business graduate.

Get external knowledge

In addition to his new experience in product management, Sebastian himself started reading specialist books early on to gain a better understanding of the tasks and responsibilities in his new role. However, he quickly realized that just reading was not enough to really apply the knowledge in practice. That's why he gained an overview at conferences and in discussions with other product experts and intensively explored new methods and tools

"By taking part in external training and courses, product owners can not only expand their knowledge, but also discover new perspectives and approaches." It is also important to prepare a strong application that includes a CV, cover letter and certificates.

We also go into this in more detail in our video with Thomas Gläser (Head of Product).

The Product Masterclass

Thomas and Sebastian have also created a solution to many problems with the Product Masterclass. The aim is to provide new or future product owners with a comprehensive overview of their new tasks and tools within 8 weeks. The course covers all important aspects of product management - from brainstorming and prototyping to product development and marketing. Participants learn from experienced professionals, can exchange ideas with other participants and discover relevant tools and methods. The Product Masterclass is designed for anyone who is already working in a product environment and wants to switch to product management or is already working in product management.

According to Sebastian, specialization in specific areas such as agility or UX design should only take place later, once you have gained an overview of the big picture.

Find out more about the Product Masterclass here!

Actively communicate your interest in lateral entry

Sebastian emphasizes that you need to actively communicate that you are interested in the role of product manager and want to develop in this direction. This will make it easier for you to take on small tasks and activities in product management in order to develop a better understanding of the role and acquire new skills. Don't just talk to the product owner, but also to other managers. Show your colleagues that you are willing and able to develop yourself further. Actively search for jobs in product management and apply for relevant positions.

With successful communication, you can build trust in your company for your skills. This can result in you being considered for specific tasks or vacancies in product management.

The most important things in a nutshell: 4 key learnings about the product

With the following 4 points you can increase your chances of getting a new role in product management:

1. Position yourself close to Product Owners to expand your skills and take on new tasks.
2. Familiarize yourself with methods and tools and acquire new knowledge. This will give you a better understanding of the Product Owner role and give you more confidence in using these tools.
3. Get external knowledge through books, seminars, conferences and your network to develop yourself further.
4. Actively communicate that you want to develop into a product owner. Gain the trust and recognition of colleagues and managers.

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