Software Engineer wanting to switch to product management

ayema·Oct 09, 2023

Hey yall!

I hope this message finds you all in great spirits! I am reaching out today with a desire to tap into the collective wisdom and experience of this incredible community.

I am a software engineer with several years of experience in collaborative settings with product managers. While I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in engineering, I find myself increasingly drawn to the world of Product Management. The prospect of shaping and driving the product vision, collaborating closely with cross-functional teams, and ensuring that technology serves as a powerful enabler for user needs is incredibly appealing to me.

I am seeking advice, insights, and any help you might be willing to offer on this career transition. What steps should I take to make this shift effectively? Are there specific skills or knowledge areas I should focus on? How can I leverage my engineering background to my advantage in this new role? I'm also interested in hearing about personal experiences and any resources or networking opportunities that could aid in this transition.

I'm very eager to learn from your experiences and insights - please feel free to reply here, or you can reach out to me directly if you prefer. Your mentorship and advice will be immensely appreciated.

Thank you in advance for your time and assistance!

Cheers!

Ayema

Iynna·Oct 09, 2023

Hi Ayema! We've had these discussions a bunch here on Elpha, take a look at this thread which will be a great starting point https://elpha.com/posts/8cepvy4z/seeking-advice-to-pivot-into-product-management

rachelserwetz·Oct 09, 2023

Hi @ayema! If you're thinking about a certain career direction but you're not feeling 100% sure yet, I'd suggest getting to 100% confidence about the direction/change by pursuing the career exploration process until you feel certain. Once you know where you want to go, leverage networking to understand how people break into the career path, plan your next steps around what you learn in the process, pursue upskilling as necessary, and refresh your personal branding materials tailored to your new path. If you need more guidance, here are some resources to help: https://www.iamwoken.com/post/your-next-career-step-isnt-permanent-how-to-see-your-career-as-an-informed-experimentand https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kr9QMUOgaCk&feature=youtu.be. Additionally, on my website I have a 7-step guide focused on how to successfully make a career pivot which will have a lot of helpful tips for you - https://www.iamwoken.com/resources/job-searching#downloadables.PS, I’m Rachel. If you want to discuss further, check my profile to book a call to dive deeper into your goals/challenges.

sarahing·Oct 12, 2023

@shamsheer would be really helpful with this! She's an engineer turned PM and now a coach.

shamsheer·Oct 12, 2023

thank you Sarah! @ayema happy to chat if you want to DM me. i too made the switch from eng to product & it can def be challenging. alternatively, if you feel ready to explore coaching on this, you can book some time here: growthwithshamsheer.com