If you think that portfolios are just for graphic designers and photographers, you’ve got it all wrong. Your product management portfolio is a vital tool in obtaining that perfect role for what you’ve been searching. No need to panic! Improve your chances of an interview with these five core tips:

Love your data

Love your data, and your interviewer will love you. It’s a very simple formula, but it works. Anything you describe in your portfolio will be vastly strengthened by the data you collect. For example, if you took a product right from concept to launch and it made it to a million downloads your interviewer wants to know.

Even if the product you lead failed, is there data that you can pull concerning why it failed? The hard data in your portfolio should be blindingly obvious; from there, you can spin it however you like. It is that simple to make yourself sound impressive…

Hearing the customer’s voice

How are your ears? Can you hear that consumer crying out for your product? Did you do your consumer research and fill that gap in the market? Let’s hope so. If you can’t display that you’re completely in tune with your customer or user group’s needs, you can’t claim to have a complete portfolio.

Don’t worry if your user research examples seem terribly humble to you. To your interviewer, they may well show the much initiative they’ve been looking for. So gather all the examples you have of listening to and acting on the voice of your consumer, and you’ll whip that portfolio into shape in no time!

Get ‘touchy feely’

Don’t worry – we’re not suggesting anything inappropriate here. But engaging the interviewer with something tangible from design processes you have worked on can take your portfolio to a whole new level. For example, you could try bringing in some product prototypes or even wireframes.

Sometimes it is as simple as engaging your interviewer on a human level. We all remember the ‘show and tell’ tasks at school, and this strategy works on the same theory. You interact with what you touch on so many more levels than speech alone. The result will be an engagement with your interviewer which will leave him or her with a lasting impression of you.

Always remember the team

Whether you’re currently part of a team or can reference teams you’ve worked in in the past, your team engagement is a hugely important part of a product management portfolio.

As a product manager, you are aiming to be at the centre of a complex network of everyone from designers and researchers to sales teams and senior management. You are the mediator between this highly mobilised team and the customer. Make sure your interviewing panel knows you’re up to scratch.

Build a website

And finally, it may seem obvious, but there could not be a better way of collating and displaying your portfolio work than by building your site. Even the very process of this will demonstrate your proficiency with HTML and basic coding.

And if that seems beyond your capabilities at the moment, just use one of the great services out there like ‘About.me’ or ‘LinkedIn’ and you will still be able to build your project work up into an impressive portfolio very successfully. Just remember to incorporate all the tips included above when it comes to the structure.

So you’ve read this far, which must mean you’re really serious about getting that product management portfolio. All that’s left is to follow all the tips above and work them into your top-performing portfolio.

Remember to keep on following our blogs and apply for a place on our certification programme for expert training in all the fundamentals of product management.

KEYWORDS:

Product Management, product, consumer, user, portfolio, team, service, services, customer

SOURCES:

https://www.producttalk.org/2012/06/4-questions-i-always-ask-when-interviewing-product-managers/

https://www.producttalk.org/2012/08/to-portfolio-or-not-to-portfolio/

https://www.quora.com/Do-product-managers-have-portfolios-and-if-so-what-are-good-examples#

https://www.producttalk.org/2012/09/so-you-want-to-be-a-product-manager/

If you’re hoping to get into product management, your portfolio will be crucial. We’re going to look at 5 great product manager websites online and think about what makes them so good.

A huge number of product managers have websites detailing their experience and showcasing their management skills through their resume. Here are just five of them.

Juan J. Ramirez – http://whoisjuan.github.io

The projects included in this portfolio showcase a range of different skills with a strong focus on the software and design aspects of project management. Links to case studies on Mr Ramirez’s Medium page are also great, as they give a clearer picture of how he approaches projects.

Taylor McCaslin- https://www.taylormccaslin.com/portfolio/

By giving each project in his portfolio a category (e.g. web, mobile, talks, etc.), Mr McCaslin demonstrates a range of project management skills, including communication with consumersand design. He includes a description or a more detailed case study for each item and explains exactly how he used his skills as part of the project.

David Parelli – http://www.davidparrelli.com

The ‘Selected Work’ aspect of this product management portfolio may be relatively brief but it still clearly demonstrates Mr Parelli’s strong design skills and consumer focus. He also uses his resume to show that he is continually adding to his skill set.

Emily Ingram- http://emilyingram.com

With a thorough list of the products she has managed and her specific tasks in each, Ms Ingram shows that her skills cover business, communication and marketing, amongst others. She then emphasises these in her ‘Skills and Strengths’ section.

Martin Eriksson- http://martineriksson.com/portfolio/

In his portfolio, Mr Eriksson is clear about how his contribution to the products he manages has helped each of them to grow. It is particularly clear that he has strong business skills. Also, his blog is housed on the same website and the posts he includes help to clarify his approach to product management.

Building your portfolio

The five sites we have looked at so far have shown that successful product managers can and do fulfil different roles and make use of different skills. While you’re developing your product management portfolio, you should aim to show experience of several different product management roles.

Product managers are often said to fall into different categories. The descriptions vary, but there seem to be about four major groups.

Engineering-focused – They usually have a background in software engineering and are very focused on the performance of the product. Their skills are of most use on products that need to be very nuanced.

Business-focused – They are great if you need to market your product in a competitive sector. They can work well with other businesses and are very useful in projects that rely on partnerships.

Consumer-focused – With less knowledge of the software and design aspects of product management, these are strongest when it comes to understanding and building relationships with the product’s consumers.

Design-focused – They are focused on the design and functionality of the product. They are most useful in perfecting a product that needs to deliver a fantastic user experience.

While your background and skills are likely to lead you in a specific direction, it is useful to demonstrate that you have experience of several different product management roles. This will make your portfolio seem more rounded than if it only shows a more narrow skill set.

The other advantage of having a range of experience in your product management portfolio is that it will make you more aware of your skills and strengths. Armed with this awareness, you will be able to choose your niche and take your product management career to the next level.

Primary Keyword: product management

Variants:, product management experience, product management role, product management portfolio,  product management skills,  approach to product management,  product management career

Synonyms/ Antonyms: product manager, resume, work experience, versatility, narrow skill set, product manager website, product manager skills, product manager resume

Resources

http://whoisjuan.github.io

https://www.taylormccaslin.com/portfolio/

http://www.davidparrelli.com

http://emilyingram.com

http://martineriksson.com/portfolio/

https://medium.com/@juanjramirez

https://medium.com/axiomzenteam/the-4-types-of-product-manager-3a507246173#.inszh52hb

http://www.sachinrekhi.com/3-types-of-product-managers-builders-tuners-innovators

http://blog.aha.io/what-type-of-product-manager-are-you/

http://onproductmanagement.net/2013/04/23/14767/

“Product manager” (not to be confused with “project manager“) can be a rather vague title. As you research this field, you may wonder what would be expected of you. It all depends on which type of product manager you become.

Here, we have outlined five main types of product managers.

The Techy

In business, different departments work on various aspects of a product. They then exchange information to begin putting the product together. As a Techy, you would help in this process.

Not everyone can understand the complexities behind engineering. This confusion can lead to trouble communicating between departments. A big part of your job would be to prevent this. You would put the technical information into simpler terms that are easier to understand.

In most cases, PMs are not required to code. However, it is still helpful to know. It will also make communicating with the engineering team a lot easier.

The Marketer

This kind of product manager knows how to handle customers. The Marketer can also translate information.

Successful Marketers know what their customers want. You would have to be able to read people. It would also help to have a strong emotional intelligence.

You would also make sure the product is understandable for the customer. You should always take customer input into consideration.

A Marketer would benefit from also being a Techy. Knowing the technical details helps a Marketer explain the product.

The Designer

Designer PMs are always needed when developing a product. They help provide the first look at what the result may be.

Designers need to be creative. You would often have to come up with ideas not thought of by the Engineers and Techies.

Because a product can change at any time, you would always have to be ready. You also need to be able to collaborate well with other members of your design team.

The top priority of a Designer is the way a product looks and functions. Is it easy enough to use? Is the design too complicated? Will it work under those conditions? These are questions you would need to ask yourself as you work.

The Manager

If you like managing others, consider being a Manager.

You would make sure everyone meets their deadlines. You would also ensure that each part of the product is as it should be.

As a manager, you would need to be thorough in your inspections. If anything is not up to par, you must send it back for improvements. You need to be able to multi-task to do this job well. You also need to have a good memory.

Successful Managers can motivate others. They make instructions clear and let everyone know when their part is due. Great Managers have at least general knowledge about all the other fields of product managing. This helps them when checking for errors.

The Businessman

As a Businessman, you would always have the company’s interests in mind. You would focus on what you can do to improve profits.

You would make important investments that could either help or harm the company. You are responsible for the growth or decline of the business.

This type of PM needs to know how to manage stress and get out of challenging situations. It is also important to know how to negotiate and form partnerships. You must represent your company well.

When managing a product, you also need to keep your eyes on the company’s data. You must be ready immediately in case something does not go as planned.

What If None of These Appeal to You?

Don’t be afraid to make your own!

You do not have to fit in one of these categories. The best PMs can tackle two or even three of these fields.

However, a company also needs general PMs. These are the managers of the product who can do a little bit of everything.

Companies also need people who are skilled at analysis. This can be analysing data or problem-solving. Analysers are required throughout all steps of the development process.

You can also be useful to a company by being creative. Original ideas are important in companies. If you can imagine things no one else would consider, you could try becoming a creativity-focused PM.

Whether you enjoy selling things or bossing people around, there is a product manager job for you. You just need to examine your skills to find or create the one that best suits you.

Primary keyword: Product Manager

LSI keywords:

Variants: types of product managers, product manager job, best PMs, product management, product managing, managers of the product

Antonyms and Synonyms: project manager, designer PM, technical PM, product management profiles, successful manager, great manager

Sources:

http://blog.aha.io/what-type-of-product-manager-are-you/

https://medium.com/earnest-product-management/3-types-of-product-management-dec4b2d77271#.r28gjf6vk

http://blog.upgrad.com/decode-your-way-into-product-management-1/

http://www.mindtheproduct.com/2014/05/technical-product-manager-anyway/

https://medium.com/axiomzenteam/the-4-types-of-product-manager-3a507246173#.4js1getxj

http://www.aha.io/roadmapping/guide/product-management/what-is-the-role-of-a-product-manager

https://www.productmanagerhq.com/2014/07/product-manager-vs-project-manager/

http://www.goodproductmanager.com/2008/03/06/work-effectively-with-sales/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/brian-de-haaff/how-successful-product-ma_1_b_8073518.html

Product management is a vaguely-defined professional field.  Creating a stellar product management portfolio is a necessity to your success in the ever-evolving corporate world.

Steve Jobs.

Bill Gates.

Michael Dell.

No doubt you’ve heard these names before.  They bring to mind images of success, innovation, and wealth.

As a product manager, this is the image you want to convey to your potential employers. 

A successful product management portfolio will highlight:

• Your individual strengths
• Your personal weaknesses
• Your career history, and related successes/failures
• Your style of product management

Different companies will have different expectations for their product managers, so outlining where you excel will help them determine where you fit best.

The Metric Master

Data analysis is what drove Michael Dell to success.  At the age of 14, he analysed metrics that allowed him to make an $18,000 profit in one summer selling newspapers.

If you are driven by data, then you most likely need to know your product inside and out before making strategic management decisions.  Your sweet-spot is fine-tuning all processes with mathematical precision.

As a weakness, you likely talk in jargon that is far over the heads of people outside the engineering and marketing teams. 

The Design Diva

Think sleek.  Bold.  Streamlined. 

In a word- perfection.

Steve Jobs is by far the most outstanding example of a design-oriented product manager.  He designed Apple products with one core focus:  consumer experience.  There is not an Apple product that a four-year-old cannot master, but the ease of use has not dampened the chic design.

If your focus is on pixel-perfect presentations and unsurpassable customer experience, then you are a design-oriented product manager.

You also have a hard time with products before the prototype phase.  Imperfect examples of an idea are a concept outside your comprehension.

The Execution Expert

Executioners get it done.

One of the most successful execution-style product managers is Jeff Bezos; founder of Amazon.  He quit his job as the youngest VP of D.E. Shaw to move all the way across the country and start an online bookstore in Seattle.

It was risky.  He created markets, and then created products for those markets. 

If you can quickly prioritise projects, and solve problems from outside the box, then you’re an execution-style product manager. 

Your weakness is your desire to work quickly and bypass beta testing or consumer research.

The Hungry Hipster

You have no idea what you’re doing.  And that’s O.K.; neither did Mark Zuckerberg.

That’s not to say he wasn’t gifted; he was both an avid Star Wars fan and genius programmer before he hit middle school.  But, as a product manager, his life is a culmination of lucky guesses. 

If you’re thirsty for success but have no idea how to navigate the corporate world of product management, then you fall into this category. 

Your strengths are likely your ability to learn quickly, and general enthusiasm for your product. 

Your weaknesses are yet to be discovered, as you are an under-ripe PM at the moment.  As you develop your career, you will likely grow into a different category as your skills are refined.

The Customer Commander

You have a telepathic connection with your consumer.  You just know, intuitively, what they need. 

So did Angela Hicks, founder of Angie’s List.  Customer-oriented PMs have a high EQ; which is like an IQ, but for people skills. 

If you have an incredible insight into your customer base, then you’re the MVP of product managers.  Technology and analytics aren’t your strong point, but it doesn’t matter because you don’t need them to know what your customer needs from you.

Don’t fit the mould?  Don’t worry. Most product management portfolios consist of a mixture of two or three different categories of product managers.  As you build your career and portfolio, your specific skill set will emerge. 

Above all, be confident.  Most top product managers never went to business school, and a few didn’t even finish college.  Experience and education are essential to success, but more important is your confidence in your potential and how you build an impressive product management portfolio.

Primary Keyword: Product management portfolio

LSI Keywords:

Variants:  stellar product management portfolio, successful product management portfolio, impressive product management portfolio,  most product management portfolios

Antonyms/Synonyms:  Product managers, Customer-oriented PMs, specific skill set,  Experience and education,  execution-style product managers

Sources:

http://www.biography.com/people/michael-dell-9542199#synopsis

https://medium.com/axiomzenteam/the-4-types-of-product-manager-3a507246173#.5jbw6j4yt

http://www.sachinrekhi.com/3-types-of-product-managers-builders-tuners-innovators

http://www.investopedia.com/financial-edge/0911/how-much-would-steve-jobs-be-worth-today.aspx

http://www.biography.com/people/jeff-bezos-9542209#synopsis

http://fundersandfounders.com/how-mark-zuckerberg-started/

http://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/people/person.asp?personId=25071024&privcapId=729136

http://svpg.com/famous-product-managers/