Find Out What Type of Product Manager is Best for You (Content Princess - SEO)

“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/