The Product Manager Club
Product management resources for learning and growing your skills!
What do technical product management roles require?
Technical product management roles require either a technical background or experience working with people that have a technical background. You can showcase your technical background with a degree, diploma, or certification in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics). Alternatively, if you do not possess such credentials, you can also demonstrate your technical ability by showcasing prior experience working with people that have a technical background, such as engineers, data scientists, and business analysts.
What do non-technical product management roles require?
If you do not possess a technical background and have not worked with people with a technical background, you still have the option to pursue non-technical product management. While non-technical product management roles do not need you to directly interface with people with a technical background, you will still have to learn how to interact with such people from time to time. For example, you may not need to work with engineers daily, but when you need a technical change made, you may still need to understand how to communicate with an engineering team for getting the updates launched.
Can I switch from non-technical to technical roles in product management?
Yes, you can transition from non-technical to technical roles in product management. The core product management skills such as prioritization, dealing with ambiguity, and influencing without authority, are common across both the non-technical and technical roles. Further, it is not difficult to spend time as a non-technical product manager, in learning technical skills. You will get opportunities to work with people from a technical background from time to time. Make the most of such opportunities. Alternatively, you can also pursue a degree, diploma, or certification to get you more robust credentials.