Everyone wants to work in Product—and can you blame them? You’re the quarterback of innovation, the voice of the user, and the go-to person for turning ideas into reality. Add in high salaries, career flexibility, and real impact? It’s easy to see the hype.
But here’s the question: can you actually land a Product Manager role without an MBA or a Computer Science degree? Or is that just LinkedIn wishful thinking?
In our latest #RealTalk webinar, Preya Patel, a Senior Product Manager at financial services firm Discover, shared how she broke into Product, what the job actually looks like day to day, and what she tells every early-career mentee. Spoiler: the key isn’t a perfect resume—it’s curiosity, hustle, and learning by doing.
Top Tips on How to Break Into Product Management Careers
Think you need an MBA or a CompSci degree to work in Product? Think again. Preya Patel walked us through what actually makes someone stand out when breaking into the field—and it’s not what you’d expect.
Here’s what she wants aspiring PMs to focus on instead:
🚪 1. There’s No One-Size-Fits-All Path
Forget the “perfect” background—there isn’t one.
“Some people start in engineering, some in marketing, others like me came in through a completely different door,” she explained. “There’s no magic checklist.”
The best PMs bring unique, interdisciplinary perspectives—whether you're studying psychology, econ, design, or even biology. That variety makes products smarter and more inclusive.
🧠 Your takeaway: Lean into what makes your background different. That’s your edge.
🎓 2. You Don’t Need a Business or Tech Degree
When asked whether a formal degree in business or tech is necessary to land a product role, Preya didn’t hesitate:
“It’s not about what you majored in—it’s about how you think and how you solve problems.”
She stressed that hiring managers are often more interested in how you approach challenges, collaborate across teams, and communicate with clarity than they are in your transcript. For students without a traditional background, this is empowering: it means your initiative, curiosity, and communication skills can carry as much weight as a degree.
Problem-solving, clear communication, and teamwork beat academic credentials every time. Your transcript doesn’t define your potential.
🔥 Your takeaway: Show them how you think, not just what you studied.
.png)
📁 3. Portfolios > Resumes
In Product, showing > telling.
“Show what you’ve done, not just what you know,” she advised. “Even if it’s a small project—document it. Talk about what you were trying to solve, how you approached it, and what you learned.”
Slide decks, wireframes, prototypes—anything that shows how you think through product challenges can help you stand out more than a GPA ever could.
💡 Your takeaway: Build a lightweight product portfolio. It’s your new career cheat code.
🧪 4. Build Experience Before the Title
If you’re trying to break into product management without previous experience, Preya’s advice was simple: start acting like a product manager now.
“You don’t need the job title to start doing the job,” she said. “Offer to lead a team project. Coordinate across departments. Be the one asking, ‘What problem are we solving here?’ That’s product thinking.”
This mindset shift—seeing yourself as a PM-in-training, regardless of your current title—can help you build credibility and confidence long before your first official role.
🛠️ Your takeaway: Practice product thinking wherever you are. The title comes later.
✅ 5. Certifications Can Help—But They’re Not a Must
PM bootcamps like Exponent or Product School? Great if you need structure or accountability. But don’t sweat it if that’s not your vibe.
Preya’s advice? Focus on doing the work: Externships, student-led projects, internships, volunteering, or product-related roles are the most effective way to grow. These experiences show initiative—and teach you lessons that no certification alone can offer. Landing your first role in product management can feel like navigating uncharted territory, but it's less about having all the answers upfront and more about embracing curiosity, resilience, and hands-on learning.
🚀 Your takeaway: Certifications are optional. Initiative is essential.
💸 What Do Product Managers Actually Make?
Let’s talk numbers. Product Management isn’t just a rewarding career—it’s also one of the highest-paying roles you can land without needing grad school or a decade of experience.
According to Glassdoor, the average base salary for an entry-level Product Manager in the U.S. is around $96,000 per year. That number climbs quickly with experience:
- Mid-level PMs earn between $115,000–$145,000
- Senior PMs average $150,000–$175,000
- Group Product Managers and Directors often cross $200,000+, especially at companies like Google, Meta, and Amazon
💡 Bonus: These figures don’t include stock options, bonuses, or equity—common perks that can significantly boost total compensation in tech and startup environments.
And the growth?
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects strong growth in PM-adjacent roles through 2030, driven by the explosion of digital products across industries—finance, healthcare, entertainment, education, you name it.
Even better, PMs have one of the highest career satisfaction scores in tech. A recent HBR study ranked Product Management as a top job for impact, creativity, and autonomy—the stuff Gen Z actually values.
So how can you get into the mindset you need to start executing on your PM career goals?
5 Key Lessons For Aspiring Product Managers
1. Let Curiosity Drive Your Journey
Breaking into product management often starts with a single spark of curiosity. For Preya Patel, that spark ignited a journey of exploration that eventually led her to excel in the competitive field of product management. During the #RealTalk webinar, Preya emphasized the importance of staying curious—not just about technology but also about market trends, consumer behavior, and evolving business landscapes.
"I just started doing things," she explained, highlighting the power of proactive engagement.
Curiosity, she noted, is not something that waits for permission. It’s a proactive force that pushes you to explore new ideas, dissect how products are built, and understand why certain decisions are made. It's the driving factor behind the best product managers' instincts to dig deeper, ask more questions, and continuously learn.
Why Curiosity Matters in Product Management
In product management, curiosity is more than just a nice-to-have trait—it’s essential. Great product managers are constantly exploring the "why" and the "how" behind products. They don’t just accept a feature as it is; they want to understand its purpose, its impact, and how it can be improved.
Curiosity drives product managers to:
- Understand User Needs: A curious mind seeks to deeply understand the user's pain points and desires, uncovering problems that others might overlook.
- Challenge Assumptions: Rather than accepting things at face value, curiosity pushes you to question why certain solutions are considered standard.
- Discover Market Opportunities: Keeping an eye on market trends allows curious product managers to spot emerging needs before they become mainstream.
- Innovate with Confidence: When you are continuously learning and experimenting, you become comfortable with the unknown, making it easier to innovate boldly.
How to Cultivate Curiosity in Your Own Journey
Preya shared that her own path to product management was marked by a relentless pursuit of learning. She didn't wait for structured opportunities to come her way; instead, she created them. Here’s how you can do the same:
1. Dive into Real Projects
Curiosity is best fueled by action. Volunteer for projects, participate in hackathons, or contribute to open-source products. The key is to get hands-on experience where you can see concepts come to life.
📌Pro Tip: If you’re still in school or early in your career, consider an Externship where you can work directly with companies on live projects. Real-world experience accelerates learning far faster than theoretical study.
2. Ask Questions Relentlessly
The best product managers aren’t afraid to ask why. Why does this feature exist? Why is this user struggling? Why did this product succeed or fail? Make it a habit to question everything—not just to challenge it, but to understand it more deeply.
📌Pro Tip: Keep a "Question Journal" where you write down questions that come to mind during your daily activities. At the end of the week, try to find answers through research or conversations with mentors.
3. Consume Information Proactively
Preya shared that she regularly reads industry reports, tech blogs, and market analysis to stay ahead. The landscape of technology and consumer behavior changes rapidly; staying informed allows you to anticipate changes before they become challenges.
📌Pro Tip: Set up Google Alerts for key terms in product management and technology to get regular updates.
4. Connect with Industry Leaders
Engaging with experienced product managers through webinars, LinkedIn, and community meetups can broaden your understanding of the field. Preya mentioned how important it was for her to learn from others’ experiences—both successes and failures.
📌Pro Tip: Join product management communities like Product Coalition or Mind the Product to connect with mentors and peers.
2. Build Trust Through Collaboration
In product management, the path to successful project delivery is rarely a solo journey. It is paved with collaboration, teamwork, and most importantly—trust. Preya Patel,Senior Product Manager at Discover, shared how foundational trust is not just a buzzword, but a strategic necessity for any product manager aspiring to lead impactful projects. Her insights highlighted that trust, when properly cultivated, can accelerate learning, streamline decision-making, and foster an environment where innovation thrives.
"Trust is foundational. You need to trust your team, and they need to trust you," she advised, underscoring the importance of mutual reliability in high-performing teams.
Why Trust is Crucial in Product Management
In the fast-paced world of product development, every team member—from engineers and designers to marketers and stakeholders—plays a critical role in bringing a vision to life. Trust becomes the glue that holds these diverse parts together. When team members trust one another, they communicate more openly, share ideas without fear of judgment, and are more willing to collaborate on challenging problems.
Trust manifests in three key ways within product management:
- Operational Trust: This is the day-to-day confidence that each person will execute their responsibilities effectively. For example, engineers trust that designs are realistic and well thought out, while designers rely on engineers to build features as intended.
- Strategic Trust: This extends to the bigger picture—believing that product managers have a clear vision and strategy that aligns with company goals. Teams are more willing to push through challenges when they trust the direction set forth by leadership.
- Interpersonal Trust: This is the personal connection that allows team members to communicate honestly and give constructive feedback. It's built through empathy, active listening, and respect for diverse perspectives.
How to Build Trust with Your Team
Preya shared practical ways to build and maintain trust, not just as a leader but as a team member. Here’s how you can foster an environment of trust in your projects:
1. Communicate Transparently and Consistently
Transparency is a cornerstone of trust. Being open about project goals, timelines, and challenges helps set clear expectations and avoids misunderstandings. Preya emphasized the importance of frequent and honest communication, especially when things don’t go as planned.
"You have to be upfront with your team about where things stand. It’s better to share tough news early than to hide it," she advised.
To implement this:
- Share updates regularly, even if there’s no significant progress to report. It shows reliability and commitment.
- Don’t sugarcoat bad news. If a project is off track, communicate it early so the team can course-correct together.
- Create channels for open dialogue, where team members feel safe to voice concerns and ideas without hesitation.
2. Lead by Example with Accountability
A major component of trust is accountability. When you follow through on your commitments and take ownership of mistakes, it sets the standard for the entire team. Preya spoke about how crucial it is to hold yourself to the same standards you expect from others.
"If you want your team to trust you, you have to show them that you’re accountable. You can’t just say it—you have to live it," she remarked.
To foster accountability:
- Own your mistakes publicly and demonstrate how you plan to fix them.
- Follow through on promises, no matter how small. If you say you’ll send an update by Friday, make sure it’s there.
- Encourage team members to also take ownership of their work, providing support when challenges arise.
3. Encourage Collaborative Decision-Making
Preya highlighted the value of involving your team in decision-making processes. When team members feel that their voices are heard, it not only builds trust but also drives deeper engagement.
"Trust is a two-way street. If you want your team to trust your decisions, you have to show that you trust theirs," she shared.
To practice this:
- Invite your team to strategy sessions and listen actively to their ideas.
- Encourage diverse perspectives, especially when solving complex problems.
- Delegate decision-making on certain tasks to show that you trust their judgment.
4. Offer Constructive Feedback, Not Criticism
Feedback is crucial for growth, but how it’s delivered can either build trust or break it. Preya discussed the importance of framing feedback constructively, focusing on improvement rather than criticism.
"It’s about growth, not blame. Your team needs to know you’re in their corner," she explained.
To give effective feedback:
- Focus on behaviors and outcomes, not personal attributes.
- Use positive language: Instead of saying, “You didn’t meet expectations,” try, “Here’s how we can work together to improve this.”
- Always pair critique with actionable suggestions for improvement.
5. Celebrate Wins and Learn from Failures Together
Trust is solidified not just in hard times but in moments of celebration and reflection. Preya stressed the importance of acknowledging team successes and dissecting failures collectively.
"You succeed as a team and you learn as a team," she emphasized.
To build this culture:
- Celebrate project milestones and individual achievements publicly.
- After project completion, hold retrospectives to discuss what went well and what could improve.
- Foster a mindset of collective growth, where both successes and failures are shared experiences.
3. Embrace Your Unique Perspective
When it comes to product management, there’s a common misconception that you need to fit into a specific mold to succeed. But in reality, the best product managers are those who leverage their unique experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives to shape innovative products. Preya Patel emphasized this during the webinar, highlighting how her own distinct journey allowed her to bring fresh ideas and new approaches to her projects.
The truth is, diversity of thought is not just a corporate buzzword—it’s a strategic advantage. Different perspectives lead to richer brainstorming sessions, more resilient problem-solving, and products that resonate with a broader audience. Think about it: when you have a team of people with varied backgrounds, the way problems are approached and solutions are designed becomes multi-dimensional. That kind of depth is what sets exceptional products apart from mediocre ones.
Why Your Perspective Matters in Product Management
In a field that’s driven by innovation and problem-solving, bringing your whole self to the table isn’t just valuable—it’s essential. Here’s why:
- Challenging Assumptions:
When you draw from your unique experiences, you’re more likely to question long-held assumptions. For example, if you grew up in a rural area, you might have a different perspective on internet access than someone from an urban tech hub. This insight could lead to more inclusive product features, better user experiences, and ultimately, a more impactful product. - Understanding Diverse Users:
Products are built for people, and people are diverse. Your own journey gives you insight into specific challenges and needs that others might overlook. This means you’re not just building for one type of user—you’re building for a spectrum of people, each with different needs and expectations. In a world where inclusivity is increasingly critical, this perspective becomes a competitive edge. - Innovating with Empathy:
Empathy is at the heart of great product management. When you can understand a user's pain points—not just intellectually but emotionally—you’re better positioned to create solutions that truly resonate. Your life experiences shape your ability to empathize, allowing you to connect with users in meaningful ways. - Bridging the Gap Between Teams:
Product managers often sit at the intersection of engineering, design, and business. Having a varied perspective allows you to translate ideas effectively across these teams, ensuring that engineers understand design goals and marketers grasp technical constraints. This ability to bridge gaps is crucial for driving projects forward smoothly.
How to Leverage Your Unique Perspective Effectively
Understanding that your background is an asset is the first step. The next is learning how to harness it effectively within a team environment. Here’s how you can do that:
1. Own Your Narrative
Your story is unique, and it’s your strength. Whether you transitioned from a non-technical background, grew up in a multicultural environment, or have firsthand experience in a niche market—these are not just parts of your history; they are assets that shape how you think and solve problems.
Instead of downplaying these experiences, lean into them. Bring them into conversations when brainstorming solutions or discussing user pain points. Your journey allows you to spot gaps others might miss.
Example: If you once worked in retail before moving into tech, you might have a keen understanding of customer service pain points that purely tech-focused team members don’t see. Use that knowledge to suggest features that improve user interactions.
2. Speak Up in Team Discussions
One of the biggest challenges for product managers, especially early in their careers, is finding their voice in team settings. It’s easy to think that you need to follow the consensus or defer to more senior voices. But innovation rarely comes from echoing the majority.
If you have a perspective that diverges from the group, speak up. Even if it’s not the final direction the team takes, it often sparks deeper conversation and consideration. Over time, your team will come to value your unique insights as part of the decision-making process.
Example: If your team is discussing a new feature and you foresee accessibility challenges based on past experiences, bring that up. Challenge the team to think about inclusivity early, not as an afterthought.
3. Learn from Others, but Stay True to Yourself
Product management is collaborative, which means you’ll often find yourself working with people from varied backgrounds and expertise. While it’s important to learn from them, don’t lose your own voice in the process.
Observe how others solve problems, manage projects, and communicate, but always filter that through your own perspective. Adopt best practices, but don’t feel pressured to abandon your approach if it’s effective.
Example: If you find that you manage user stories differently—perhaps with more storytelling and empathy—don’t shift away from that just because others are more data-focused. Instead, learn to incorporate both: data to inform, and storytelling to inspire.
4. Build on Your Strengths and Address Your Gaps
Your perspective is powerful, but it also comes with gaps—everyone has them. The key is to recognize where you might need additional learning and actively seek it out. If you come from a non-technical background, spend time understanding the basics of software development. If you’re not familiar with market research, dive into resources that can boost your knowledge.
Example: If you excel at user empathy but lack technical fluency, consider joining hackathons or side projects that expose you to more technical challenges.
4. Learn by Doing
In the world of product management, there’s a saying that resonates deeply: The best way to learn is by doing. No amount of theoretical study or classroom learning can replace the insights gained from hands-on experience. During the #RealTalk webinar, Preya Patel spoke candidly about her journey, highlighting that real growth and understanding only came when she actively engaged with projects.
"Curious about how to like...I just started doing things," she explained, underscoring the importance of jumping into projects, even if you don’t have everything figured out at the start.
Preya's words are a reminder that waiting for the perfect moment or the perfect set of skills is often just a form of procrastination. In product management, learning by doing is not just beneficial—it’s essential.
Why Hands-On Experience is Invaluable
Product management is a role that sits at the intersection of technology, business strategy, and user experience. Each of these areas is complex and constantly evolving, which makes it impossible to master everything before getting started. That’s why hands-on experience is crucial—it allows you to learn in real-time, adapt quickly, and understand the nuances of product development that theory simply can’t teach.
Here’s why learning by doing is so transformative in product management:
1. Real Problems Teach Real Solutions
Reading about user personas or product roadmaps is one thing, but tackling a bug that impacts user experience or managing a last-minute change request from stakeholders is entirely different. Real projects expose you to real challenges, and solving those challenges builds practical knowledge that no textbook can provide.
When you’re working on an actual project, you’re forced to think critically:
- What does the user really want?
- How do I prioritize features with limited resources?
- What’s the most efficient way to communicate updates to the team?
These are questions that come to life when you’re actively managing a project—not just studying case studies.
2. You Learn to Make Decisions Under Pressure
In product management, decision-making is constant. Should you prioritize a bug fix or launch a new feature? Should you push back on a timeline or risk product quality? These decisions don’t always have clear answers, and that’s the point. Learning by doing teaches you to weigh risks, consider trade-offs, and make calls even when information is incomplete.
Pro Tip: Start small. Volunteer for side projects, join hackathons, or participate in Externships where you can work directly with real products. The stakes might be lower, but the lessons are just as impactful.
3. Mistakes Become Masterclasses
One of the biggest hurdles for aspiring product managers is the fear of making mistakes. But in product management, mistakes are often your best teachers. When you’re hands-on with a project, every error is an opportunity to learn. Missed deadlines, misunderstood user stories, and mismanaged sprints all become reference points for improvement.
The key is to fail forward:
- Reflect on what went wrong.
- Identify the root cause.
- Adjust your process for next time.
This cycle of experimentation and iteration is what builds resilient product managers. Instead of avoiding failure, embrace it as part of the learning journey.
4. You Develop Intuition for Problem Solving
Product management is about solving user problems effectively and efficiently. While books and courses can teach frameworks, real projects teach intuition. Intuition is built by experiencing situations firsthand—by seeing how a tweak in UI affects user engagement or how a slight shift in messaging drives more conversions.
When you’re actively involved in projects, you start to:
- Anticipate user needs before they become bottlenecks.
- Spot inefficiencies in team processes quickly.
- Identify product-market fit based on user feedback, not just market analysis.
How to Actively “Learn by Doing” in Product Management
Understanding the importance of hands-on learning is only part of the equation. The real magic happens when you take action. Here are practical steps to start learning by doing:
1. Volunteer for Real Projects
If you’re still in school or working in a different field, volunteer for projects that need product management support. Many startups and small companies are eager for help, and the experience you gain will be worth its weight in gold.
Example: Reach out to local startup communities, non-profits, or small tech firms. Offer to help manage product timelines, user feedback collection, or even sprint planning. The key is to get your hands dirty with real tasks.
2. Participate in Hackathons and Sprints
Hackathons are crash courses in product development. They compress the experience of ideating, building, and pitching into just 48 hours. Not only do you get exposure to real project cycles, but you also learn to work under tight deadlines—an essential skill for any product manager.
Example: Join a local hackathon or participate in virtual ones on platforms like Devpost or Hack Club. Work with diverse teams and take ownership of product planning and strategy.
3. Join an Externship for Real-World Exposure
Externships are designed to provide hands-on experience with real companies. Unlike traditional internships, Externships are project-based, giving you the chance to manage actual deliverables and interact with industry professionals.
Example: Externships at Extern.com allow you to dive into projects with real companies, building products, analyzing user data, and delivering outcomes that matter. It’s a direct path to practical experience.
4. Start a Side Project
If formal opportunities are hard to come by, start your own. Create a product concept, design a wireframe, and map out its user journey. It doesn’t have to be perfect—it just has to be real. Document your process, make mistakes, and learn from them.
Example: Build a simple app or design a user journey for an existing product. Experiment with tools like Figma for design, Trello for project management, and Firebase for app development.
5. Stay Resilient and Adaptable
In product management, change isn’t the exception—it’s the norm. Shifting market conditions, evolving customer needs, new technology releases, team restructuring, and unforeseen roadblocks all come with the territory. That’s why resilience and adaptability are not just helpful traits for product managers—they’re essential.
Preya Patel touched on this during our #RealTalk webinar, sharing how her journey was anything but linear. There were moments of uncertainty, pivots in strategy, and challenges that tested her commitment. But through it all, she “kept pushing forward,” constantly adapting to what the role—and the world—demanded next.
Her experience offers a powerful reminder: you don’t need to have it all figured out, but you do need to keep moving forward. And that’s where resilience comes in.
What Resilience Looks Like in Product Management
Resilience doesn’t mean powering through burnout or pretending things are always under control. In product management, it’s about staying steady when things get messy. It’s the ability to absorb setbacks, stay focused on the long-term vision, and help your team move forward when plans don’t go according to script.
Here’s how resilience shows up in your day-to-day:
- A key stakeholder changes priorities mid-sprint? You regroup and replan.
- A feature doesn’t perform as expected post-launch? You dig into the data, adjust, and iterate.
- The market shifts suddenly, and your product needs to evolve? You lead the pivot, not resist it.
Resilient product managers view every challenge as a chance to grow—personally, professionally, and strategically.
Adaptability: The Other Side of the Coin
While resilience is about withstanding pressure, adaptability is about evolving with it. Product managers work at the crossroads of multiple disciplines—tech, business, UX—and things move fast. That means your strategies, roadmaps, and even your mindset need to be flexible.
Adaptable PMs don’t get stuck on how things were supposed to go. They’re open to feedback, they listen to users, and they’re willing to shift course when it serves the product and the team better. They’re not thrown off by change—they thrive in it.
Examples of adaptability in action:
- Reworking your roadmap to align with new executive goals.
- Embracing a tool or workflow that’s better suited for team collaboration.
- Revisiting user research when initial assumptions prove incorrect.
In today’s fast-changing tech landscape, your adaptability becomes your edge.
How to Build Resilience and Adaptability in Your Career
These aren’t fixed traits—they’re muscles you can build with intention and practice. Here’s how:
1. Get Comfortable with Discomfort
Growth doesn’t happen in your comfort zone. The more you expose yourself to new challenges, tools, and environments, the more capable you become of navigating the unknown.
💡Try this: Step into cross-functional conversations you wouldn’t usually lead. Volunteer to take on a part of the product process that feels unfamiliar.
2. Reflect, Don’t React
When faced with a setback, resist the urge to react immediately. Instead, pause. Reflect on what happened, what you can control, and what the next best move is.
💡Try this: After a difficult sprint, do a personal retro. What did you learn? How did you respond to challenges? What will you do differently next time?
3. Build a Support Network
No one grows alone. Surround yourself with mentors, peers, and teammates who challenge you, encourage you, and help you see different paths forward.
💡Try this: Join product communities online, participate in Slack groups, ask questions, share learnings, and stay inspired.
4. Celebrate Small Wins
Resilience is about showing up again and again. When you take time to celebrate progress—even small steps—you build the momentum that helps you keep going when it gets hard.
💡Try this: At the end of each week, jot down one thing you learned and one challenge you overcame. Let that be your reminder that you’re moving forward, even when it doesn’t feel like it.
Your Path Starts With You
Breaking into product management isn’t about having the perfect major, résumé, or roadmap. It’s about staying curious, building trust, owning your perspective, learning by doing, and adapting through every challenge.
Whether you’re just starting your exploration or already taking on product challenges in your current role, you’re building the skills that matter. Keep showing up. Keep pushing forward. And most of all, trust that your journey—just like the best products—is built one thoughtful iteration at a time.
.png)
.png)
