A needle in a haystack

In this guest edition by our CPO, Cristian García, we explore the Product Manager role and share tips on how to break into this industry.

Hey, we are Ramón Rodrigá?ez and Andrea Marino, Co-Founders at Nova, the Global Top Talent Network.

Welcome to Talent First, our newsletter where those who believe that talent is the most important resource in the economy get together.

Every week we cover a new topic related to attracting, hiring, developing, and retaining talent, as well as the learnings from our journey building Nova.

After 33 editions written by us—Andrea and Ramón, we thought you would also enjoy a different perspective from time to time. That’s why we brought a special guest: this edition of Talent First is written by our CPO, Cristian García (he loves memes). The stage is all yours Cristian! ??

Summary:

?? A needle in a haystack

• Junior PM roles or internships are rare to spot. It’s almost like finding a unicorn… but why is that?
• How do people become Product Managers? Cristian explores three of the common paths to the role.
• Four tips for aspiring Product Managers.

Product Managers: Seniors or Nothing

These days, sooo many people are asking themselves: "How do I become a Product Manager?" With online courses and endless blog posts, it’s one of the hottest roles in tech. Owning a product, making big decisions, ad working with different teams—it has young professionals totally hooked.

But here’s the kicker—finding junior PM positions or internships? It’s like finding a unicorn.

Hop on LinkedIn and search 'Junior Product Manager' or 'Product Manager Intern.' You’ll quickly realize how rare they are. Finding more than two or three openings? Good luck. Even with high demand, companies aren’t rolling out the red carpet for newbies. Aspiring PMs are left scratching their heads.

So, What’s Going On?

In this post, we’ll dive into why Product Management isn’t junior-friendly and share some tips on how to break into the PM world.

Why Are Junior PM Roles So Rare?

1. Market Know-How and Product Smarts

Companies want PMs who truly understand the product, the market, and the users. It's not just about knowing how the tech works; PMs need a deep understanding of the bigger picture. This means staying on top of market trends, predicting shifts in customer behavior, and keeping an eye on competitors.

For juniors, gaining that level of insight takes time and exposure. They often haven’t had enough real-world experience to fully grasp the nuances of their industry or how products evolve to meet changing demands. Without this broad understanding, making strategic product decisions is tough. That’s why companies typically prefer hiring PMs with more experience, who can navigate the complexities of the market and lead their product with confidence.

2. Big Responsibilities and Strategic Thinking

PMs are responsible for the overall success of a product. They’re not just managing day-to-day tasks—they’re making decisions that directly shape the product’s future, and by extension, the company’s trajectory. Setting a clear vision, aligning it with broader business goals, and juggling priorities is no small feat.

On top of that, PMs have to decide which features to prioritize, how to address customer feedback, and how to balance short-term gains with long-term objectives. Every decision they make impacts not only the product but also how resources are used and how teams collaborate.

These decisions carry serious financial and operational weight. A wrong move could mean wasted resources, missed deadlines, or even a product flop. That kind of pressure is hard to handle without experience, so companies often hesitate to hand the reins to someone who hasn’t navigated these situations before.

3. Cross-Team Skills and Leadership

Being a PM means working with teams from all areas—engineering, design, marketing, and sales. PMs need to understand the goals, processes, and challenges of each department to guide the product development smoothly.

On top of that, PMs must lead teams without being their direct boss. This requires influence, negotiation, and relationship-building—skills that take time to develop. Most juniors haven’t had the opportunity to build up this kind of cross-functional experience yet.

So, How Do People Become Product Managers?

If starting as a junior isn’t an option, how do you break into Product Management? Here are three common paths:

1. The Functional Expert

Imagine you’ve worked at a bank for 10 years and become the go-to person for credit card strategy. You know the market, the customers, and the future of the product. Now, when the bank wants to launch new card features, who do they ask to lead the project? You—the credit card expert.

This is the most common path. Become an expert in a specific area, and when product decisions arise, you’ll be the obvious choice for the PM role. The best part? You’re already inside the company, so the transition is smoother.

2. The Team Move

Another way to break into Product Management is moving from within the product team. If you’ve worked as a Data Scientist, Designer, or Engineer, you already know the product, the processes, and likely participated in product discussions.

For someone curious about product and equipped with the right skills, moving into PM is a natural next step. You’ve built relationships with decision-makers, understand the team dynamics, and can hit the ground running within your current company.

3. The Ex-Entrepreneur

Former entrepreneurs have a huge advantage in becoming PMs. They’ve already done the job—just on a bigger scale. Entrepreneurs wear all the hats, from product development to customer service, while figuring out how to build, market, and sell something people actually want.

They know how to validate ideas, build MVPs, and pivot when needed. Entrepreneurs have made tough calls under pressure, balancing limited resources with big goals. These are exactly the skills PMs need—strategic thinking, leadership, and adaptability.

Entrepreneurs also understand multiple aspects of business—tech, finance, marketing. They’ve seen the entire product journey, which is why companies love hiring ex-entrepreneurs as Product Managers.

Tips for Aspiring Product Managers

So, if you want to become a Product Manager but can’t find a junior position, don’t worry! Here are a few tips to help you get there:

1. Develop Domain Expertise: Focus on becoming an expert in a specific area of the business. Whether it's finance, marketing, or tech, being the go-to person in that field will make you a natural candidate for PM roles.
2. Leverage Your Current Role: If you’re already working within a product team (as a designer, engineer, or analyst), get involved in product decisions. Learn about the broader product strategy and look for opportunities to transition into a PM role.
3. Build Cross-Functional Skills: Start working on your communication, negotiation, and leadership skills. The more you can demonstrate your ability to lead without direct authority, the better positioned you'll be to become a PM.
4. Consider Entrepreneurship: If you have the chance, try launching a small project or startup. The skills you develop as an entrepreneur—building something from scratch, making tough decisions—translate directly to product management.

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