This document provides guidance for transitioning into a product management role at one's current company. It outlines a 3-step process: 1) Set your destination by researching the PM role and talking to others in it, 2) Create an itinerary by discussing plans with managers and learning about open roles, and 3) Pack your bags by preparing for the transition through activities like reviewing analytics and roadmaps. The document includes example questions to ask and steps to take at each phase of transitioning into product management internally.

1. www.productschool.com
Transitioning Into PM at Your Current
Company by fmr Zillow Sr PM

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5. Making the Jump into Product
Diane Wong
Senior Product Manager @ Crunchbase, formerly Zillow

6. Diane Wong
S P E A K E R

7. A B O U T M E
Career
● Started off in project and account management
● Transitioned into product management over 4 years ago at a small startup named
Zozi
● Continued with product at Zillow Group, where I worked on the Premier Agent
mobile app
● Currently working at Crunchbase as a Senior Product Manager, where I PM one of our
core user experience teams
Fun
● I’m trying to learn how to become a better golfer
● I really like planning events and putting together travel itineraries

8. 2
1
Create your itinerary
Set your destination
3 Pack your bags

9. Set your destination
How do you know if product management is right for you?
© 2011 Martin Eriksson.
Before making the jump into product
management, whether from an
existing role or from school, there are
many tools you can leverage in order to
decide if product is right for you.
● Study the product role to see if it’s
something you’re interested in
● Listen by interviewing colleagues
and other product managers
● Join through attending (virtual)
meetups and webinars to gain a
broader understanding of product

10. Set your destination
● Review your company’s
product roadmap
● Read through recent
feature Product
Requirements
Documents and note
down your questions
● Review user research or
support calls
● Schedule coffee chats to
talk to product
managers at your
company, as well as
co-workers who work
closely with PMs
(Product Marketing
Managers, engineers on
their Scrum teams,
designers)
● Join webinars &
meetings, like this one,
from organizations like
Product School and
Women in Product to
gain a broader
understanding of the
role
● Attend conferences like
Product Con and Women
in Product
Study Listen Act

11. Set your destination
Example questions to ask in your coffee chats/interviews:
● How did you get into product management?
● What’s your relationship like with other teams, like engineering, design and marketing?
● How do you balance user needs and business needs?
● What’s the scrum team structure like?
● What does your typical day look like?
● What do you think is most difficult about product management here at [Company X]?
● What do you like most about product management here at [Company X]?
● To what extent is leadership involved in determining the roadmap?
● What is the product planning process like here?
Listen

12. Create your itinerary
Map out your plan on transitioning into this role
Now that you’ve set your destination and decided
that you want to transition into product
management at your existing company, here are
some steps you can take to map out your plan in
transitioning in a new role.
● Study by evaluating existing transfer policies at
your companies, compensation, etc.
● Listen by initiating conversations with your
manager and the product team hiring manager
or lead
● Start joining in on weekly team meetings to get
familiar with processes and with the team

13. Create your itinerary
- Review compensation
for Product positions via
sites like Glassdoor and
Levels.fyi
- See if your company has
an internal transfer
program in place
- Put together a summary
of your product-related
accomplishments and
skills
- Set up time with your
manager and discuss a
transition plan for
moving into a product
role
- Set up time to discuss
with the hiring manager
or product team lead to
see where your skills
could fit in their team
- Start joining some of the
product team meetings
(like their weekly team
meetings, roadmap
planning, scrum
meetings)
Study Listen Join

14. Create your itinerary
Example outline for talking to your manager:
● Introduce your interest in transitioning into
product management
● Demonstrate that you’ve done your research
(talk about the steps you took in setting
your destination)
● Discuss a timeline for moving into the new
role (e.g. is there a large project you’re
wrapping up?)
● Make sure to leave with next steps (e.g.
set weekly check-ins to make sure you’re
on track with the timeline)
Listen
Example questions to ask hiring manager:
● Is there a role or position for a new
product manager to join your team?
● What’s the level of this role?
● What’s your process for onboarding a
new member?
● What are tools/resources that you’d
suggest to help get a new product
manager up to speed?
● What makes a successful product
manager on your team?

15. Pack your bags
How do you best prepare yourself for your new role?
You’re going to become a product
manager! You’re in a unique position
where you can begin to make an
impact and learn the product & feature
area intimately before you even start.
Here are things you can do to make
this transition successful before you
start.
Image Source

16. Pack your bags
- Review relevant
dashboards and
analytics around the
product to better
understand product
usage
- Review the upcoming
roadmap
- Become a power user of
the feature area you’ll be
owning
- Ask to conduct or join
user research calls to get
familiar talking to the
users
- Set up 1:1s with each
member of the new
team you’ll be joining -
it’s a great way to get to
know the engineers
before you’re the PM of
that team
- Take advantage of a hack
week or hack day to own
a project from beginning
to end
- Ask to take on a small
feature or enhancement
and do the product work
associated with it (e.g.
write the ticket, work
with design on the
ticket, follow the metrics
after it’s released)
Study Listen Join

17. Pack your bags
What questions should you ask the engineering team before joining?
● How are the roles and responsibilities divided between engineering and product?
● Think of a product manager you’ve worked with who you felt did a great job - what did they do
well or what did they do that you liked?
● How closely do you want to be involved in the (design, research, gtm) process?
● Can you walk me through the scrum ceremonies and processes with the team?
● What is the release schedule?
● Can you walk me through engineering’s role in releases?
● What motivates you in your work?
● How can I best support you as a product manager for this team?
Listen

18. Congrats - you’ve made the jump into
Product Management!

19. 2
1
Create your itinerary
Set your destination
3 Pack your bags
4 Make the jump!

20. Thank You!
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