The path to becoming a Product Manager is not always linear, however there are steps you can take to help improve your skills and eventually land a role as a Product Manager. 
 
Product Managers can come from many different backgrounds for examples Project Management, Designer, Engineering or Marketing. As part of their role Project Managers work closely with these teams and additionally, they act as the person in charge of the vision of the said product. Having previous exposure to an agile environment will help Product Managers understand their role as well as what the other members of the team are responsible for. 
 
In addition to having experience in an agile setting having experience working with a product is something that can help aspiring Product Managers begin their career. Having exposure to launching something, whether it is a passion project or part of your studies will help solidify your experience and help qualify you for the role. An entrepreneurial background will be advantageous for any Product Manager. 
 
Other qualities that can help you become a Product Manager can include having a history or examples of working with teams, being analytical, being a problem solver and showing initiative to help users with their needs. 

What skills are required to become a Product Manager? 

• Team Player 

Not only do you need to be a team player, but you also need to be an effective and strong communicator. Products require many different pieces to become complete, and this means working together with different teams in order to build your desired product. You need to know what the different teams do, what the individuals' strengths and weaknesses are, and how you can utilize each member in the most effective way possible. As the Product Manager you are the person in charge, so you need to be able to work with the team, as well as answer any of the questions that they may have. 
 

• Goal Driven 

As the Product Manager your role revolves around reaching several goals in order to launch or manage a product. This means that you will need to be able to think in a way that will meet your many various goals via the help of your team. When launching a product an agile environment is often used, which consist of backlogs (aka tasks) that need to be completed for the product to be live. It is up to the Product Manager to decide what tasks in the backlog need to be done at what time. Setting milestones and goals will help Product Managers succeed. Additionally, keeping track of a roadmap will help Product Managers launch their products on time as per their goals.