The 36 Most Googled Questions About Product Managers

Every week, we hear the same questions inside our community:

“What does a PM really do?”
“How do I break in?”
“Do I need an MBA?”

So we decided to do something about it — and not just answer the big questions, but the silly, surprising, and specific ones too.

This guide is a curated Q&A sourced from real conversations with product managers. So, whether you're pivoting into product, starting out in your first role, or figuring out if this path is right for you this one's for you.

Let's get into it:

Breaking In & Career Paths

1. How do I become a product manager?
Start by solving a real problem. Build something. Collaborate. Read job descriptions and reverse engineer your skills to match. Side projects and storytelling go a long way.

2. How do I become a PM in India?
Same playbook — solve, build, network. Startups are often more flexible with hiring backgrounds. Focus on understanding users and tech.

3. Do I need an MBA to become a PM?
Nope. Some PMs have MBAs. Many don’t. Experience > degrees.

4. Can I become a PM without coding experience?
Yes. You just need to speak tech. You don’t need to write it.

5. Is it too late to become a PM?
Not at all. We've seen career changers in their 40s do it. Curiosity and drive matter most.

6. Who can become a product manager?
Anyone with empathy, clarity, hustle, and a love for solving problems.

7. What degree or background is best for PMs?
There’s no one path. Business, engineering, psychology, design — all valid.

8. Can PMs move into VC or become CEOs/CTOs?
Absolutely. PMs think like founders. Many do become them.

Day-to-Day & Responsibilities

9. What does a product manager actually do?
PMs connect the dots between users, business goals, and engineering. They prioritize, problem-solve, and keep the team focused on impact.

10. What does a typical day look like?
Lots of meetings, decisions, clarifications, and feedback loops. One foot in strategy, the other in execution.

11. What are the core responsibilities of a PM?
Define problems, write requirements, align stakeholders, deliver value.

12. How does a PM work with engineers, designers, and stakeholders?
By asking great questions, listening well, and being relentlessly clear.

13. What tools do PMs use?
Notion, Figma, Jira, Slack, Google Docs, Miro, Amplitude, Asana, etc.

14. What’s the difference between a product manager and a product owner or project manager?
PM = strategy + execution. PO = Scrum role, more tactical. PMs care about the why, POs often handle the how. Project managers ensure timelines and processes are met.

Skills & Success Metrics

15. What makes a good product manager?
Empathy. Curiosity. Focus. Communication. A strong gut — but a stronger willingness to validate it.

16. What skills do I need to develop?
Problem-solving, prioritization, user research, communication, roadmap building.

17. How does a PM measure success?
Metrics that matter: retention, activation, NPS, feature adoption — depending on the goal.

18. How do PMs prioritize features or make decisions?
Frameworks help: RICE, MoSCoW, Kano. But good prioritization is part data, part instinct, and part influence.

19. How important is user research and market research?
Critical. The best PMs are obsessed with their users.

20. Can introverts be good PMs?
Yes! Thoughtfulness and active listening are superpowers.

21. How do PMs handle failure?
They reflect fast, learn faster, and adjust. It’s part of the process.

Jobs, Salary & Work Environment

22. Are PM jobs remote-friendly?
Very. Especially in tech. Hybrid setups are common too.

23. Are PM roles hard to land?
Yes — but not impossible. Start small, build credibility, get referrals.

24. What’s the typical salary for a PM?
Ranges from $90K to $200K+ depending on level and company.

25. Do PMs get equity or bonuses?
Often, yes. Especially at startups and large tech firms.

26. Do PMs manage teams or have direct reports?
Depends. Most PMs influence without authority. Senior PMs may lead teams.

AI, Trends & The Future

27. Will PMs be replaced by AI?
Not anytime soon. AI can support PMs, but empathy, strategy, and alignment still need humans.

28. How is AI being used by product managers today?
To analyze data, write specs, brainstorm features, and more. It’s an enhancer, not a replacement.

29. What’s the future of product management?
More data-savvy, more user-obsessed, and more cross-functional than ever.

Learning & Growth

30. What courses or certifications are best?
Reforge, Product School, Coursera, and real-world shadowing.

31. What books should I read?
Inspired, Lean Product Playbook, The Mom Test, Escaping the Build Trap.

31. How do I grow from APM to senior PM?
Own outcomes, lead cross-functional efforts, and think like a mini-CEO.

32. How do I stand out in PM interviews?
Storytelling. Real examples. Clear thinking. Show your process.

Miscellaneous

33. Can PMs work in hardware, fintech, or non-tech industries?
Absolutely. PMs are needed wherever products exist.

34. How is PM different from UX or marketing?
UX = how it feels. Marketing = how it’s positioned. PM = what and why we build.

35. Why should I consider a career in product management?
You’ll build, learn, and grow in one of the most dynamic careers in tech.

36. What’s one piece of advice for aspiring PMs?
Start small. Build things. Talk to users. Stay curious.

Want to go deeper into any of these topics? We host regular sessions, workshops, and 1:1s. Join our Slack to connect with women in product from around the globe.
Visit productsbywomen.com and follow us on LinkedIn or Instagram.

Stay curious,
Team Products by Women