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I've been working as Project Manager for Marketing Operations for almost 3 years now,I want to break into Product Marketing Management,is it possible, and if so how can a pivot and what skill sets from my current career translate well within the role

Rekha Srivatsan
Salesforce Vice President Product MarketingJuly 27

Congratulations on figuring out what you want to do next! Project management skills are invaluable to any function, particularly in PMM. The reason being PMMs are often handling multiple cross-functional projects at the same time. Here's what I would do: 

  • Shadow PMMs in your organization to understand closely their day-to-day roles and responsibilities. Develop a better understanding of what you like in what they do -- this will help you anchor your PMM role. 
  • Ask for an "extra credit project" from a PMM. This will help you get a much closer look and can be resume-worthy. This does not have to be a full end-to-end project, but rather a V1 draft of what a PMM is tasked with. For example: if your interest is in messaging/positioning, the next time the PMM has to do messaging for a new feature, ask them if you can do a V1 of that first. Also, ask them for their process and you can emulate that as much as you can. 
  • Reach out to PMM leaders in your organization to mentor you. And make it clear from the get-go that you are interested in PMM. This will help them align projects, team members with you and think of you next time they are hiring. 

Good luck!

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Jeffrey Vocell
Panorama Education Head of Product Marketing | Formerly Narvar, Iterable, HubSpot, IBMApril 7

Yes! It's absolutely possible. A few ways you can think of the transition:

  • Look at some PMM job descriptions and think about transferrable skills. If you've worked as a Project Manager, then it's likely you've led cross-functional initiatives, so lean into that.
  • Highlight an internal communication and enablement you've done as a part of project leadership, and how you measured success.
  • Share any writing you've done to communicate results of a project.
  • Since you're in Marketing Opersations, you hopefully had the opportunity to get to know the technologies your company is using. Share some of this expertise and how it's contributing to your marketing pipeline. Product Marketers (especially at a more senior level) are expected to know the business from a product, value, and metrics perspective -- so show this off if you've done any of it.

Also, if you've worked with any specific marketing technologies that your company uses (for example, Iterable) then consider looking at PMM openings at those respective companies because you likely will have some expertise around the product and implementation that will serve you well as a part of the interview process and as a PMM at that organization. Good luck!

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