Product Marketing Career Path

I find that product marketing has become a position that doesn’t require much experience. You can be fairly seasoned and compete with someone that is just out of undergraduate because the discipline is not the same in tech as it might be in consumer goods or retail.

I'm new to PMM. What should I learn first to ground me in the foundation of PMM.

I'm on my 5th year of product marketing in my career, with another 5 years before that in general demand gen at very small companies. I've had management experience in the past, but not in a Product Marketing role. Often times in smaller companies, there will be 1 or 2 PMMs, usually in a very flat hierarchy, or a single boss, with no room to really move up a proverbial ladder and into management experience. So what are ways that I can prepare myself now, so that if the time comes to apply for a Director position (either internally or at another company) that I can be considered even without recent people management experience? Are there any courses for this that are highly regarded in the management arena?

Every company I've worked for has had a crazy amount of work to do, and PMM inherently has a lot of asks and stakeholders they're working with. Is it possible to work 40-45 hours a week in PMM in B2B tech?!

Concerned it's somehow jeopardizing my job search (laid off a month ago in a bloodbath)

I'm researching the pros/cons of taking an industry solution focused career path in PMM (e.g. PMM specifically focusing on Banking/Financial Services, Insurance vertical;) Curious to hear opinions about this career path, progression, and opportunities. What are some of the shifts you've noticed in the PMM-world for career paths. For example, PLG and hybrid motion seems to be the latest career trends. I can see how specializing in a specific vertical provides some exclusivity and depth of knowledge that can be hard to come by (and potentially in high demand?). I can also see how the specialization would be an easy cut in an acquisition or if a company is struggling financially. Obviously, we do what we can to prove the value of our contributions and protect against this potential. Any thoughts or opinions? Also would love any suggestions for PMMs to research further who may have gone down this path.

e.g. do we need to do a case study, draw insights from looking at data, etc.

For example, some companies have roles for product marketing managers specifically working on sales enablement. Or specifically working on customer research / competitor intel. Do you think for a long term career in PMM it's better to be well rounded in all these areas or focus on one specific area within PMM?

I am starting to realize how important it is to be tied to a revenue-driving function in a company in order to have stability and PMM seems to be one function let go frequently in these layoffs the past few years. Most people want to jump to PM which then makes that even more competitive in this market. Beyond going up the ladder, what are some successful exits you've seen from PMM?

Im currently in sales and am interested in pursuing a career in product marketing . I would love some advice on possible courses or best practices .

i.e. working at a large company with minimal scope, focusing on sales enablement but knowing you need experience on the product launch side, other marketing teams covering responsibilities, etc.

Are there common traits or behaviours between candidates that get you extremely excited?