Product managers work full time, usually more than 40 hours per week. They often work longer hours that extend into evenings and weekends, particularly when there are deadlines approaching. Factors that affect a PM’s working hours include the company type and the product development stage. Startups and early stage products often require longer hours.
The hardest parts of the job for many product managers are organizational communication, managing deadlines, team alignment, and balancing different responsibilities. To be an effective product manager requires problem-solving skills, communication abilities, and the capability to analyze and prioritize opportunities against constraints.
Losing passion for the products you are working on can be a reason why product managers quit. Without question, an MBA is not a pre-requisite to be a product manager. Product managers in every industry tend to be well-compensated for their services.
Your responsibilities will involve creating a roadmap based on:
- Market analysis
- Product requirements
- Customer feedback
- The go-to-market strategy
Tasks for a product manager during discovery can include reading and processing incoming feedback and identifying trends to discuss with colleagues.
Meetings are a major part of a product manager’s day. They start their day by reviewing the previous day’s work and customer issues. Then they continue with ‘fixed’ tasks of the day. Most big tech companies have efficient cultures and processes so they can have high output teams that work over 40 hours a week. But this fast pace is not for everyone.