Becoming an associate product manager (APM) takes planning and education. However, the position will help you get started on your product management career by giving you a foundation of product management knowledge and experience.
An associate product manager is an ideal position to begin in, regardless of whether you want to become a senior product manager or more specialized such as a product market manager.
You can start as a product team member, and you will receive solid training to help you move up the ranks in product management.
Associate Product Manager Responsibilities
Associate product managers support product managers’ work by conducting market research, collecting quantitative product data, and analyzing customer research to aid product managers in their work. When assisting senior product managers, associate product managers may also be involved in new products and features and various product strategies.
Associate product managers often work on existing features rather than creating new products. They may choose to focus on one product area or a set of features and ideas, but not the entire product.
Associate Product Manager’s responsibilities include supporting the product managers in all required capacities.
An Associate Product Manager Position is Important
Companies hire APMs to ensure they have the best talent available. Companies find it very beneficial to hire people with relevant education through associate product managers programs that allow them to gain experience in the company and help them grow.
The new APM will be able to fit into the organization and learn their vision, goals, and requirements quickly without relearning any of their previous mindsets.
This allows junior talent to understand better how the company wants things done. To learn, improve, and use the skills they have acquired in school and those gained after joining the product team, they can work closely alongside a senior product manager. Good company work habits can be established quickly through experience.
If a product manager is overwhelmed, associate product managers can fill in. Although there may not be enough product managers to handle the entire workload, associates can fill in for them. This reduces both the budget and the burden.
Associate product managers are a valuable learning role. They don’t have to be the product manager. As an associate product manager, you get mentorship and guidance while gaining valuable experience. This allows them to become a product manager and manage a team.
Salary for Associate Product Manager
Salaries for any job are not always black and white. Depending on the company’s pay scale, job description and location, industry, and applicant’s previous experience, there will always be gray areas.
The cost of living in high-cost areas, such as Mumbai, Bangalore, and Hyderabad, can lead to higher salaries. However, older companies tend to offer better compensation. Salary often strikes a balance between these two factors.
Associate product managers will earn less than product managers because they have fewer responsibilities and are more likely to be newcomers to the job. An associate product manager’s average salary is 13.1 LPA, with benefits and bonuses.
How to prepare for the role
It is very similar to applying for the role of associate product manager. You will be able to succeed if you learn the right skills and qualities early. These are the top skills that will help you succeed.
Communication skills
These skills are essential to your product manager’s resume because they are vital for managing and building teams. You will need strong interpersonal skills to lead the product management team and keep them on track.
You can learn about – How to improve your soft skills and communication skills?
Analytical Skills
An associate product manager is responsible for market research. An APM can use their analytical skills to evaluate new features and ideas for products. You can also use them to improve the user interface for existing products. You can also use your analytical skills to identify trends and conduct testing.
Time Management
Respecting deadlines will help you and your team stay on track during the product’s lifecycle. You will also benefit from other project management skills such as prioritization and organization. Because the product team’s workflow is interconnected, all deadlines will be affected if one deadline is missed or not met. Bad time management can negatively impact the schedule of one team and the entire scope of work.
Decisiveness
When it comes to product visions, product launches, product requirements, and product design, making quick, informed decisions is valuable. It can impact the timelines and the progression of the product through the product roadmap if you delay getting an answer.
Adaptability
It is crucial to pivot and learn from past failures and lessons learned with engineers, customers, and others involved in the process. The product roadmap is subject to constant adjustments. A successful launch requires pivoting to accommodate changing requirements or needs.
These skills can be learned or acquired. These skills may not be inherent in some people, but you can learn and improve them through education and product manager training.
You will likely have a bachelor’s degree from a business school or computer science if you aim to become an associate product manager.
Employers will be more likely to hire you if you have some of these skills. There are many other routes to enter the field if you can’t find a job straight out of school.
Associate Product Manager at Google
Internships offer skills and experience in addition to the education you already have.
It cannot be easy to find a job. However, companies such as Google offer product manager internships. These internships could lead to a job as an associate product manager later on in your career.
Google, Facebook, Slack, and other companies are great resources for people looking to establish themselves in product management.
While not every company is right for you, they will provide a valuable experience, even if it’s an internship.
Internships are not easy, but they can be very competitive at companies like Google. Internships are a great way to learn.
Interview Questions for Associate Product Managers
After completing your education and gaining relevant skills through internships, it’s time to search for a job that suits your career goals. After you have secured an interview, prepare for the interview question.
As the interviewer will likely ask questions about your career and goals, it is good to get a sense of what you are looking for. It is important to demonstrate your ability to learn and eagerness to succeed.
Preparing for interviews involves thinking about possible questions and answers. Find information from others who have gone down the same road and read blogs. Interviews are not something you can do without.
Before you go, research the company and the industry trends to impress the interviewer. Your product management skills should be highlighted, but your enthusiasm and personality will also play an important role in landing you the job.
While hard skills are essential, soft and interpersonal skills will also play an important role.
Last Thoughts
As an associate product manager, you can jumpstart your career within the product management field.
This position may offer you the opportunity to specialize in product management or be a product manager. As an associate, you can be promoted before you are offered external jobs.
To become an associate product manager, you need to have a degree in product management, a mix of soft and hard skills, and meet challenges head-on. This will show employers that you are willing and able to work hard. They are looking for a willingness to work hard and a desire to improve the company.
Keep up-to-date with current trends and markets so that you can use your associate position to launch your career.
You can also read our other blogs –
- Myntra Product Management Interview Guide
- Step-by-step Recruitment Guide for an Associate Product Manager
- What is Data Product Management – Role, Responsibilities, and Skills
