In my opinion, companies looking for PM positions with certification, probably don’t understand product management.
Recently, while researching conferences and seminars, I noticed that certifications were mentioned rather frequently. I never considered that your level of product management expertise was greatly influenced by your certification. It’s a craft that needs you to keep an eye on where your business, group, or product is and meet them there. To truly assess what a PM is capable of, an interview exchange is required. But I’m curious how people feel about this viewpoint. Managers, do you believe that a candidate is more desirable or promising if they have certificates? In addition, I would point out that requesting a certificate shows that businesses lack the expertise necessary to determine whether a candidate for product management is qualified.
As far as I’m aware, certificates aren’t widely accepted by the industry, and as a hiring manager myself, I don’t think highly of them. This statement is made by a person who is particularly receptive to recruiting PMs from a wide range of backgrounds (other than CS) due to the fact that the discipline is extremely broad and calls for a variety of hard and soft abilities.
A company that needs certification is more likely to lack the ability to distinguish between competent individuals and those who are not (this applies to software since I like my physicians and lawyers to be certified). For risk minimization, they apply for a certification. “They should have known what they were doing because they have an X certificate, which signifies their expertise and competence in their field.”
@PriyaVarma, Exactly. That’s what I was trying to convey, but I don’t believe I was being clear enough. Certification serves as a reliable indicator of an individual’s knowledge and skills, giving employers and clients confidence in their abilities. It helps to ensure that professionals are up-to-date with the latest industry standards and practices.
Run away from this opportunity as fast as you can if the company mentions certificates in their JD or during the first round; this is a major red flag. While certificates can be valuable for certain professions, it is concerning if a company places excessive emphasis on them. This may indicate that they prioritize credentials over skills and experience, potentially hindering career growth and development. It is advisable to explore opportunities where companies value a diverse range of qualifications and prioritize practical abilities.
Oh my God! yes. In fact, I would say that, on average, the best PMs probably don’t have any certifications at all. The most successful product managers are often those who have a strong combination of leadership skills, industry knowledge, and the ability to adapt to changing circumstances. While certifications can provide a foundation of knowledge, they should not be the sole determining factor in hiring or promoting a project manager. Instead, companies should focus on assessing a candidate’s track record of successful projects and their ability to effectively communicate and collaborate with team members.
In my opinion, when it comes to product management and the actual practice of the craft, credentials are merely symbolic objects. They don’t represent a candidate’s aptitude; in fact, I’ve discovered that the finest product managers lack certificates. They’re busy interacting with customers or creating value for them.
Although some recruiters have up until now accepted them at face value, I advise them to downgrade their importance in order to avoid making poor hiring decisions. Instead, recruiters should focus more on the actual skills and experience of the candidates. This approach will lead to more successful and qualified hires, ultimately benefiting the company’s performance and success. Ultimately benefiting the company’s performance and success by ensuring that the candidates are well-suited for the job.
Your perspective on companies looking for Product Management (PM) positions with certifications is an interesting one, and it’s a topic that can spark debate in the field of product management. Here are some points to consider:
Certifications as a Screening Tool: Companies often receive a large number of job applications, and certifications can serve as an initial screening tool. While having a certification may not guarantee a candidate’s expertise, it can indicate that the candidate has at least gone through a structured training program and possesses some foundational knowledge in product management.
Diverse Backgrounds: Product management is a role that can attract professionals from various backgrounds, such as engineering, design, or marketing. Certifications can help candidates from non-traditional backgrounds demonstrate their commitment to learning and transitioning into the field.
Continuous Learning: Product management is a rapidly evolving field, and certifications can show that a candidate is committed to continuous learning and staying up-to-date with industry best practices. It can also be an indicator that a candidate has invested time and effort in honing their skills.
Interview Assessment: You’re correct that interviews are essential to assess a candidate’s fit for a specific role. Interviews allow hiring managers to evaluate a candidate’s problem-solving abilities, communication skills, and their alignment with the company’s culture and product vision. Certifications alone cannot substitute for this assessment.
Lack of Understanding: Some companies may rely too heavily on certifications because they lack a deep understanding of what product management truly entails. In such cases, they may view certifications as a shortcut to identifying qualified candidates. This could lead to missed opportunities to hire candidates with valuable skills and experience who may not hold certifications.
Balancing Certification and Experience: Ideally, companies should strike a balance between considering certifications and valuing a candidate’s practical experience and accomplishments in the field. Experienced PMs without certifications should not be overlooked if they can demonstrate their expertise through their work and accomplishments.
So basically IMO, certifications in product management can serve as an indicator of a candidate’s commitment to the field and their willingness to invest in their professional development. However, they should not be the sole criteria for hiring. A holistic approach that considers a candidate’s experience, skills, and cultural fit within the organization is crucial. Companies should aim to understand the specific needs of their PM roles and tailor their hiring criteria accordingly.
A significant core attribute of being a PM is continual observation, which is demonstrated by certificates as a commitment to engage in ongoing learning.
It’s not so much a requirement as it is a compelling illustration of your commitment to ongoing progress.
I lead teams and oversee departments, in addition to being a product person. I am constantly seeking ways to expand my skills and knowledge, which is why I also invest in certificates as a commitment to engage in ongoing learning. I believe that continuous learning is essential for personal and professional growth because it allows me to stay current and adapt to the ever-changing demands of my field. It also demonstrates my dedication to expanding my knowledge and skills. Additionally, continuous learning can lead to new opportunities and advancements in my career. Furthermore, continuous learning helps me stay competitive in the job market.
No crap. Experience can teach you things that certificates cannot. While technical skills and knowledge are important, practical experience in managing teams and handling real-life situations is invaluable. It allows individuals to develop their problem-solving abilities, adaptability, and leadership skills, which are crucial for effective management. So, while dedication and practice are essential, gaining hands-on experience is equally important to becoming proficient in management.
I strongly disagree @FelipeRibeiro. You can get all the key building blocks you need to become a successful PO from certificates. The value of understanding why and how user stories, personas, and roadmaps are created far outweighs the value of experience. It is essential to have a solid foundation in these areas in order to excel as a product owner. Without this foundation, a product owner may struggle to effectively prioritize and deliver successful products. This foundation includes understanding market trends, user needs, and the competitive landscape. Additionally, a product owner should have strong communication and collaboration skills. Furthermore, they should be able to make data-driven decisions and manage stakeholders effectively. Lastly, a product owner should be adaptable and able to prioritize tasks effectively.
Yes, but you cannot learn this. Yes, you may comprehend and learn how to develop user stories in a course that leads to certification, but it’s a totally different story when it comes to the company you work for. Do we include API calls, for instance, in an acceptance criterion? Do we incorporate solutions such as selecting button A to view the anticipated result of button B, microservice integrations, etc. into the AC? With the exception of my experience working for various firms, none of the courses I have taken have taught me any of those things. I don’t believe that is ever demonstrated in any course today, but when a developer and solution architect look at the story, they can tell you right away if it’s something they can estimate on. What kind of estimate is your business seeking? sizes of t-shirts? SPs or PDs? A burn-up chart based on tales, tasks, or subtasks is displayed.
The C-level will outline what they want to see in the roadmap before we know how to articulate that and for what purpose, so you can’t just learn how to design one from a course about roadmaps. Customers prefer to see what’s on the release schedule so they can get investors’ buy-in for private companies or for public companies. Numerous things rely more on experience than qualifications.
As a recruiting manager, I can confirm that no organization I’ve worked for (or even applied to) has given product management qualifications any thought. Instead, if I see qualifications on a person’s profile, I automatically presume they don’t have much practical experience and hence need these certifications. I automatically presume they don’t have much practical experience and hence need these certifications to compensate for their lack of hands-on knowledge.
Regarding the claim that credentials make a candidate more appealing, having hired several PMs, I’ll state that credentials—at this time—don’t matter to me since I must first have faith in the authority of the institution issuing them. The issuing organization becomes less significant to me the less I know about it. College degrees from recognized universities are more fascinating because, even if it’s an English major, I’m more likely to be able to judge the school’s reliability and determine where the transferable talents are. As some of the product management-focused boot camps and programs start to establish their credibility (or fail), I anticipate that this will change over time, and I’ll adjust my frame accordingly.