That, in my opinion, is the main factor behind the high number of ex-consultants in PM. You can see that in all of the PM interview materials that strong pitches get you hired by the organization. Long-term product support is the issue. Companies who buy into a pitch frequently take a year to determine if it was the right or incorrect move, giving you the opportunity to shift the blame, pitch your way out of it, or leave jobs while bragging about your accomplishments.
I used to be a consultant before becoming a PM.
I knew one thing when I earned a degree in computer science: while I liked technology, I didnât want to work as a software engineer full-time. The greatest choice at the time was tech consulting because products didnât actually exist (or only did so at a very small number of companies, and I wasnât aware of them). Ex-consultants are not the issue. Because PM now has more glamour for a lot fewer hours than IB or whatever the prior âprestigiousâ hotness was, it is filled with former consultants.
They are there because it is now the âexitâ to go down if you are an insecure overachiever workaholic prestige whore now (as 99% of people are). They donât enjoy technology or the beautiful things it can enable.
They are there because that is now the âexitâ to take if you are an insecure overachiever and prestige whore (like 99% of MBB, magic circle, and bulge bracket type people are) and that toxic bullshit seeps into the day to day, and I hate it. They donât love technology or the amazing things it can enable.
Itâs a good thing that consultants have a lot of transferable abilities for product management. Now, a companyâs culture is dependent on their will to preserve it. Despite this, some âprestigiousâ goods businesses also idolise grind (at least 3 of the FAANG)
A career in product management is a terrific method to grow impact without scaling hours, which was personally the most crucial factor in my decision to switch from consulting to product management:)
I particularly detest the fact that certain merchants and furniture-selling businesses employ Business Analysts in IT Product management positions. The same is true for certain firms that seek to map Jira story authors as the Head of Product Management.