Falling into Product Management with Jim Semick (ProductPlan)

Path to PM is a series of interviews with product leaders about breaking into product management.

In this session, we interview Jim Semick, co-founder of ProductPlan. ProductPlan develops product roadmap software for product managers.

Breaking into Product Management

How did you break into product management?

I've been in product management and new product development for about 15 years.

Before that, I had a background in corporate training and technical software documentation, which gave me great skills for becoming a product manager.

Like most product managers—and I actually do think it's most product managers—they "fall" into product management. Rather than actually seeking a product management role, they're working with a product in some other capacity and then stumble into a product management role. And that's exactly what happened to me. I fell into product management, discovered I loved it, and have been doing it ever since.

What did falling into product management look like for you?

I started working for a startup in Santa Barbara.

Their current product was failing, so they came to me with an idea for a second product. But first, they wanted to ensure the success of their new product, so they tasked me with market validation work.

I was responsible for finding potential customers to interview, conducting the interview, leading a small team to discuss our findings, and eventually writing up the product requirements document (PRD) for the solution.

That product turned out to be GoToMyPC, one of the first software-as-a-service (SaaS) products in the market.

This was in the early 2000s, so SaaS was a novel idea. I thoroughly loved the process. I enjoyed going from a complete blank sheet of paper to developing a minimum viable product with messaging and pricing validation. That was thrilling for me.

Fortunately, the product was successful, and I became the first product manager for GoToMeeting, which eventually got acquired by Citrix Systems.

How has product management changed since your first PM gig over 15 years ago?

When I first started, there wasn't a path to a product management career. The role of product management wasn't well known. There were project managers and program managers, but only a few product managers. Since then, the role has become more well-known and formalized, and there are more resources available for product managers.

I also think the process around product management has changed substantially. When I wrote the product requirements for GoToMyPC and GoToMeeting, we developed the software using the Waterfall Methodology.

This process was slow and required long discussions with the engineering team. In today's world, however, the Agile Methodology, which focuses on launching and iteration, has completely changed that model.

This is a far quicker process and allows a lot more flexibility and discovery.

Why is ProductPlan something product managers need now more than ever?

We solve a few key problems that all product managers have:

• Communicating the strategy widely within the organization so all stakeholders are on the same page.
• Getting alignment around that strategy to begin with. Why are you developing certain features?

ProductPlan helps formalize the process of prioritization and communication.

For VPs and Directors of Product, their problem is standardizing a process within the organization, which ProductPlan also helps with. This better process helps develop a better product and saves hours every month.

What are your top questions for assessing a product manager's ability?

I never ask questions like the type you might find at Google when you're presented with a problem and asked to find a solution.

I'm more interested in understanding the decision-making process. How would you prioritize A vs. B? In the product management world, there are a thousand things you could work on, and you need to prioritize.

So, what does that process look like?

Who should be involved in the decision? How do you decide on the minimum version of that product? How do you know it will provide customer value?

What advice would you give to a current PM interviewee?

One key angle for breaking into product management is working in your dream industry but in a different role. I've seen people move into PM from customer success, engineering, and even sales roles.

Put yourself in the right position to learn about the product and the process, and then look for opportunities there. That's a great way to just get started.

I do see a lot of engineers moving into product management, and I think that's a great way to get started, because they can understand technical feasibility, which is critical for effective product management.

As someone building a prioritization product like ProductPlan, how do you stick to your personal priorities?

It's very easy to fill your day with tasks that don't matter much at the end of the day or at the end of your life.

I work very hard to avoid those tedious tasks and think more strategically. I focus on things that matter and eliminate the metaphorical clutter in my life.

Who's a product manager you admire?

I love Marty Cagan and his book Inspired. He's been a product manager and executive for many years. I admire his approach to product management and the way he describes developing software.

Any other books you'd recommend for an aspiring product manager?

Steve Blank's books and website are terrific.

Although his writing is focused more on startups, he also deeply discusses products and product management.

PM Interview Advice

Landing a product job requires more than just applying!

1. Create an excellent PM resume: Companies like Google receive over three million applications yearly. 80-90% of candidates never pass the resume screen. Ask friends, mentors, or our tech resume coaches to review your resume. Use our PM resume template if you need help getting started.
2. Prepare for interviews: The product management interview process will test your product sense, product design, product strategy, analytical and estimation skills, and behavioral fit with the company. Review the most frequently asked PM questions and answers.
3. Review the company: Each company has a unique mission, products, and approach to PM interviews. Spend time understanding how they envision their place in the world. How could you help them achieve that vision? 
4. Practice: Even the most knowledgeable candidates can feel nervous during the interview. You can practice with Exponent's free peer-to-peer and AI PM mock interview portal. Every day, PM candidates role-play in 1:1 mock interviews and give feedback.
5. Interview: All the preparation and hard work you've done have led up to this moment! It's time to turn on your camera and nail those PM interviews!