Do I need an MBA to become a product manager in an IT organization

Question

I have been working as a senior software developer and now I want to jump a product manager post. Is an MBA required to become a product manager?

Answer 1

Prduct managers are at a very senior level as they are the ones who make critical product based decisions which directly affects the organizations business. There are two ways for a company to believe in you - one, get an MBA from one of the tommost b-school or gain a lot of experience

To get expereince you'll have to start off very small and the growth process here is very slow.

Its always better to get an MBA, as your growth is quicker and these B-schools train you with the required skills which companies hiring you can rely on.

Comments

@Kalgi, I completely agree with your answer. And to add to your answer I would say getting an Executive MBA (1 year MBA program) is a really good idea because there you will get the exposure of MBA skills as well as you can get a degree real quick. You can opt either for distance MBA or regular MBA as per your convenience.

Answer 2

@Faiza, MBA is not necessarily required to become a product manager. A product manager is responsible for guiding the development and execution of a product and leading the cross-functional team.  An engineer can become a product engineer after a few years of experience. Generally, an engineer can become a product engineer after 5 to 6 years of experience. MBA is the fastest way to become a manager with a degree background and your position would be much easier than working for years in a company.

Answer 3

No you don't need an MBA to have a Product Manager job.

Several of my friends have transitioned to a Product Manager role from a technology or a design background. Start off with a smaller company and then you would be able to go after the big guys after that.

An essential part of a Product Manager's role is to manage resources (people) as well as the road-map.

You might think that a technology background makes a Product Manager more effective, but the truth is that at the end of the day a PM's job is more about ideas, innovation & leadership. You might be the ONE guy in the company with the brightest ideas but if you do not have the leadership quality to guide the company then you might not succeed.

All the best!