Transitioning Careers in Tech: A Path to Product Management
Welcome back to the main stage today for Women Tech Global Conference’s Career Summit Day where we delve into the captivating career journey of our guest speaker, Shannon Cassidy.
About our Speaker
Shannon Cassidy is a civil engineer turned product manager, and is currently serving as a senior product manager at Split. Today, she shares her insightful experience on how she spun her career from construction into building software and more specifically, into product management.
Paving the Transition Path
Shannon started her professional life with a career goal; to get her civil engineering license. She devoted several years to practice in the field and succeeded in passing the three licensing exams. A year after achieving this milestone, however, she began questioning what truly made her happy. While she loved the collaborative aspects of construction, she felt out of place in the culture.
It was then that she decided to shift to the tech industry. Her friends in the tech industry seemed to have a lot of fun at start-ups and she decided that she wanted in on this as well. The transition wasn't easy, but through curiosity, networking, and a steadfast determination, Shannon managed to navigate her way. Her advice to others contemplating a similar switch is to jumpstart their network in the new industry, consider different approaches to transition, and set the course for execution.
Setting Up Your User Network
Establishing a network in a new industry can seem daunting, but it's achievable. It can be kick-started in incremental steps:
- Start by reaching out to friends within your existing network even if they’re not in your target company or role but could potentially introduce you to someone who is
- Attend as many free conferences, meet-ups, and groups as you can to connect with like-minded individuals
- Execute target searches and reach out to people on Linkedin to connect
Carving Out a Transition Path
Once you start building a network, you can consider different approaches to transition:
- Attend Business School
- Start a Business
- Apply for Many Product Roles
- Start in an Adjacent Role to Product
Choosing which path to take really depends on your personal circumstances. Whether it’s time, finance, or experience related, it’s essential to pick a path that aligns with your constraints and goals.
Embracing the Transition
Shannon shares her unique experiences and lessons learned. She chose to start in customer success, a role adjacent to product management. There, she gained practical insights about product pain points. In addition to the education she gained in terms of practical skills, she also expanded her interpersonal skills. Her ability to continually add value to a business placed her on a path that led to a senior product management role.
Navigating Career Changes
The biggest takeaways from Shannon's talk reinforce that change, while initially confronting, can lead to incredible growth. By seizing opportunities to learn, leveraging your unique experiences, embracing your differentiators, and seeking mentorship or guidance from others, you can pivot your career in directions that align with your personal and professional aspirations.
Paying It Forward
Shannon urges everyone to help others in their journey. Sharing your experiences and advice can make someone else's career transition easier. In our constantly evolving industry space, the best way to move forward is to grow together.