Product Manager Skills List & Examples

Product Manager Skills List and Examples



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Showcasing Your Problem Solving and Analytical Abilities

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BY ALISON DOYLE

 

Updated August 03, 2018

Successful product managers are ambassadors of the product which they are carrying from conception through production and final launch. They must understand the market they are targeting with their new product and the competition it will face.

They are also responsible for creating and executing a successful strategy that will ensure the seamless and cost-effective passage of their product through its research, development, engineering, manufacturing, “go live,” and distribution cycles; as such, this job requires top notch problem solving skills and analytical abilities. Here are some of the most important skills employers look for in a product manager.

Top Product Manager Skills

Interpersonal Skills
The product manager influences numerous groups – from customers and sales personnel, to marketing, finance, and engineering teams, and they must be able to communicate and disseminate their vision to everyone effectively.

A product manager truly is the “Renaissance Man” of a company. More so, perhaps, than any other profession, product managers must have a solid grasp of the demands of several different disciplines in order to communicate productively across divisions. Although not an engineer, s/he must have enough technical knowledge to understand a product’s structure, composition, and applications. Although not a marketing specialist, the product manager has to know how to analyze market data and brand / position the product.

Although not an accountant, s/he has to predict costs and manage budgets.   

Solid presentation skills are a necessity as the product manager is president of the product he's in charge of and has to get others on board with his or her priorities. When resources are limited and other products are also under development, he or she must be able to champion the product so that it enjoys a timely and successful launch.

Strategic Thinking
Strategic thinking begins with posing the right questions, then understanding the market and competition, and finally with defining the product's road map. The product manager must be able to forecast how much time each stage of the production cycle will take, position their product to take advantage of market cycles, and formulate strategies to control costs and manage risks along the way.

Analytical Skills
Analytical skills follow on the heels of strategic thinking; it's about researching and analyzing the right data to make product decisions with profit in mind. This is a data-driven skill rather than acting on instinct or innate response. A product manager with solid analytical skills knows how to use data (whether it's paltry or prolific) to crunch numbers and create solutions for business strategy, product development and pricing outlook.

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Product Manager Skills List

Here's a comprehensive list of product manager skills to highlight for resumes, cover letters, job applications, and interviews. Required skills will vary based on the job for which you're applying, so also review our list of skills listed by job and type of skill.

Personal Attributes

Ability to Meet Deadlines





Analytical





Attention to Detail





Collaboration





Coordination





Creativity





Critical Thinking





Data Driven





Motivating Others





Multi-Tasking





Negotiating





Organizational





Prioritizing





Problem Solving





Quantitative Skills





Team Player





Teamwork





Time Management





Working Independently



Interpersonal Skills

Customer Service





Facilitating Meetings





Influencing Others





Interviewing





Leadership





Leading Cross Functional Teams





Maintaining Composure Under Pressure





Managing Partner Relationships





Presentation





Relationship Management





Supervising





Verbal Communication





Writing





Written Communication



Product Management

Design





Developing Cases for New Products/Features





Developing Pricing Framework





Developing Strategies for Product Launches





Developing Value Propositions





Drive Product Strategy





Documentation





Evaluating Advertising Proposals





Managing Risk Through the Product Cycle



Positioning Brands and Projects

Product Development





Product Design





Product Feature Definition





Product Implementation





Product Improvements





Product Launch





Product Strategy





Project Management





Promotion





Implementation





Marketing





Visual Representation



Software Skills

Agile Software





Competitive Analysis





Compiling Status Reports





Microsoft Access





Microsoft Excel





Microsoft Office





Microsoft Project





PowerPoint





Visio



Analytical Skills

Creating and Managing Budgets





Creating Distribution Strategies





Customer Analysis





Define Objectives





Define Requirements





Financial Analysis





Forecasting Sales





Managing Social Media Systems





Measuring Effectiveness





Measure Product Functionality





Measure User Acceptance





Metrics





Reporting





Researching Market Trends





Responding to Changing Demands





Synthesizing Data





Tracking Progress





Translating Customer Feedback into Product Modification





Understanding Customer Segmentation

 https://www.thebalancecaeers.com/list-of-product-manager-skills-2062460