It’s great that you are interested in becoming a Shopify product manager. Getting your hands on this role would put you in a managerial role that plays a pivotal part in boosting sales for the company as well as provide you with invaluable information about the gears that grind the world of e-commerce. In this article, we will see about ‘How To Become A Shopify Product Manager?’.
How To Become A Shopify Product Manager?
With Shopify as your employer, you will get limitless knowledge and experience as it is one of the biggest e-commerce entities out there that makes over 2 billion dollars in revenue.
We know you’re interested to know the abc’s of the job, so we went ahead and put together everything you need to know about becoming a Shopify product manager in this article.
But first, before finding out how to become a Shopify product manager, it is necessary to understand what does product management mean and what does the job entails.
What does product management mean?
Product management is a process in a company that deals with the research, planning, product development, forecasting, etc for the launch of a product and its marketing strategy.
It entails refining the product post-launch as well based on the analytics from the launch of the product.
Now Shopify product management would entail managing products that can be distributed virtually through the Shopify website of the organization.
What is a product manager?
The Product Manager is the person who is accountable for developing a product from the basic concept to the final product launch. Product Managers usually might also have to collaborate with other departments of the company based on which company they work at.
At a small start-up company, the product manager usually wears a lot of hats and has to attend to everything from research, quality check and the final release. Whereas, in a larger organization, they are mostly just in charge of the user research and execution.
The role of a product manager :
Product Managers do research about the product, communicate and collaborate with other departments to develop a successful product along with a plan to market the product.
They are also responsible for the management of the product and working along with the analytics to alter the product to give the best results from the launch.
To create a thriving business plan for the product launch, the manager has to research and find out the user’s problems and their needs to develop a product that helps the customer solve their problems.
While developing a product, the manager has to factor in multiple factors like profitability of the business plan, benefits and restrictions of technology, user experience and functionality of the product, and marketplace to create a successful product launch.
How much salary does a product manager get on average?
The average salary for a product manager in the United States is $87,000 and the range typically falls between $60,000 to $100,000. Salary can differ depending on many crucial factors like education, experience in the job, certifications, additional skills, etc.
3 Categories of jobs a product manager has to do
1. Product strategy:
They have to create a vision for the product and how it’ll evolve to be successful. They’ll need to come up with a plan for how it will impact the customers and what problems it would solve.
2. Product road map:
They need to create a visual representation of the progress and growth of the product that is to be launched. This entails the long term goals which are necessary to help make sure that the small steps taken will help in reaching the final goal.
3. User feedback and Product Backlog
The manager must understand the perspective of the user to build the product’s features. They use product analytics after the launch to remove bugs and identify areas for improvement.
What are the vital skills required to be a product manager?
The first skill required from a product manager is creativity and strategic thinking which essentially entails identifying problem areas, brainstorming solutions for them, and creating new products that will be the solution for the problems found. They must be able to prepare for problems that might arise at any point in time before or after the product’s launch.
The second most important skill required is empathy and the ability to understand the user experience and how they think. They are supposed to use analytics, models, etc to convert user feedback into a more useful prototype.
Another crucial skill required is good communication and collaboration with other departments at the organization. They have to be able to discuss their ideas for the product with other teams, listen to any feedback that they might have and change plans to make it a successful product.
The final skill that is required is technical expertise on the product and the ability to create flowcharts and write user scenarios.
How to Become a Product Manager?
Unlike many other fields which require specific degrees and qualifications to get certain jobs, product managers can come from various backgrounds and have any degree.
To become a Product Manager, one has to be open to continuously learn while in the job because mostly that’s how skills are developed. They have to understand the language of developers, marketers, engineers, designers, etc.
Usually, jobs for product management are posted on online boards like LinkedIn, Glassdoor, or even available through a quick search on Google.
Most employers however prefer to hire someone familiar so it’s important to be networking with the people in the industry and go to meetups that happen in the industry.
Shopify also posts job openings for product management on their website so keep an eye out for it and apply accordingly.
How to write a cover letter to apply for a Shopify product manager position?
- Companies hire people who are knowledgeable and can increase the value of the company through their work so it’s important to write an excellent cover letter that showcases the knowledge you have on the topic.
- Firstly, do research, go through the list of products that the company already delivers and make a list of enhancements or improvements that can be beneficial to make the product better. This showcases the person’s skills and knowledge.
- Secondly, read up about the company’s initiatives and culture then craft a personalized cover letter that shows how you would be a great addition to the team and what you can offer to the company to help them grow.
- Thirdly, make sure that the cover letter doesn’t exceed one page and keep the format simple and clear to read.
- make sure to highlight any previous leadership experience and skills you have had, if any, as this will help them understand that you have experience managing people and communicating with other members of the project.
- Finally, edit the cover letter and make sure to proofread every sentence to make sure there are no grammatical errors, etc.
- Once it’s ready, give it to some people and get feedback from them on if it’s understandable, simple and appropriate to send to the hiring manager.
The general structure of a cover letter to apply for the Shopify product manager position
First comes the name, email id, phone number, website/portfolio, and LinkedIn profile.
Next, put the date of application.
Then address the hiring manager by their full name and title at Shopify and follow it up with a simple greeting.
Start with an introductory paragraph that briefly explains engagingly the reason you want to work at Shopify.
Make sure that you seem enthusiastic and interested to work for Shopify and highlight your skills and experience.
Finally writing the short closing paragraph which recaps all your skills and expresses your interest to work for Shopify. Encourage them to contact you for the interview.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
1. What are the skills required to become a product manager?
Ans: You need to have creativity, strategic thinking, good communication, collaboration, problem-solving and technical skills to become a good product manager.
2. Do I require particular degrees to be selected?
Ans: You do not need specific degrees to become a product manager.
Keep yourself up to date on the skills required and tools used by product managers.
3. What are the things I have to know to do my job and who would I work with?
Ans: Be educated on what the developers, designers, engineers and marketers do as you would be required to work with most of them directly and collaborate with them to create the final product.
4. Where can I find product management jobs and how to become a Shopify product manager?
Ans: Look out for job opportunities posted on the Shopify website or other online job boards like LinkedIn, etc. for product manager positions.
5. How to apply for a product management job?
Ans: Craft a customized cover letter and send it to the hiring manager at Shopify, highlighting all your skills and experience that are relevant to the job.
Conclusion
Whether you’re figuring out a new career path or trying out a new job, being a product manager will put you at the center of running a company’s business. Your decisions will make or break a company.
Do not be afraid to try new things! There is always room to learn. But once you are over the learning curve, you’ll realize why this would be a position that is fulfilling and enjoyable at the same time.
With all the knowledge you’ve acquired from this post, you’re ready to get started on your goal to become a Shopify product manager. You can always use this article for future references so remember to bookmark it!
With that said, we hope you’ll get the role you’re trying for. Good luck!
