For so many fields, this style of question is pretty straight-forward.

Want to be a software engineer? Study computer science at a four-year institution, get decent grades, do an internship or two, and do decent at full-time interviews.

Want to be an accountant? Study accounting, get decent grades, do an internship or two, and do decent at full-time interviews.

There are many fields where the path is much less clear – product management is one of them.

I get this question all the time, and the short answer is lame – it depends. The reality is, the answer to this question varies greatly according to your background. It also depends on what you mean exactly by product management e.g. industry or scope of work. Thus, I have created a choose-your-own-adventure diagram for you to enjoy 🙂 Simply answer the questions in the diagram to determine the right passage for you to read below.

Note: this covers product management at high tech/software/Silicon Valley companies. Much of this advice does not necessarily pertain to other industries.

Note 2: if I list a program like MLT, an internship program or business school, get ahead of the deadlines. So many people end up looking up the deadlines too late and missing what could have been a perfect opportunity for them, all because they procrastinated on understanding the timelines. Do not block your dreams because you didn’t take the time to know the due dates!

Path 1 – computer science (CS) major in undergrad

The path for this person will differ based on your institution, your year, your GPA, and your internship experience.

Assuming you are a freshman at an elite U.S. college with a high GPA (generally need to shoot for >3.5 IMO), focus on obtaining SWE internships – ideally at a FANG company. Often, I will see CS majors at elite colleges do a few internships at FANG companies prior to doing a PM internship after their junior year, or apply to the entry-level product management program at the company they have been interning at.

If you are a sophomore, focus on getting those SWE internships as well as networking. Ideally, you would also apply for MLT’s career prep. It is a program that will fast track your path to a major company and can likely increase your chances of becoming a product manager in the future.

If you are a junior, focus on again getting those SWE internships but start networking and do informational interviews with those in PM roles at the companies you are interested in. Determine if it makes more sense to apply to PM roles for full-time or if it makes sense to work as a SWE for a few years and then transition (see Path 4).

If you do not have a high GPA, get that ish UP! These companies do no play when it comes to academics, and neither should you. If you are not at an elite institution, you can still get on this track but it will just require more effort. Inquire at your career services office and find out how you can get to CS internships at major companies and ask them to show how one can become a product manager straight out of their school. Ask them to connect you with alumni that have made the leap to PM or have transitioned into it. This is their job, so asking them to do it isn’t a bad thing.

Path 2 – non-CS major in undergrad

The path for this person will differ based on your institution, your year, your GPA, and your internship experience.

Generally, it is harder to become a PM in this path than in Path 1, but it is definitely still doable. If you want to become a PM immediately after college, consider doing LinkedIn searches of those that became PMs at major companies right after undergrad (ideally your institution) and had your undergrad major or something similar. This will help you understand how people have navigated to these roles in the past. Again, having a high GPA (>3.5 at least) and being at an elite institution go a long ways here.

If you are a sophomore, definitely apply to MLT Career Prep. They have a technical track that could help increase your chances to become a PM.

Additionally, I would get some decent CS experience. This could include taking classes up to data structures and algorithms, creating a mobile app or some other technical project. At the end of the day, product managers need to interact with engineers and grapple with tough technical conversations in order to make product trade-offs for the optimal user experience. If you haven’t familiarized yourself with that world, it will be very tough to be an effective product manager.

You can also wait until you have spent some years working out of school. Read path 6 or 7 for more information.

Path 3 – working as a software engineer

Generally, my advice would be to either transition to a company where they offer PM transition programs for SWEs, or attend business school.

At several major Silicon Valley companies, there are PM rotation programs for those in software engineering (SWEs). Generally, SWEs work for several years and then begin to join their company’s PM rotation program. At that point, they can recruit for a full-time PM role at their company.

If you are not interested in that path, you could also attend business school and become a product manager. The bigger tech companies tend to prioritize CS undergrad majors for MBA internships, so you would have a great opportunity to become a PM. I would recommend applying for MLT MBA Prep, as it increases your chances of going to a top-tier business school – this in turn increases your chances of landing a PM internship and eventually a full-time PM offer post-business school.

Lastly, you could take a course in product management that explicitly states they will place you into a PM role. Try to avoid the courses that do not make that an explicit promise and/or high-priority goal, as you may end up with some knowledge and skills but no role to put them into practice.

Path 4 – software engineer at a stereotypical Silicon Valley company (FANG)

First of all, congratulations! It is very difficult to get to this path and you should be proud of yourself. In this path, there are multiple ways to become a PM.

At several major Silicon Valley companies, there are PM rotation programs for those in software engineering (SWEs). Generally, SWEs work for several years and then begin to join their company’s PM rotation program. At that point, they can recruit for a full-time PM role at their company.

If you are not interested in that path, you could also attend business school and become a product manager. The bigger tech companies tend to prioritize CS undergrad majors for MBA internships, so you would have a great opportunity to become a PM. I would recommend applying for MLT MBA Prep, as it increases your chances of going to a top-tier business school – this in turn increases your chances of landing a PM internship and eventually a full-time PM offer post-business school.

Lastly, you could take a course in product management that explicitly states they will place you into a PM role. Try to avoid the courses that do not make that an explicit promise and/or high-priority goal, as you may end up with some knowledge and skills but no role to put them into practice.

Path 5 – CS undergrad not working as a software engineer

Generally, my recommendation here would be to attend business school. As an engineer, you are generally in a better position to get into business school. Additionally, many product managers have MBAs nowadays and this could serve as a strong transition tool. The bigger tech companies tend to prioritize CS undergrad majors for MBA internships, so you would have a great opportunity to become a PM. I would recommend applying for MLT MBA Prep, as it increases your chances of going to a top-tier business school – this in turn increases your chances of landing a PM internship and eventually a full-time PM offer post-business school.

If you are a management consultant working at MBB (one of the three premier consulting firms – McKinsey, Bain or BCG), there are ways to transition directly into product management without attending business school. My recommendation would be to do a LinkedIn search of those that are PMs today that were at your consulting firm previously and did not obtain an MBA. Ping those people to ask for informational interviews and a decent proportion will respond.

Path 6 – non-CS undergrad but has another engineering degree or engineering experience

Generally, my recommendation here would be to attend business school. As an engineer, you are generally in a better position to get into business school. Additionally, many product managers have MBAs nowadays and this could serve as a strong transition tool. The bigger tech companies tend to prioritize CS undergrad majors for MBA internships, but those with engineering experiences can certainly leverage that in the application process. I would recommend applying for MLT MBA Prep, as it increases your chances of going to a top-tier business school – this in turn increases your chances of landing a PM internship and eventually a full-time PM offer post-business school. I have also noticed that big tech companies value & sometimes prioritize interviewing you when their competition provides you with an offer, so keep that in mind as well.

If you are a management consultant working at MBB (one of the three premier consulting firms – McKinsey, Bain or BCG), there are ways to transition directly into product management without attending business school. My recommendation would be to do a LinkedIn search of those that are PMs today that were at your consulting firm previously and did not obtain an MBA. Ping those people to ask for informational interviews and a decent proportion will respond.

Path 7 – non-technical undergrad, working professional

Generally, my recommendation here would be to attend business school. Though you do not have a technical degree, you can take coding courses at school and intern as a PM at a company that does not have a hard technical degree requirement, such as Amazon. Many product managers have MBAs nowadays and this could serve as a strong transition tool. I would recommend applying for MLT MBA Prep, as it increases your chances of going to a top-tier business school – this in turn increases your chances of landing a PM internship and eventually a full-time PM offer post-business school. I have also noticed that big tech companies value & sometimes prioritize interviewing you when their competition provides you with an offer, so keep that in mind as well.

If you are a management consultant working at MBB (one of the three premier consulting firms – McKinsey, Bain or BCG), there are ways to transition directly into product management without attending business school. My recommendation would be to do a LinkedIn search of those that are PMs today that were at your consulting firm previously and did not obtain an MBA. Ping those people to ask for informational interviews and a decent proportion will respond.

If you are a product marketing manager, I have also seen people transition directly into product management. Again, I would perform a similar LinkedIn search as above to understand the path ahead of you.

Path 8 – no four-year degree but working professional, or still in high school

If you are still in high school, congratulations! You are doing the right thing by really thinking ahead and determining the best path forward for yourself. I would recommend just reading through the paths, mainly Path 1 & Path 2.

For those who are working professionals but do not have a four-year degree, this certainly will be difficult but it can be done. For those in this situation, having extraordinary impact is what can really improve your chances. For example, launch a successful technology business. Doing so indicates your ability not only to lead a team, raise funds and grow a business, but also demonstrates an ability to determine the right product and feature set to satisfy consumer needs – skills that are in high demand for product management roles.