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Product Manager
Decide what gets built and why
Typical pay
₹12L–₹60L+ per year
To first job
1–2 years
Difficulty
Challenging
PMs sit at the intersection of tech, business, and users. You don't write code — you decide what to build, for whom, and why. It's one of the most coveted roles in tech, and most PMs reach it after a couple of years in another role first.
Step by step
Your roadmap
1
Build the foundation
0–6 months- Learn product thinking: read 'Inspired' by Marty Cagan.
- Study metrics: DAU, retention, conversion, NPS.
- Learn to write PRDs.
- Follow Indian PMs on LinkedIn and Twitter.
2
Get experience
6–18 months- Intern as a PM/APM at any startup.
- Do product teardowns of apps you use daily.
- Build a side project to learn the full product cycle.
- Learn basic SQL to pull your own data.
3
Land a PM role
18–30 months- Apply to APM programmes at Flipkart, Swiggy, Meesho, etc.
- Prep for PM interviews: Exponent, PM School.
- Showcase your thinking via a product portfolio/blog.
What you'll get good at
Skills you build
User ResearchData AnalysisSQLRoadmappingStakeholder ManagementA/B Testing
Where it leads
Roles you can land
Associate PM
Product Manager
Senior PM
Group PM
VP of Product
Let's be honest
Myths vs. reality
You need an MBA from IIM
Many top PMs have no MBA. A strong portfolio matters more.
You need to code
Basic SQL helps, but deep coding is not required.
Start here
Where to learn
Inspired — Marty Cagan (Book)Paid
PM School IndiaPaid
Exponent (interview prep)Paid
Lenny's NewsletterFree