This does lead us to a certain quandary. When it comes to product manager jobs, there are quite a few myths circulated. Such myths can make it difficult to ascertain the role of a product manager, the complexities such a manager must face, and the steps required to proper perform the duties of a product manager. That is why it is so helpful to take a few steps to isolate some of these myths and dispel them.
Of course, it would be downright impossible to identify all the myths surrounding the position of a product manager. Many myths are difficult to even log or keep track of. That being said, there are some common myths that appear frequently. Here is a look at those often repeated ones...
Project managers need to approach their duties as an auxiliary task. This is a total myth. Managers are often directly involved in the operations of a particular venture. They are not ''peripheral personnel'' and should not be treated as such. Doing so could undermine the work such managers perform so upper level management needs to avoid such an approach.
Associate product manager jobs do not have a major impact of a business. While the title of such a job is ''associate'' it would be improper and inaccurate to assess such a manager as being unimportant. All professionals involved with product management have important roles to play and should not be diminished.
The role of such managers is a waste of time because excess planning is unnecessary. Myths such as this are somewhat akin to an urban legend. That is to say, there is a bit of doubt that business owners would even entertain such a thought. Sadly, there are those business managers that do not feel that planning is necessary and their businesses will suffer for it.
The human element can be excised from a production line manager job description because a computer can perform all the needed work of a human manager. This is not just a myth, but it represents a fundamental misunderstanding of the value of project managers. Computers have tremendous value but they are not infallible or capable of doing everything a human being can. To assume otherwise would be a foolish concurrence.
Product managers do not pick up on mistakes or problems until far after the problem has commenced. This is a sweeping generality and it is a false one. Highly qualified and talented project managers can determine problems very early on. Of course, they can also put forth advice on how to deal with such problems and prevent the problems from becoming worse.
If one product manager can deliver results, then hiring several product managers for the same project could yield even greater results. This really is not a wise plan because when you have too many people in the mix making decisions, the process can become a clutter. A collective of decision makers do not necessarily equate to collective good decisions. Rather, it may be a much better plan to hire a single manager. A sole manager will likely make definitive decisions. Often, when one person is making decisions and determinations, more deliberation will go into the process.
Online product manager jobs are hard to find and when you do find them you would have a difficult time being offered the job. This may not be a myth for some but those willing to put in the proper effort to land such a job will be pleased with the result.
Those that do wish to explore their options in this profession should look at the listings available on ProductManagerCrossing.com. There is a free trial available and it is well worth taking advantage of.
