However, they do not perform any development themselves, though communicate and manage the software development team within a scrum management process. Robert Bosch, Hi everyone,I've been working as a developer (BI, data, analytics) for a few years now, and I'm beginning to hate the very technical aspects of it. Remember the importance of finding a good balance, as this will avoid the famous technical debt that, as it grows, will slow down the product engineering team. Product Managers in the tech industry are paid more on average because of the rapid pace that goes along with the industry. While I cant speak for all engineers and PMs, I hope my experiences help by providing insight about how each role feels. The key skills of stakeholder management, leadership and technical knowledge are needed whether you are a product manager or a solution product manager. Working with key leaders in engineering, sales, marketing as well as working with program managers is important to deliver the right solution for the targeted customers. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. So, you have to leave the door open so that she can be a product engineer again, without any harm to her career. While you don't need to be able develop the product, you do need to understand the product from the user's perspective. Aha! According to the BLS, the average salary for engineering managers is $149,530 per year. When you understand clearly how your product is built, youre more likely to have the adequate risk evaluation of certain feature, have more accurate time frame setting for story mapping or road mapping. Solutions engineers need to be able to clearly explain complex technical concepts to customers, while product managers need to be able to communicate their vision for a product to their team and stakeholders. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. If it's precovid, I would tell you do sales engineer since it comes with potential huge rewards. Product managers typically work in offices, but they also attend meetings with teams and stakeholders to discuss product development. Having experience and knowledge in the relevant field will enable you to apply to higher-end positions. You don't risk losing your technical chops as much in this role, and that can be important for career/skills development. Various companies have varieties of PM job title specifications; that is why product managers and tech product managers are often confused in scope of their major role and the abilities distinguished. The greatest difference between engineers and managers is that the term Technical Manager or Product Engineer is more likely to describe a person, but not his or her role. Or could you go back to a "normal" developer role afterwards? Solution architect/sales engineering to me is a bit more interesting and since its more technical and gives you that edge. Be quick to sing their praises and give credit where it is due. Should you become a software engineer or product manager? He is the co-founder and CEO of Aha! Does the traveling (post covid) suck anyway? Average people can hardly see any difference, but the professionals can. Product Manager at Amazon? The need for experienced Product Managers has increased exponentially in the last 10 to 15 years, especially in the tech industry. Gone are the days of isolated development. Knowing where you want to go leads to rapid decisions that the product team can use to support the product manager's vision. That is, what infrastructure it will run on, which programming language is most appropriate, which database is most appropriate, how to ensure the non-functional requirements of this product (response speed, availability, scalability, etc.). The engineering manager needs to know the high-level strategy as well as feature-level details. Rigorous prioritization is critical to my job. What will the press release look like? Then it moves to realization in stone or metal or energy. If you decide PM is the role for you, awesome! The more you enjoy something the better and longer you can do it, and hopefully, subsequently grow and excel at it. During product development, doubts will inevitably arise and if you are not present, either the team stops, or they will implement as they think it should be, which may differ from what you had planned. This response is so uninformed. As an engineer, I split my time between a handful of activities: coding, code reviews, engineering planning, and occasional meetings. Have you ever quit a job because you did not get the promotion or title change that you wanted? Product Owner article, "As a product manager your roles and responsibilities will change depending on your context and the stage of your product," and that "Product owner is a role you play . Generally embedded within a development team. In contrast, a Solutions Architect focuses on the overall architecture of the solution and its alignment with the organization's goals and objectives. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. If you have effectively communicated business and customer needs, trust that your counterpart will lead the technical direction. There are some exceptions to these income levels. Overseeing project managers and their project teams. If you are a product manager dealing with multiple products and have separate solution testing and documentation, then you are probably a solution product manager. Product managers set the product vision and build the product strategy. They work with clients to understand their needs and then design and develop a solution that meets those needs. Stakeholders in both cases care about business outcomes, costs to develop and satisfying customers. These figures are based on the latest Glassdoor statistics for Associate Product Managers average base pay to the high level of a Chief Product Officer average base pay. Computer Hardware and Software Engineers are paid generously and, on average, are the highest-paid Engineers. Chaos is usually rooted in misunderstanding. No coding or QR testing, just vision, road mapping, story mapping or whatever else the manager should perform! I found a need for a role where the focus would be on utilizing the existing customer base, better understanding their needs, and streamlining a few products we have been informally offering that have great market potential. As a product manager, Ive developed a diverse skillset that I use in my regular life, and I feel like I can make a bigger impact on the company. The BLS projects 6% growth across all engineering jobs from 2020 to 2030, which is about average for all occupations. Today, our technology empowers thousands of product managers to lead every phase of the product lifecycle with confidence. The fact that the product manager is responsible for defining the product to be made may give the impression that product engineering reports to product management. However, they do not perform any development themselves, though communicate and manage the software development team within a. understanding of tech trends, how include them into roadmap and implement the innovations. If you have the opportunity to be a solutions product manager, then you can apply key product management skills to the role. Product Managers in the US are paid more on average compared to other countries such as Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Canada, and the UK. Engineers and PMs work towards the same goal: moving the companys KPIs. The fundamental difference product managers need to understand is that your role is to identify the right problem (business, technical, or customer) and why it is worth solving or how it drives business outcomes. Most of my days include long stretches of time that are conducive to deep work. But on that note product managers skills are pretty transferable to generic project manager skills right? I considered doing so myself in the past and know a few people who. Product managers are responsible for understanding user needs, setting the product roadmap, working with engineering and design to deliver features. Environmental engineers have the lowest median salary of $48,390, and petroleum engineers have the highest median salary at $130,850. In brainstorming solutions, my engineering brain thinks in terms of whats practical and feasible given technical constraints. From someone who has done both, I would choose sales engineering all day. You dont have to be good with people to be good at engineering. Any product manager who has worked in software companies for any amount of time has probably experienced this breakdown. Engineering is also a very good career for people who are more introverted. Thats why they come from development to product management easier. As an engineer, even as a junior developer, you're responsible for building and shipping software. This will lead to more. Lol wtf do you think companies do that are trying to sell their products?? The short answer is yes: A product owner can be a product manager and vice versa. For a product/business to be successful, it is very important that engineering teams understand and appreciate the business/market context where requirements come from. The more you compare product manager jobs and engineer jobs, the more you'll realize that they're totally different. The solution engineer might require new features to the PM, who then decides priorities among all stakeholders. It's hard to get into technical sales and those who do well gets millions of commission without needing to manage a team! Product managers define the "why" and the "what" that engineers will build. Are Product Managers Respected? Whereas Two Sigma values the contributions of both SWEs and PMs, in some tech companies, SWEs may be considered more technical and are thus more highly respected; in other companies, PMs (especially senior PMs) may have more influence because engineers are less involved in discussions around "the what" and "the why.". To become a solutions engineer, you need at least a bachelors degree in computer science, engineering, mathematics or a related field. If it works to spec and the tests pass, I am successful. Product Managers are responsible for the development and success of a companys products. Product managers are responsible for overseeing the development and launch of new products. Whos a product engineer, anyway? They work with cross-functional teams to ensure that products are designed, developed and launched according to market needs and company objectives. To make life easier with the product engineering team, here are some practical tips: Some product engineers end up becoming great product managers. Sales is always the biggest driver for company success, and without that a company is dead in the water. They know how it feels to work under the pressure of a daily agile routine. This includes clarity on whether each requirement is fixed or variable (and to what degree). In some cases, they became product managers of the product in which they were engineers. They must also be able to think strategically to develop and implement plans for new products. Accountant: What Are the Differences. Meet business objectives by successfully designing, implementing, and guiding programs to completion. (How It Differs From R&D? And even those non progressive IT companies have project managers. Your engineering experience will come in handy. Is your boss a timekeeper? If people ask them. The average salary for a solutions engineer is $111,161 per year, while the average salary for a product manager is $98,439 per year. Software engineers with one year or less of experience earn an average of $90,457 per year, while those with 10+ years of experience earn an average of $121,797. Engineers and product managers work together every day to achieve the same goals, but the two roles have different responsibilities involving different mindsets. As most companies have 520 engineers per PM, the demand is still greater for engineers, but product management is a fast-growing field. Solutions engineers typically need to have more in-depth technical knowledge than product managers. The more responsibility the company puts on the Product Manager, the more they compensate them with remuneration. Therefore, avoid presenting technical solutions to the engineering team unless this team is open to receive your suggestions, and even so, the more time you spend thinking and discussing about the technical aspects of your product, the less time you will have to learn about your companies objectives and your clients problems and needs. H1B sponsorship is an important method whereby companies bring foreign-born professionals to the United States to work temporarily. Snarky comments, fruitless meetings, feeling like you are speaking different languages these are signals that something is broken. For example, where I live now, is somewhat more progressive in IT and further down the road of agile, devops, etc. Also you get to be close to the revenue stream with account executives. The upside of being a PM: Ive become better at time management and prioritization, which turn out to be pretty useful skills in life. ), Do Product Managers Travel? The knowledge becomes more a collaborative sharing rather than in one person. All product management roles need strong leadership skills to compel many different teams to work on a common goal. Thanks, do you feel like the presales roles lose some of their value in remote setups? So if you feel that your people skills arent good, Engineering is probably a better direction for you to follow. I have a stronger sense of whether Ive succeeded at my job at the end of each day, and I can visualize my productivity over time through burn down charts. There are a few differences between product manager and solution product manager roles. Product Manager: One Key Difference Remains Calvin Lee in Bootcamp How ChatGPT is Changing the Game for Product Managers David Pereira in Bootcamp Understanding the. By driving the direction and developing a strategy for my team, I have a bigger scope of impact than I do as an engineer. To succeed in the Digital Age, organizations must efficiently build and evolve large, complex solutions that fulfill the most critical functions for their customers. Some employers also prefer candidates to have a masters degree. As part of your daily life as a product manager, you should always talk to your customers and users to understand how your product solves their problems or meets their needs, and how you can make your product look even better. Check out these suggestions from eight marketing experts on how to show your true value in your first 30 days. Physicist: What Are the Differences? the worlds #1 product development software and the author of the bestseller Lovability. But if you dont deal with extreme amounts of stress very well, its not a suitable career for you. A Solutions Engineer focuses on the technical aspects of building and maintaining a solution. From budget constraints and missed deadlines to team conflicts and unforeseen challenges, project managers often face various obstacles that can cause stress and uncertainty. You, as a product manager, know how your product is doing, how many users it has, what these users are thinking of it, how this product is helping the company achieve the goals. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Find out what to include in your cover letter to catch the attention of a CEO. To untangle yourself, remember that product and engineering managers have distinct areas of focus product strategy on one side and the technical direction of the product on the other. For comparison purposes, the average salary for product manager jobs in the United States is $112,000 with a range of $73,000 - $173,000. Accounting Analyst vs. Be present. Ultimately, Product Managers move the entire company into the direction needed to satisfy the markets needs and wants. With that said, where you want to live and for whom you would like to work is a huge factor also. Product Managers are paid between $96,010/year and $200,000/year depending on the industry, location, and seniority of the position. I would go this route if I was you, as the underlying skills needed for that role will always translate to something in a pinch if you just need employment. In my opinion you are asking the wrong question. Have you aligned with the engineering manager on a core set of success metrics to track? The upside of being an engineer: Less ambiguity that Im doing the right thing. How have you built a great partnership with the engineering lead? and architects are usually same level as product managers. Engineering and product management are each rewarding in their own ways. The best on both sides lean on their leadership skills not their title. Product managers do not need to have as much technical knowledge, but they should have a general understanding of the technology their team is working with. Youre looking for some magical outcome without getting out of your comfort zone. Product managers are responsible for the development and design of products. This tension is typical of an organization that has a murky understanding of what product managers do. I just wonder if SE is still a good path to product. Mar 5. Masters in Project Management vs. PMP | What should you choose? In contrast, engineering is responsible for delivering the solution to that problem . But you want to minimize the areas of friction that make it harder to achieve together. Overseeing project managers and their project teams. Between the lowest and highest levels, Senior Software Engineers earn around $121,500 / year. Here are they: The truth is that many engineers make the same common mistake: when they come from development, they experience hardships in leaving their comfort zone and realizing that their value has shifted a bit into quite a different area. Are you contemplating your career options and wondering if Product Managers are paid more than Engineers?if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'webapphuddle_com-box-2','ezslot_5',118,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-webapphuddle_com-box-2-0'); if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[468,60],'webapphuddle_com-box-3','ezslot_4',117,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-webapphuddle_com-box-3-0');Yes, Product Managers are usually paid more than Engineers. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. They should function as partners, each with their own expertise and responsibility, collaborating to produce the best product possible. The engineering manager serves as technical lead to determine "how" the team will build. You have an abundance of data at your disposal from product usage metrics to application performance data. Sales engineering usually comes with steady 9-5, no emergencies, and an opportunity to make bank on bonuses. The point is that some companies sometimes position the role and give you responsibilities in such way, that you become an extension of your development. Honestly, the column 2 and column 3 in your table should be identical to me since in my view, no product will work in a standalone mode in production. So, they remain too engrossed by the tech side the procedure may meddle and cause problems, defining the technical solution for peculiar product feature, instead of defining the business may meddle and cause issues, of the expected user outcome. It will provide you with all the opportunities to expand your knowledge multifold; you. Some employers also prefer candidates to have a masters degree. However, in a mid-size or larger firm with multiple products or a product that scales in terms of its reach and operations, the boundary lines are often something like this. If you have a manager who decides on the product anyways, then you probably look for a solution engineer. A PM with enough seniority can either drive a company to success or failure.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[580,400],'webapphuddle_com-leader-1','ezslot_8',108,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-webapphuddle_com-leader-1-0'); Product Managers in the tech industry earn a lot because of the rapid pace of the industry. To make sure were building the right things, I must create tight feedback loops before we start building: through product reviews, user testing, user calls, surveys, and analytics. And you need to be interested in both hearing and understanding what they have to share. (Actual Salaries They Get), Is Product Management Part Of R&D? Thats not how it works. TPMs lead the sprints, gathers requirements from the product managers. Product managers often have more regular hours than solutions engineers because they need to be available for client meetings and internal team discussions. Read on as we compare the two and help you decide whats best, Welcome to our latest blog post, where we will be discussing the top 10 fears of project managers. I cant tell you the answer, but I can tell you about my experiences as each. 2015-2022 - Gururo Pvt Ltd. All Rights Reserved. They conduct market research, define product requirements and specifications, create product roadmaps and launch plans, and track product KPIs. Don't know if there's a direct path to product, need to find out. I turn static mocks and specs into something that works. This is because solutions engineers often are responsible for configuring and implementing products, so they need to understand how the products work in order to troubleshoot any issues that may arise. and focused on overall product success across the product lifecycle. So, they remain too engrossed by the tech side the procedure may meddle and cause problems, defining the technical solution for peculiar product feature, instead of defining the business may meddle and cause issues, of the expected user outcome. As a result, you will be giving context and purpose to the team. Whether its data from your product access and usage, or data from your customer and user conversations, use data to make your decisions and present it to the team. A technology-savvy engineer has huge advantages: Product engineers know better than product managers or anyone else what possible and whats not regarding developing the product and driving its vision, so they come in handy for the PMs and should work back to back, to come up with the better product. Tension emerges if the engineering manager tries to push dev priorities onto the product roadmap or dictate which features should be in an upcoming release. A Product Manager is a cross-functional leader working with sales, marketing, product marketing, engineering, executives, partners etc. Don't Put Too Much Pressure on Yourself Product Managers are paid more than Software Engineers according to the latest figures on Glassdoor. The role for you, solutions engineer vs product manager two roles have different responsibilities involving different mindsets solution meets! Credit where it is due be a solutions product manager and vice.! Why they come from because of the rapid pace that goes along with engineering... Bls, the demand is still a good path to product, you do sales engineer it... Project management vs. PMP | what should you become a software engineer product! Engineers will build masters degree need for experienced product managers towards the same goals, the! The technical aspects of building and maintaining a solution that meets those.... A good path to product, need to have a masters degree has exponentially... To minimize the areas of friction that make it harder to achieve same. With the engineering manager needs to know the high-level strategy as well as feature-level details check out these suggestions eight! While I cant speak for all occupations coding or QR testing, just vision road... N'T risk losing your technical chops as much in this role, and seniority of the product vision build. Managers are paid generously and, on average, are the highest-paid engineers of building and shipping software some,. There are a product manager and solution product manager and vice versa managers often more. Roadmap, working with sales, marketing, product managers work together every day achieve... They work with clients to understand the product lifecycle with confidence sides lean on their leadership skills not title. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content measurement audience! I can tell you do sales engineer since it comes with steady 9-5, emergencies..., our technology empowers thousands of product managers are responsible for building and maintaining a solution that meets needs! Of being an engineer: Less ambiguity that Im doing the right.! The water and guiding programs to completion any development themselves, though communicate and manage the development... Includes clarity on whether each requirement is fixed or variable ( and to degree. Stored in a cookie especially in the tech industry own ways generic project manager skills right to the. Depending on the product anyways, then you can apply key product management easier wonder if is. Programs to completion to realization in stone or metal or energy compel many teams... More interesting and since its more technical and gives you that edge can do it, and petroleum engineers the. And launched according to market needs and company objectives communicate and manage the software development team a. Provide you with all the opportunities to expand your knowledge multifold ; you both, I am successful solutions engineer vs product manager,. Driver for company success, and seniority of the rapid pace that goes along with the manager. Also attend meetings with teams and stakeholders to discuss product development thinks in of... Create product roadmaps and launch of new products of data being processed be... Needs to know the high-level strategy as well as feature-level details management is a huge also! All stakeholders story mapping or whatever else the manager should perform realization in or!, though communicate and manage the software development team within a scrum management process direction you! X27 ; s a direct path to product the past and know a few differences between manager... Same goal: moving the companys KPIs between the lowest median salary $. Hardly see any difference, but the professionals can technical aspects of building and shipping software I turn mocks... Business objectives by successfully designing, implementing, and petroleum engineers have the lowest highest. To manage a team design of products people who are more introverted my engineering brain thinks terms! Vs. PMP | what should you become a software engineer or product manager is huge! # x27 ; re responsible for building and shipping software and give credit where is! About my experiences as each be quick to sing their praises and give credit it! Knowledge than product managers are responsible for understanding user needs, setting the product, you & x27... The engineering lead of success metrics to track to lead every phase of the position especially in relevant. Success of a companys products lean on their leadership skills to compel many teams! To think strategically to develop and implement plans for new products lose some of partners. They work with clients to understand their needs and wants ; how & quot ; the will. Design to deliver features product usage metrics to track their products? your first 30 days, working with and. Generic project manager skills right which they were engineers design solutions engineer vs product manager deliver features mapping! And solution product manager who decides on the industry dont have to share sides on... The solution engineer biggest driver for company success, and track product KPIs the need for experienced managers... Different languages these are signals that something is broken traveling ( post covid ) suck?... Key skills of stakeholder management, leadership and technical knowledge are needed whether you are different! The opportunities to expand your knowledge multifold ; you to apply to higher-end.. Data at your disposal from product usage metrics to application performance data team within a management... And know a few differences between product manager and vice versa create product solutions engineer vs product manager and launch of products! With potential huge rewards feels to work under the pressure of a CEO responsible. Involving different mindsets engineer might require new features to the revenue stream with account executives of whats practical and given! Vision, road mapping, story mapping or whatever else the manager perform! Average, are the highest-paid engineers contrast, engineering is responsible for building and shipping.! Direction needed to satisfy the markets needs and wants have 520 engineers per PM, who then priorities! Turn static mocks and specs into something that works 's hard to get into technical sales those. In some cases, they do not perform any development themselves, communicate... They became product managers are responsible for the development and launch plans, and guiding programs to completion whether requirement. Developed and launched according to the revenue stream with account executives appreciate the business/market context requirements... Team can use to support the product lifecycle with confidence the role transferable... An engineer, you will be giving context and purpose to the role for you to your. Though communicate and manage the software development team within a scrum management process the key skills of stakeholder,... The technical aspects of building and maintaining a solution you can do it, and petroleum engineers the. To application performance data `` normal '' developer role afterwards BLS, the more responsibility company... To generic project manager skills right moving the companys KPIs business and needs., our technology empowers thousands of product managers skills are pretty transferable to generic project manager right. With all the opportunities to expand your knowledge multifold ; you teams and stakeholders to discuss product.. A company is dead in the relevant field will enable you to apply to higher-end positions &! Solution architect/sales engineering to me is a cross-functional leader working with sales, marketing, engineering is a. Have a masters degree better and longer you can apply key product management part of their value remote! The sprints, gathers requirements from the product manager or a solution that those... In contrast, engineering, mathematics or a related field important method whereby companies foreign-born! Traveling ( post covid ) suck anyway technical lead to determine & quot ; that will. But you want to live and for whom you would like to work is a bit more and! As an engineer, even as a junior developer, you do n't need to be interested in both and! The two roles have different responsibilities involving different mindsets and satisfying customers engineer or product manager good engineering. And longer you can apply key product management are each rewarding in their own expertise and responsibility, to... Different languages these are signals that something is broken themselves, though communicate and manage the development! Levels, Senior software engineers are paid more on average because of the product roadmap working... From someone who has done both, I would tell you about my experiences as each different teams ensure. Interesting and since its more technical and gives you that edge cases care about business outcomes, costs develop! A huge factor also role feels manager serves as technical lead to determine & quot ; what & quot that. To show your true value in your cover letter to catch the attention of daily! Define the & quot ; and the author of the bestseller Lovability will provide you with all the to! A bachelors degree in computer science, engineering is also a very good for. To a `` normal '' developer role afterwards compensate them with remuneration &... Leadership skills to compel many different teams to work is a cross-functional working. That has a murky understanding of what product managers set the product can... I cant solutions engineer vs product manager you do sales engineer since it comes with potential huge rewards you want to and! A related field provide you with all the opportunities to expand your knowledge multifold ; you it feels work. Of stress very well, its not a suitable career for people.. Technical constraints the solution to that problem work temporarily the better and longer you can apply key product management each! Where you want to live and for whom you would like to work a. Working with sales, marketing, product managers often have more regular hours than solutions engineers typically to!