Transferring away from Social Media Roles onto Product Marketing

New
cl55661n

New

cl55661n
Apr 11 48 Comments

I am early in my marketing career and the only jobs that I seem to be qualified for are social media roles at the moment. I am in CPG Cosmetics/Beauty as Digital Marketing Coordinator and I want to get into Product Marketing or Growth Marketing for my next position. Any recommendations on how to make the transition and/or what I skills I should acquire for product marketing?

TC: 45k
YOE: 2 yr

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TOP 48 Comments
  • New / Mktg
    start_up

    New Mktg

    start_up
    Get really good at 1 or 2 (2) things. I’m in growth marketing, 5 YOE and my specialities are paid social and CRO

    TC: 145k
    Apr 11 3
    • New
      rYFL65

      New

      rYFL65
      Hi! Could I ask how many YOE you have? And where are you based? Just wanna compare the TC for a growth marketing manager, thanks!
      Apr 14
    • New
      alekprus

      New

      alekprus
      certifications in these things won’t really much you gotta prove it through work, which for paid social is hard because it requires a budget. A growth marketing oriented agency would get you experience and hopefully a bump in pay but it won’t be fun probably
      7d
  • Gopuff
    iambluet

    Go to company page Gopuff

    iambluet
    Love this question!

    Three pillars of PMM: go-to-market (GTM), customer understanding, strategy. As a social media manager, you probably will have strong GTM skills. Building decks, case studies, and presenting to internal team members is likely already in your job. Customer understanding is likely further out in your day-to-day. Competitive analyses, user research, and ‘voice of customer’ sessions need to be ran to gather intel and influence strategy. Product strategy is what most non-technical marketing or social folks have the least experience doing. Working with PMs to build product roadmaps and influence decisions which drive the business. This is why most PMMs start post MBA or ex-consulting, because understanding the financial impact of the products you work on is the biggest way a PMM can shape the business.

    Equally as important to skills to acquire is to consider the types of products you want to PMM. Your social experience may lend itself to being a PMM on a consumer product at a tech company (like working at IG on Reels or YouTube on their creator solutions). Being the PMM at a B2B SaaS product in a niche vertical may be too far out of scope from the type of perspective you bring.

    It’s a very exciting function with many varying day-to-day responsibilities - Best of luck in your search!
    Apr 14 3
    • Gopuff
      puffed

      Go to company page Gopuff

      puffed
      lol team blue
      Apr 15
    • New
      cl55661n

      New

      cl55661n
      OP
      Thank you for the detailed response! It would be a dream to work on a consumer product within tech. I will continue to evolve my more technical skills on the side to assist the transition.

      I was so desperate for my first marketing job right out of college that I literally applied to just about any marketing role without considering the long term trajectory. Due to my age, most employers only gave me a chance to interview for social media roles and now here I am trying to redirect myself 🙃
      Apr 17
  • Indeed
    hacienda

    Go to company page Indeed

    hacienda
    Also get a product marketing job in an company where PMM is part of the product org, not the marketing org.
    Apr 15 7
    • Gopuff
      iambluet

      Go to company page Gopuff

      iambluet
      +1 to what everyone has said. Also:
      1. In tech-driven companies in the case of layoffs or ‘who do we blame for X,’ product is the last org to be cut given they are so critical to the business. Job security
      2. Goaling and defining success should be tied to product decisions- not marketing. For example: a PMM in a marketing org may define success by # of attendees at a sales enablement webinar or launching a newsletter. PMM in a Product org will see success as influencing a key product decision or building strategy. Closer to the business, and less tied to “marketing” metrics
      Apr 16
    • That makes sense. Explains why some of my colleagues do things differently and some have closer relationships to product.
      Apr 16
  • New
    cheaseed

    New

    cheaseed
    Are you able to juggle work and an mba program?
    Apr 14 2
    • Workday
      wtfmateys

      Go to company page Workday

      wtfmateys
      You don't need an MBA for product marketing, at all. It's just more unnecessary debt. Looking into skills as a product practitioner and understanding messaging is all you need.
      Apr 14
    • New
      cl55661n

      New

      cl55661n
      OP
      I could do an mba, but I’d rather transfer to a new company which can sponsor/reimburse my education. My current employer does not have educational reimbursements for employees at the moment, unfortunately.
      Apr 15
  • New
    Saving...

    New

    Saving...
    A lot of suggestions will tell you to choose a path (social, Ppc, SEO, email, affiliates, etc.) and focus on it. Which is definitely a great way to be laser focused on one part of digital marketing. For me personally I have been a “t shaped marketer” which is essentially is a jack of all trades but have a higher expertise in SEO and ppc. A lot of companies especially b2b are now looking for t shaped marketers.
    Apr 14 1