Breaking into product management took me about five months, and focus was the choice that mattered most.
I stopped applying to every PM opening I could find and narrowed my search to the education sector, where I already had real experience. That context paid off more than I had guessed. When interviewers asked why a feature should exist, or how to prioritise a roadmap, I could answer from experience instead of inventing examples on the spot. The portfolio came together at the same time as the applications. I started publishing product case studies online, working through real problems in edtech products I used or admired, and writing out my thinking on user research, prioritisation frameworks and trade-offs. It was slow work, but it gave me something concrete to point to in conversations. Recruiters and hiring managers could read my reasoning before we even got on a call, which got me into serious conversations faster. I also used LinkedIn a lot, for networking as much as for applying. I got in touch with PMs already working in education and asked them for feedback on my case studies, and for honest opinions on what they wanted from junior candidates. Those conversations shaped how I interviewed more than any preparation course ↓