40 Alternative Careers for Product Managers Who Are Burnt Out
Are you drained and seeking to learn about alternative careers for product managers? You're not alone. After years of tough decisions and long hours, many product managers want a career change.
There's no reason to stay in a role that doesn't make you feel fulfilled. There are many options for experienced product managers to pivot in their careers.
Due to their diverse skillsets, product managers have a lot of options for a career change.
Facing Product Manager Burnout
Product management is a tough job. It requires meeting deadlines, leading teams, and keeping product development and performance on track. The role can often lead to burnout due to high expectations and little room for breaks.
Studies show that around 76% of workers feel burnt out. If you’re feeling this way, it may be time for a career change from product management.
The good news is that your skills are valuable and can transfer to other jobs. Product managers have experience with strategy, tech, customer needs, business goals, and more. These skills open doors to new careers, from business to customer service.
Here, we’ll break down 40 realistic roles similar to product manager. We also explain why each career is a natural transition from product management.
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Schedule Your Free ConsultationEntrepreneurship and Business Strategy Careers
1. Entrepreneur/Startup Founder
Product managers excel in recognizing market needs, building products, and managing teams. They can use these skills to start their own business, focusing on ideas that meet real customer demands.
2. Corporate Strategy/Development
In this role, you’ll use market insights and competitive analysis, areas where product managers excel. Transition by showing your experience with setting goals and assessing opportunities.
3. Go-to-Market Strategist
Product managers are skilled at product launches, making this a natural role. You’ll work to plan product releases and market entry, aligning perfectly with your launch experience.
4. Venture Capitalist (VC) Partner
Product managers understand market trends and user needs, vital for assessing startup investments. Start by exploring roles with VC firms that invest in industries you know well.
5. Chief Operating Officer (COO)
With experience in team management and strategy, product managers fit well in COO roles. Highlight your work in cross-departmental projects to show your qualifications.
6. Chief Product Officer (CPO)
The CPO role gives product managers a chance to lead the entire product strategy. Product managers can fit well in this role. They must show a strong grasp of product vision, planning, and lifecycle.
7. Chief Customer Officer (CCO)
Product managers have deep insight into what customers need, which aligns well with the CCO role. To make this shift, emphasize your history of creating customer-centered products and solutions.
8. Innovation Manager
Product managers who enjoy creating new ideas can make a seamless transition into an innovation manager role. Show your record of brainstorming, planning, and launching products. It will prove your readiness.
9. Business Development Director
Product managers excel in finding and growing new product opportunities. Highlight how you have assessed markets and expanded product reach to show you’re ready for this business-focused role.
10. Corporate Development Manager
This role seeks growth through partnerships and acquisitions, where product managers can help. Start by sharing your experience in spotting new opportunities and driving growth.
Customer-Focused Roles
11. Customer Experience Director
Product managers know how to focus on what users need, making customer experience a natural fit. Show how you’ve improved satisfaction and usability in past projects.
12. Customer Success Manager
With a focus on long-term user needs, product managers can thrive in customer success roles. Prove how you’ve aligned products with customer goals for a smooth shift to this role.
13. Customer Insights Manager
Product managers skilled in gathering and using data are a good match for customer insights roles. Highlight times when you used feedback to improve a product and meet user needs.
14. Head of Product Operations
Familiar with the product lifecycle, product managers are a strong fit for product operations roles. Emphasize your experience in process improvements and teamwork.
15. E-commerce Director
Product managers with digital product experience can move to e-commerce. There, online sales and user journeys are key. Show your understanding of customer behavior and conversions.
16. Growth Marketing Lead
Product managers know how to find a market fit, which is essential in growth marketing. Show your experience with boosting engagement and adoption to succeed in this role.
17. Director of Product Compliance
Knowledge of product regulations makes this a similar job to product manager. Show how you’ve managed compliance or standards to prepare for this role.
18. Customer Retention Specialist
Product managers often build loyalty with user-centered design and engagement. Focus on your experience creating products that keep customers coming back.
19. Community Manager
For product managers who enjoy building relationships, community management is a natural fit. Show how you’ve built loyal customer bases and fostered engagement.
Technical and Data-Driven Roles
20. Technology Consultant
With technical and strategic experience, product managers can thrive as technology consultants. Use examples of your product development work and tech insights to ease this transition.
21. Digital Transformation Consultant
Product managers can guide companies through digital changes. They have expertise in tech projects and management. Highlight your success with tech-driven projects to prove readiness.
22. AI Product Manager
Product managers with analytics skills can succeed in AI product roles. To switch, show your knowledge of data and your interest in AI to help solve complex problems.
23. Product Lifecycle Manager
Experienced in all stages of development, product managers are a great fit for lifecycle management. Show your skills from concept through launch to transition smoothly.
24. Product Operations Analyst
Data-oriented product managers can thrive in operations analysis roles. Show your experience in metrics and process improvements to succeed in this analytical role.
25. Revenue Operations Manager
This role combines business goals and product strategy, both of which product managers know well. Highlight your work with metrics and revenue growth to move into this position.
26. Growth Hacker
Product managers skilled in customer growth can apply creativity in growth hacking roles. Show how you’ve boosted user growth in the past to fit this role.
27. Technical Account Manager
Product managers with strong client relationship management skills can transition to account management. Use your experience in understanding client needs and building trust.
28. Data Product Manager
Data-driven product managers are a strong fit for data product management roles. Focus on your analytics skills and knowledge of data products.
Marketing and Sales Roles
29. Product Marketing Manager
Product managers’ knowledge of product features and user needs is ideal for product marketing. Show your experience with product messaging and market positioning to ease this switch.
30. Sales Enablement Manager
Product managers who support sales teams can succeed in sales enablement. Highlight your skills in creating resources that support sales and improve product understanding.
31. Content Strategy Lead
Product managers understand customer needs well, a valuable skill in content strategy. Show your experience aligning content with what users want.
32. Digital Product Consultant
Product managers know digital products. They can thrive as digital consultants, advising companies on their digital needs. Highlight your strategy expertise.
33. Sales Operations Manager
Product managers can leverage sales ops skills, focusing on CRM and support systems. Show how you’ve optimized processes to fit this role.
34. Brand Strategist
Understanding customer perception helps product managers transition to brand strategy roles. Highlight your insights into user needs and messaging experience to succeed.
Research, Analysis, and Design Careers
35. User Experience (UX) Researcher
Product managers focused on user needs can shift into UX research, concentrating on user behavior. Highlight your past efforts in user-centered design and improvements.
36. Customer Insights Manager
Product managers who analyze feedback well can make great insights managers. Emphasize your history of using customer data to improve products.
37. Business Analyst
With experience in analyzing market trends, product managers are a natural fit for business analysis. Use examples of data-driven decisions you’ve made to show readiness.
38. Market Research Analyst
Product managers familiar with market trends are a strong fit for research analysis roles. Highlight your work in market insights and customer analysis.
Leadership and Innovation Roles
39. Director of Product Innovation
Product managers who drive new ideas can excel in innovation roles. Show your record of creative product launches and strategy to succeed here.
40. Transformation Officer
Product managers familiar with leading changes can guide companies through digital transformations. To switch, show your leadership in change initiatives and project management.
Free Career Consultation
Feeling stuck in your career? Let our transition experts help you take the next step with a personalized strategy session.
Schedule Your Free ConsultationA Path to New Beginnings
Career paths after product management are diverse and rewarding. Your skills, from team management to customer insight, are valuable across many fields. Whether you’re drawn to business strategy, customer support, or consulting, there’s a new role waiting for you.
If you’re ready to explore what to do after product management, Hidden Gem Career Coaching can help you transition smoothly. Schedule a free consultation to discuss career paths and start your new journey today.
