How to Hire a Product Manager For Your Startup Successfully? | by Jessyvictany | May, 2024

We may find it hard to find the number of qualities required for a good product manager in one person. They must have the capability to communicate as well as understand the entire technical aspects of a product. They also should be concerned about the implications of their tech decisions on the user experience. Being creative and analytical can help them to succeed in their role as product managers. The person that we hire for the role of a product manager has the ability to make or break our startup. The blog details how one can find an ideal product manager for a startup successfully.

A startup product manager defines and executes the product strategy for a startup. They help to create a successful product by taking into consideration the needs of the target audience thereby driving business growth. A startup product manager will have to engage in multiple tasks and will have additional responsibilities compared to becoming a product manager in an established company.

A startup product manager is loaded with the responsibilities given below. A product manager has to:

• Define the product vision
• Create a product roadmap
• Prioritize product features
• Get involved in managing the product development process and ensure that the product meets the demands.
• Collect feedback from users, stakeholders, and the market.
• Ensure cross-functional alignment and facilitate communication between teams.
• Collaborating with other stakeholders in the startup.

It will be of no use if you have a beautifully designed platform, engineered and being promoted brilliantly if you don’t have a product manager. If our product doesn’t solve a problem, people won’t be using it. So, it is better that software development companies, who hire developers to develop a product, hire a product manager if they wish to avoid this scenario of products being left unused. Companies or startups that offer app development services like mobile app development are more likely to have a product manager to create successful products that can fulfill the requirements of the users.

A product manager can confirm whether our plan to build a product will work or not prior to the development. Quibi and GrooveHQ have proved that if we fail to nail our product development, it will result in bad product development. An experienced product person on board can only solve the issue related to bad product development.

Find a startup product manager either by utilizing online platforms for finding candidates for the job or by physically getting out into a startup community.

1. LinkedIn

LinkedIn, being the biggest platform to network with people online, can help to find a product manager even though it is not a dedicated platform. First, find what specific product profile our startup requires. Narrow down the candidates by location, current occupation, etc by using LinkedIn’s search filters. LinkedIn can also be used to join various product management groups.

Otta is another online platform to connect with employers and job candidates. Submit the company’s website for approval after profile creation so that Otta can make sure that you’re a good fit.

3. Well found

Wellfound is yet another platform that helps to hire product managers. A social media-like interface allows job seekers to easily navigate through the platform. Post the job of a product manager on Wellfound by simply visiting their recruit page. Sign in and fill out a form with details of the company or startup. Post jobs for free in Wellfound.

4. Startup Jobs

Startup jobs are yet another platform from where one can find top talented product managers. It enables to search for candidates by location. To post a job, click the “for employers” section of the website and select “post a job”. Create an account and fill out their form followed by choosing a pricing plan.

5. Toptal

Find freelancers for your startup with Toptal. It is flexible as we can hire product managers based on our needs. This would be beneficial for an early-stage startup . Answer a few questions on their website to get started. It would ask how long you need a Product Manager. If your decision is to move forward, then pay, else there is no need of paying.

Go to local events and meetups in our area as it is the best offline way to find a product manager for a startup. It helps to connect with the community and build a network. The offline search will provide us with more than a product manager and this benefits in the long run.

Hiring the right product manager is very critical for a startup as product managers play a vital role in making a product successful. Evaluating the skills of the product manager is as significant as the hiring process. Given below are the qualities that one should look for in a product manager. Product Manager should have:

• Experience and entrepreneurial mindset.
• A clear-cut understanding of the technical aspects of a product.
• Think strategically about the product.
• Be an excellent communicator.
• Have a user-centric approach.

Wrapping Up

It is quite normal for a person with little tech knowledge and experience to lack the skills necessary to search for a talented product manager and evaluate them properly. But this is an issue that can easily be figured out. One can contact any trusted startup experts to get suggestions regarding hiring a product manager. A reputed company knows the importance of finding the right person for the job and they will also have great experience in hiring product managers.