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A 9-step guide to Product Management promotions.
My advice to a PM friend... but it likely applies much more broadly than PM.
My advice to a PM friend... but it likely applies much more broadly than PM.
Step 1: Let your manager know you want to talk about a promotion in your next 1:1. It’s nice to give them a heads up and let them collect their thoughts on your performance.
Step 2: Ask “Am I getting a promotion right now?” (You probably aren’t, but it could happen and yay!). If not, proceed to Step 3.
Step 3: Ask “What do I need to demonstrate in order to get this?” Take notes, and read back to them “So, if I demonstrate X and Y, you will help me get this promo?” Don’t move on until you have a mutual agreement on what you need to demonstrate.
Sidebar: You will often hear “You’re doing all the right things, you just have to do them for longer.” If you hear that, pay extra attention to Step 4.
Step 4: Clarify review timelines. “When is the next review cycle and do *you* believe I will be ready for the promo by then?” You may not like it, but your manager could believe there’s no way you’ll be ready for a promo by then, and you should set your expectations to theirs.
Step 5: Define success. “Let’s take a look at the projects I have between now and next review and clarify what specific, tangible outcomes of this work would demonstrate X and Y to you without any doubt in your mind?” And write
itdown.
itdown.
Step 6: Ask for opportunities. “Are there any projects you can put me on that would give me a better oppt to demonstrate X & Y?” This is especially important if you’re talking about a promo that’s a year or more out. Your manager may not prio getting you the right work otherwise.
Step 7: Confirm your stakeholders. “Besides you, who needs to agree for me to get this and what do they need to see from me? Can you share this plan with them and confirm they agree that these outcomes would demonstrate X and Y and that’s all they need to agree to my promotion?”
Step 8: Check for other restrictions. “Are there any other potential blockers here? Required tenure in level, restrictions on how many promos are available, anything else that can impact a promo other than my ability to produce outcomes A, B, & C that would demonstrate X and Y?”
Step 9: Set up check-ins. “Let’s dedicate the first 1:1 every month to discussing my progress here and if I am or am not tracking toward this promotion.” And bring in *documentation* of everything you’ve done to demonstrate X & Y to those convos.
And the rest is up to you, how well you perform, and the occasional factor outside your control. Good luck!!
P.S. Some things to keep in mind:
- No one ever thinks they’re at the right level (either you’ve got imposter syndrome or you think you’re undervalued). But a lot of the time you *are* at the right level and your manager is likely much better equipped to see that than you are.
- No one ever thinks they’re at the right level (either you’ve got imposter syndrome or you think you’re undervalued). But a lot of the time you *are* at the right level and your manager is likely much better equipped to see that than you are.
- Promotions don’t recognize what you *can* do, they recognize what you *have done* consistently for many months (lagging indicator of skill, not leading). This is especially true in product management when your actions bare fruit on the multi-month/year time horizon.
- If you have a leveling guide with multiple expectations per level, clarify if you need to satisfy ALL parts of a level’s expectations, or if it’s ok if you spike on some and underperform on others, or if you need to satisfy all AND spike on some to qualify for promo.
- Your manager is not the only one involved. If they were, it would pave the way for a lot of bias in the org. Make sure to consider the whole set of reviewers/approves for your promo. Try to get feedback from them, check if they see gaps your manager hasn’t noticed/mentioned.
- Mid-cycle promotions are very expensive for orgs. The more standard the process, the easier it is to be a manager and the more they can scale their org. Your manager doesn’t hate you or think you suck if they say you have to wait for the org-mandated review cycle.
- 
% of the advice here assumes you have a manager who believes in you and has got your back. If you suspect hostility or discrimination, throw my promo advice away and start looking for another job.
% of the advice here assumes you have a manager who believes in you and has got your back. If you suspect hostility or discrimination, throw my promo advice away and start looking for another job.
