I read a very rousing blog post this week by April Dunford @ RocketWatcher - "Why Most Marketers Suck", (note - she's a product marketer) and which was commentary on yet another post.  She did a good job of laying out the problem when trying to hire a good marketer.   I saw direct parallels to hiring product managers.   

The gist of the article is that there really are alot of super marketers, but the field is so broad (branding, advertsing, lead generation, SEO, sales support, messaging, PR, on and on) that no single individual can expertly fit all scenarios.  Couple this with big company vs. small company, B2B vs. B2C, etc., and you have a lot of requirements to have to fill.   The marketers, too, have to be honest in a hiring situation and not oversell their actual capabilities.

On the other side of the fence, she also points out that the hiring managers may be confusing the issue by seeking skills that they want, but not what they really need.   They are assuming what they need without understanding where they are, why, and where they can go.   Therefore the whole hiring process is pretty much a roll of the dice that you're going to find someone that produces the results you're looking for.  

As I was reading this, I could just as easily filled in "Product Manager" for "Marketer" and it would fit perfectly.    As the article pointed out, Product Management could also be part of the Marketing suite of activities, but then again, maybe not.   Pragmatic Marketing's 2010 Survey indicated only 20% of product managers are reporting into Marketing.  

Why Is Hiring So Hard?

The first problem with hiring a product manager is figuring what you primarily need them to do.  A quick peek at several of the Director/VP of Product Management jobs currently posted reveals a broad swath of responsibilities to have to cover:

Product vision, roadmap, user requirements, user stories, competitive analysis, market research, value proposition, positioning, business case, go-to-market planning, pre & post sales support, marketing communications support, pricing/licensing, cross-functional coordination, sales forecasts, PR & analysts, and more

Now couple this with some domain expertise, multiple products, and company fit and you have quite a puzzle as to how to create this organization and staff it with the right qualified people.   If you're in a smaller company, then you probably also have to do much of it with just a few folks.   Yowie!

In my own experience in trying to hire product managers, I've found myself in the same boat as April describes.   I know lots of qualified product managers, but when it comes down to matching them to the specific needs of an opening, the list shortens dramatically.   I then comb through dozens or more of unknown resumes trying to assess their real skill sets and finally interviewing to find out that most don't really have what I need.   Even after hiring, I usuall hold my breath for a while to see how they fit in and take to the new environment.  Every company and every role is usually a different test than anything they've fully done previously.

I've also come into several companies to find product managers who are "misplaced".   Either through previous wrong hires or because the needs of the company have changed but the roles and faces have not, there's a mismatch.   The result is usually less then stellar appreciation for product management as a whole and possibly downright anger and conflict occurring with the individuals.   This is not a happy place to be.   

So What Should You Do?

Well, it's a trade-off of some sort.   Note that product managers ALWAYS come from some other function originally and one major split exists along the lines of technical versus non-technical.   If you have a really technical product and your product managers are sitting in the Development organization (often the case in a small or early stage company), then it makes sense to get someone who has an innate understanding of what's going on technically.    This will usually come at the cost of market or customer experience, and even less business strategy.   The goal is to find someone who has the spark and desire to grow this side, so that when the day comes that you need the role to expand (and you will), you'll have a willing candidate.      

A similar path exists for non-techies.   I know several talented non-technical product managers working in technical companies who have little knowledge of programming or electronics, but they get how the pieces all fit together.   Their major strengths obviously then have to be in the market-facing and/or strategy departments.   They may be able to write detailed product requirements working with Develpers or be a project manager, but don't expect them to be happy about it long term.    

So, in creating a product management team, you really need to look at a broad picture of responsibilities and even dream ahead to where you might be heading.   You may be able to specialize some individuals along the Technical/Product Marketing split, or you may be forced to select folks who are more generalists.   If the latter, make sure they will be doing at least some major activities where they are strong, otherwise you'll end up with a potential weak performer all around.  

There's no one right answer and that's why it's hard.  

Advice for Product Managers

If you're the one trying to be hired, the advice here is similar to April's.   Be honest with yourself and in your interviews.   You'll be the most impacted by getting into an organization where you're either over your head from a capability perspective, or you're doing stuff you absolutely hate to do.    Shine the bright lights on your strengths and passions and admit you may need help in other places.   Where your experience level may be weaker, indicate it and also that you're really interested in growing in that area.   Go for the right situation that benefits everyone.