The Hardest Part About Starting a New PMM Job

This title is a lie. There are two hard things about starting a new Product Marketing job. The hardest part is landing the PMM gig.

So really this blog should be titled, “The Second Hardest Part About Starting a New PMM Job.”

Once you’ve landed the job, taken a few days off to reflect, updated your portfolio, and envisioned your new career trajectory, the second hardest part about starting a new Product Marketing job is knowing where to start.

The truth is, there’s no one right answer here. Every person and organization is different. There are a few commonalities, though.

• You’ll need to meet tons of new people.

• You’ll need to (quickly!) get up to speed on the customers, users, product, roadmap, upcoming launches, market, competitors, programs, and campaigns (!!).

• You’ll need to take time to review historical information and data to make decisions for how to move forward.

The point is that the best way to start a new Product Marketing job is to do it with confidence. Bring confidence in your knowledge and skillset; you were hired for a reason.

Here are a few tips to bring confidence to your new PMM job:

Brush Up on Your PMM skills

Solid Product Marketing skills and experience are the best things you can bring to the table. Ensure you’re up-to-date on the latest in the space so you have a good foundation to work from at your new gig.

Establish a 30-day Plan

30-day plans are fundamental for setting boundaries for yourself. 60 and 90-day plans are a bit unrealistic in this type of job, but if you work at an organization with a solid roadmap, they may be possible. A good 30-day plan includes ways to tackle the 3 bullets listed above: meeting everyone, learning everything, and reviewing the history to make quick, informed decisions.

Take Care of Yourself

The most important thing is to not push yourself too hard. There will always be another person to meet, more products to launch, and more data to review.

You obviously want to make a good impression, but you also want to be here for the long haul. Take care of yourself! Take time for more strategic work like competitive intelligence and market research. Relax and read an industry book over some Boba. Enjoy your new job!