What should a project (product) manager be able to do?

Question

Project management

Hello! A month ago I received a VO diploma in marketing and the question arose about further employment. It so happened that during my studies at the university I worked not in my specialty. The first year - I was a web designer in a small studio, then went freelance, then I studied JS, PHP and SQL (I knew HTML and CSS almost from childhood) and began to provide turnkey website development and programming services. At the moment I want to get a job as a project/product manager in IT, hence a number of questions.

1. What is the difference between the first position and the second? The tasks and requirements are approximately the same everywhere.
   
2. What knowledge do you need to have for successful employment in these specialties?
   
3. How useful will my knowledge in design and web development be?
   
4. Do you need a higher education in the field (management or project management) or is a marketing HE enough?
   
5. What approximate salary should you expect at the start and how soon will it be possible to increase it?
   

Thanks in advance for your replies.

Answer 1

Do not be offended, but judging by the questions being asked, it is still too early for you to think about such positions. Employment is, as it were, one thing (here it may be lucky), but successful work is completely different. And for this you need to gain and gain experience. On the questions:
1. The project manager organizes the development in such a way that it meets the budget (monetary or temporary) with available resources and gives a working and high-quality product at the end. To do this, he first of all manages people, coordinates deadlines, external dependencies, determines methods, establishes reporting forms, but he can also recruit staff and purchase equipment ... in short, he is responsible for everything that is needed to make everything spin, those. defines HOW to develop.
The product manager is responsible for not only developing something there, but also for selling it, and, most importantly, making a profit. His task is to make the product competitive, in demand on the market, but to do it as efficiently as possible and in the right time. To do this, he communicates with the consumer (studies his needs), with competitors (studies their strengths and weaknesses), monitors market and technology trends, prices, patents and trademarks, standards and regulatory legislation, hangs out at exhibitions , finds partners, draws up and concludes contracts with them ... in short, he completely determines the product strategy, i.e. WHAT needs to be developed.
Of course, both work in close contact with each other and, as a rule, without a formal "separation of duties", know the product as well as (and sometimes better) than any ordinary developer and, ultimately, jointly determine the success or failure of the whole undertaking. .. for which they receive either the laurels of winners and prizes, or a kick in the ass. Sometimes, in small projects, one person can do all this.
2. For employment - how lucky, but for work you need to have solid knowledge and experience in all these areas, plus, ideally, deep knowledge of the technical side of the issue ... at least, know how an interface differs from an abstract class;)
3. If it is important for the product, then it will be VERY useful, and if not, then you will have to deal with those technologies that are important.
4. The crust itself is of little interest to anyone, but at least a general idea of ​​​​project management techniques, reporting forms, workflow, psychology, standards, legislation and similar things are most likely to be expected. Without it (especially if there is no portfolio), it is likely that the applicant did not even have a chance to find out about the existence of these wonderful things, so such resumes are often dismissed by personnel officers, and it just doesn’t get to the interview.
5. The funniest part of the question ... first, show in practice that you are able to earn money for the company, and then think about how much to ask for this skill of yours :)

Answer 2

With such experience yes manager?
Only in Sharashkin's office for a penny.

Answer 3

What knowledge do you need to have for successful employment in these specialties?

Look at the relevant vacancies, there should be requirements for the candidate.

Answer 4

A manager must be able to manage people, tasks and risks.
Well, a good manager can safely claim a salary of 200-300k in Moscow.