From Political Science to Product Marketing: My Journey
An Ex-Google PMM's take on product marketing.
Hi, I’m Henry, and in this post, I’m sharing how I went from a Political Science degree to becoming a Product Marketing Manager (PMM). My path was anything but straightforward, and I hope my story helps anyone thinking about making a career pivot.
The Start: Studying Political Science at UC Irvine
I graduated from UC Irvine with a degree in Political Science, aiming to become a lawyer. After graduation, I moved to New York City to work in city government through the NYC Urban Fellows Program. However, I quickly realized that government work wasn’t for me—too much red tape and slow processes.
The Law Firm and a Change of Heart
Still pursuing the idea of law, I joined a law firm and studied for the LSATs. Working in a law firm gave me a glimpse into the realities of the legal profession, and I soon realized it wasn’t the glamorous career I had imagined from TV shows. I decided not to pursue law school, especially given the high costs. This was my turning point—I needed to pivot.
Exploring Other Options: Consulting and Investment Banking
To explore other career paths, I picked up books on management consulting and investment banking. I interviewed at Deloitte and Goldman Sachs, but out of the blue, I got an interview at Google for a policy-related role. I took the job and began working at Google in their policy division, focusing on user privacy and safeguarding user data.
The Transition to Product Marketing
After some time, I realized that policy work wasn’t what I wanted either—it was reactive, and I craved something more creative. That’s when I started exploring Google’s internal job postings for a 20% project, a side project Google allows employees to take on. I applied for a product marketing project with AdMob, intrigued by the role that required strong communication and project management skills.
My First Product Marketing Project
My first task was to write a short email inviting customers to participate in a thought leadership piece. I agonized over it for hours, only to realize that product marketing requires concise and effective communication. As I gained more experience, my projects grew in scope—from writing interview questions to managing a $100,000 budget for a global student app competition.
Full Transition to Product Marketing
While working in policy, I spent a year and a half doing product marketing on the side, and I became increasingly passionate about it. My manager, Mike, encouraged me to apply for a full-time product marketing position. My first attempt didn’t land me the job, but I learned from that experience and eventually secured a full-time PMM role at Google after a second round of interviews.
Lessons Learned: Breaking Into Product Marketing
My journey from Political Science to Product Marketing shows that you don’t need a traditional marketing or business background to succeed in product marketing. What it takes is grit, a willingness to learn, and the opportunity to gain hands-on experience.
By taking on projects, even as side work, you can learn to think and act like a Product Marketing Manager. Books and courses can help, but doing the work is the best teacher.
Conclusion
I hope my story encourages you to explore new paths, no matter how non-traditional your background might be. Whether you're coming from a similar degree or transitioning from another field, product marketing is accessible if you stay committed and continue to learn by doing.
Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this post, leave a comment below, and let me know what topics you’d like to see next. Until next time!
Ready to Break Into Product Marketing?
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