Much of the career advice out there is for aspiring PMs. But what about those who have one foot on the ladder and are looking to climb the next rung? This episode is about advancing mid to late-stage product management careers. I'm joined by Peter Yang, Product Lead at Roblox, and product newsletter writer, to discuss how established PMs can avoid getting stuck. From pursuing growth over promotion to knowing when to change companies, we discuss a wide range of strategies to help you continue building the career you want based on your individual goals.

Today’s discussion covers:
• Wisdom for mid and late-stage product managers looking to advance their careers
• Why you should focus on growth, not promotion
• Optimizing for company stage instead of company name
• Signs you should leave a company
• The under-discussed trade-offs between compensation and tenure
• Why top companies offer such high compensation

Creator Economy by Peter Yang:
• Nikhyl Singhal (VP Meta): How to Advance Your Product Management Career (Part 1)
• Nikhyl Singhal (VP Meta): How to Advance Your Product Management Career (Part 2)

Referenced in this episode:
• Blog post "Stage of company, not name of company"
• Six Superpowers of Product Managers
• Shadows of your Superpowers (Part 1)
• Shadows of your Superpowers (Part 2)

Timestamps:
(00:00) Introduction
(01:27) Advancing mid or late-stage careers
(04:38) Promotions matter less than you think
(08:36) The different end goals for PM careers
(13:56) How to find the right company to elevate your career
(19:07) The best and worst reasons to change companies
(23:28) The impact of short tenures on someone’s resume
(27:19) Why top companies offer such high compensation
(31:31) The relationship between title and compensation
(34:52) Advice for negotiating compensation
(37:21) The under-discussed tradeoff between compensation and tenure
(39:07) Recapping the "shadows of your superpowers"
(41:55) Nikhyl’s advice for dealing with a common shadow
(47:43) Conclusion

Where to find Peter:
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Newsletter

Where to find Nikhyl:
• Twitter
• LinkedIn

Where to find The Skip Podcast:
• Website
• YouTube
• TikTok
• Spotify
• Apple Podcasts

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theskip.substack.com

YC Partners Answer Your Questions | Office Hours

Y Combinator Startup Podcast

When to Open Source an Enterprise SaaS Product

The AI-powered Podcast Player