Synonyms: Agile Product Owner, Scrum Master

Table of Contents

• Quick Facts
• Day in the Life
• Common Characteristics
• How to Become a Product Owner
• Career Path
• Specialties and Similar Career Paths
• Advice from Paige

Quick Facts

What product owners do:

Product owners hold a key role in Agile development teams, responsible for defining the vision of the product, managing the product backlog, and ensuring that the team delivers value to the customer. They are the bridge between stakeholders and the development team, maximing the value of a product and making decisions.

Median income:

$97,802 annually or $53.65 per hour.

Lifestyle:

Work in a fast-paced and highly collaborative environment, often in an office or remote setting, with a schedule filled with meetings to make decisions on product goals. They frequently work beyond the typical 9-5 schedule to meet the demands of their role.

Education Requirements:

A bachelor’s degree is typically required.

Job Outlook

The future for product owners is bright, with projected growth of 10%, which is faster than average for all occupations.

This is perfect for you if:

• You enjoy communication and talking to people daily
• You are adaptable and can handle the dynamic nature of the role
• You love problem-solving and can manage project timelines

If that sounds like you, definitely watch our interview with Paige Swammy to learn more about being a product owner here!

Day in the Life

Schedule:

Often flexible and extended work schedule. While product owners might have a standard 9-5 day, their role frequently requires additional hours for meetings and decision-making.\

Setting:

Offices, remote, or hybrid setup. 

Tasks:

Managing the product backlog, meeting with stakeholders, collaborating with development teams, reviewing progress, and decision-making. There are a lot of calls and meetings involved throughout the day.

Topics:

Market trends, product development, stakeholder feedback, and user experience.

Skills:

Proficiency in Agile methodologies such as Scrum or Kanban, expertise with project management tools, and strong data analysis capabilities.

Tools:

A computer or laptop with software such as Jira, Trello, Asana, Confluence, Aha!, and MS Excel.

Common Characteristics

Natural Talents (strengths):

Naturally good at communication, has an outgoing personality, an adaptable attitude to handle varying situations and tasks, and empathy to address the needs and perspectives of others.

Interests:

Engaging and building relationships with different people, taking initiative, leading projects, making strategic decisions, analyzing data, and solving problems.

Personality:

Product owners typically have social, enterprising, and investigative personality types.

Values:

Collaboration, customer satisfaction, and innovation.

*Terms used to describe interests and personality are based on the Holland Framework.

How to Become a Product Owner

Education Requirements:

A bachelor’s degree is required, but is open to any field of study. Getting certifications such as Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO) or Professional Scrum Product Owner (PSPO) are recommended along with experience in product management or Agile environments.

Preferred Majors

Pursuing majors in business administration, computer science, engineering, information technology, marketing, project management, or a related field, can be helpful.

Career Path

Source: Product HQ

Specialties and Similar Career Paths

• Product Manager
• Business Analyst
• Project Manager
• Scrum Master
• Product Marketing Manager

Advice from Paige

Job hunt tips to set yourself apart:

Network and message a bunch of product owners to learn about their daily responsibilities and if possible, arrange informational meetings with them. Building relationships and understanding the role deeply will set you apart in your job search and prepare you for the position.

Fastest way to get your foot in the door:

If you’re already employed, explore internal opportunities as it’s easier to transition within your current company. If that’s not an option, network extensively through LinkedIn to connect with other product owners and research relevant certifications to understand the skills required for the job.

Recommended resources: 

Explore Scrum Alliance courses and, on Reddit, join the product owner subreddit as it’s a helpful community for advice and insights. Always leverage LinkedIn.

What Paige would tell her younger self if she was just getting started: 

“You should have networked more in college and been involved in more conversations before graduation. Building relationships early on would have helped, regardless of your career path. Your interests may change, and that’s okay, as long as you’re building relationships to make those moves.”

Watch the full interview with Paige: 

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