How To Attract Outstanding eCommerce Technical Product Managers
Creating eCommerce platforms and customer experiences that stand out in today's saturated market takes tremendous skills, teamwork, and strategic planning. As a result, online retailers need top talent to succeed, and one of the most crucial pieces of the talent puzzle is the eCommerce technical product manager.
What makes a great eCommerce technical product manager?
While many traits are valuable in eCommerce product managers, a few characteristics are critical. The following qualities are great to keep in mind when hiring for this role:
- Curiosity and a willingness to learn
- A results-driven mindset
- A customer-centric approach
- Strong business acumen and tech skills
- Outstanding communication skills
The product manager serves as a bridge between many other teams and functions and needs to be able to convey their plans to a wide range of different stakeholders. At a high level, product managers focus on business issues and strategy, and what the product should do and the needs it is trying to fill. Product managers must collaborate and communicate with developers and designers as well as sales and marketing teams and must be able to adapt their communication to different internal audiences. The product manager also presents the product roadmap and strategy to management and peers. They need to be able to sell their vision and get executive buy-in, to move things along and deliver results.
In addition, an eCommerce technical product manager is a product manager with a solid technical background (focused within eCommerce environments specifically) that is typically focused on the more technical aspects of the product. An eCommerce technical product manager works more closely with the engineering teams. Often former engineers or computer science majors, these individuals focus on the more technical parts of the product strategy and form close working relationships with development or engineering teams.
5 steps to hire the best Technical Product Managers in eCommerce
Show that your company has a learning culture
You want to attract product managers who are curious, forward-leaning and always ready to learn and develop their skills. The best way to attract that kind of talent is to show how your company encourages learning and development and offers employees opportunities to grow.
Emphasise your goals and vision
A good product manager is goal-oriented and likes to work with clear objectives. You want to find someone who thrives on measuring and reaching important KPI milestones. To attract that type of personality, you need to convey that it’s an important focus. Communicate clearly that you’re looking for a results-driven person, and show that you'll be able to present your hire with clear goals and objectives as they progress.
Put the customer at the centre of the conversation
The best product managers are the ones with a customer-centric approach. To attract talent with a service-minded, proactive, and customer-centric mindset, it’s important to showcase that your company values this attitude. Talk about the customer in your recruitment ads and interviews, and pay close attention to how your candidates speak about customers and service. The ideal candidates will be attracted by a company that puts the customer at the centre of everything from product development to sales and marketing.
Don’t be afraid to bring up business and tech KPIs
You need a product manager who’s motivated by delivering results, so don’t be afraid to talk about what kind of results you expect. Outline the tech stack your using, what your roadmap currently looks like, and what outcomes your product manager will be responsible for delivering. In a world where data is king, everyone needs to have a firm handle on what affects the overall outcomes and how they can be changed through tweaks in process or approach.
Prioritise communication; internally and externally
Communication is critical in product development and product management. A great product manager will be a brilliant communicator and will be attracted by a company that values communication and transparency through all stages of the product lifecycle. Unfortunately, communication is an area where many companies fall short, so putting extra effort into your communication will help you stand out in the market and attract the best candidates.
Unlock growth with the right tech talent
Growing tech companies need professionals with a proactive mindset, eager to learn and put the customers at the centre. eCommerce is a crowded arena, and finding the right talent can help you stand out in the market. A talented and dynamic product leader has the potential to impact your bottom line significantly and help you reach your growth targets faster.
To sum up, the best way to attract the right talent is to create a workplace and culture where that talent would be happy and thrive. And to communicate and showcase that culture throughout the recruitment process. This journey starts from the first click on your job ad to the last interview and beyond.
