We’re following up today on earlier post about making the transition to a startup. Aaron Harris writes in TechCrunch about the right way to transition to being a product developer. Having come from the world of finance himself, he’s got the perspective on the right and wrong ways to do it.
The wrong way:
If you start talking about mobile local social software as a service (MOLASSES), you will be laughed out of the room.
The right way:
[T]here are also people who might be able to do it, if they worked on it, if they put the time and effort ahead of building jargon.
He goes on to list a series of actions he believes will help an aspiring product leader become a good product leader. His best piece of advice is to remain humble: “You will need to understand that you are not the boss of an engineer, or superior to an engineer, simply because you think you have vision.”
Mr. Harris is a cofounder of Tutorspree.
If you’re currently working at a large company, or just about to enter the work force, you should seriously consider investigating working for a startup. If you’re looking to make a career change, a startup may be also be a good place to look. You’re going to have to do your homework, and chances are good you’ll have to work harder than at a comfortable established company, but the rewards may be much more significant (and we’re not just talking money).