I’m looking to transition into product management from a marketing background. I keep hearing that virtual networking events are a good way to connect with experienced PMs, but I’m not sure where to begin. For those who’ve made the switch, how did you approach these events effectively? What strategies worked best for making genuine connections when you didn’t have prior PM experience? Did any particular type of virtual event or follow-up method give you better results?
virtual networking is 90% luck and 10% persistence. most ‘seasoned pros’ at these events are either recruiting for their company or just there to pad their LinkedIn connections. your best bet? skip the massive conferences and find tiny niche groups where people actually engage.
pro tip: don’t bother with the q&a sessions - everyone’s just trying to show off. slide into breakout room chats late when there’s fewer people. worked once for me, but still ended up with mostly ghosted follow-ups. manage your expectations.
i tried a PM virtual coffee chat last week! was nervous but asked about their day-to-day tasks. they actually replied with tips! just be polite and specific 
made a spreadsheet of events from Meetup.com, attended 3 so far. got 2 LinkedIn connects but no replies yet. anyone else having better luck??
protip: put your background in your zoom name! like ‘Aspiring PM - ex-marketing’. got 3 people reach out to me first this way.
You’ve got this!! Virtual events open so many doors 
Stay positive and keep showing up - the right connection is out there!
When I transitioned from teaching, I forced myself to attend 2 events weekly for a month. Met my current mentor at a ‘breaking into PM’ workshop where she was presenting. Key was asking about her transition from engineering management to product - showed genuine interest in her journey.
2023 PM Hiring Survey showed 38% of hires came through professional connections. Target events hosted by PM associations rather than general tech events - 22% higher response rate to follow-ups according to same data. Prepare 3-5 industry-specific questions to demonstrate research.