I keep reading advice that says you shouldn’t start networking for PM roles until you’ve done something impressive. Like, build a side project, publish content, get recognition in your current company—basically give people a reason to care about you before you even reach out.
But I’m wondering if that’s gatekeeping or if there’s actually truth to it. I’m currently doing something solid in ops, but nothing that screams “product.” I haven’t shipped anything, haven’t built a cult following, haven’t done anything particularly noteworthy. Just solid work.
I’ve been hesitating to reach out to PMs because I felt like I needed to have some credibility first. But the longer I wait, the more I wonder if I’m just procrastinating. Does leverage actually matter when you’re starting from scratch? Or can you build relationships and learn from people even if you don’t have a portfolio or track record yet?
leverage helps but it’s not a hard requirement. what actually matters is curiosity and genuine interest in their work. pms network with lots of people who don’t have impressive projects. what gets attention is asking good questions and showing you actually think about product. the “build leverage first” crowd usually already had leverage when they started networking, so they don’t remember the part where they didn’t. start now, build the leverage while networking.
Leverage accelerates the process, but it is not a prerequisite. The most valuable networking conversations happen between people with complementary perspectives. You bring a different viewpoint from ops; a PM gains insight into how product decisions land in operations. That’s genuine value already. What matters more is demonstrating intellectual curiosity about product decisions and showing you can think systematically about problems. Many successful PM transitions began with informational interviews, not impressive portfolios. Focus on being a serious conversationalist, ask thoughtful questions, and the relationship builds naturally from there.
i think ur overthinking this tbh! just start talking to ppl and see what happens?? like u dont need everything perfect first
You don’t need to wait! Your ops experience is actually valuable. Start connecting with PMs now—your perspective will matter more than you think!
I was in the same position. I kept thinking I needed to do something impressive first, and I waited like six months. Then I just started reaching out anyway. Turns out, having hands-on ops experience was interesting enough to people because most PMs never actually see how their work impacts operations. I had three solid conversations in my first month of actual networking, and none of them cared that I didn’t have a side project.
Evidence suggests timing of network initiation correlates more with relationship depth than with portfolio completeness. Individuals who begin networking earlier accumulate more conversations and mentorship over a given period, even if initial meetings are less formally impressive. This compounds: more conversations provide better feedback and clarification of direction. Conversely, delaying networking to build leverage often extends the overall timeline. The ops background itself provides situational leverage—distinct perspective on product-operations dynamics. Starting now yields better information for portfolio-building decisions than waiting.