Do you have the characteristics of a good Product Manager?

INTERVIEW WITH JEAN-CHRISTOPHE VANDERSTRAETEN, INTERNATIONAL PRODUCT MANAGER AT STEPSTONE

Have you ever considered becoming a Product Manager? Jean-Christophe shares with us his enthusiasm for his job.

Jean-Christophe, can you tell us about your career path?

I have a technical background. I studied pure computer science, more specifically network administration.
When I started to work, I wanted to go through all the stages of product development! So I started my career as a developer before becoming team leader and finally Product Manager.

What exactly is your position?

I have been Product Manager at StepStone for two years now, and I’m currently working on the StepStone CV database. Specifically, my mission is to make this resource the most efficient and simplest to use for recruiters.

Initially, I was attracted by StepStone because I wanted to provide a solution to a societal problem. I had worked in consulting, which made me aware of the problems that recruiters encounter. But I also had unemployed friends who were having great difficulties in their job searches. The twofold aspect of this issue appealed to me.

The fact that StepStone is a website finally convinced me! I am in fact what you could call a Web native; I created my first internet site at the age of 13.

What do you like most in your job?

Undoubtedly the challenge! A Product Manager must be able to resolve one problem after another.

Specifically, can you tell us more about the role of the Product Manager?

The role of the Product Manager includes both strategic and tactical activities. He can be considered the CEO of a product, and in that capacity must manage all the types of problems that could arise at all levels.

So as a Product Manager, you’re in ongoing contact with all the departments in the company, the CEO as well as the developers. But you must also listen to the market and see what improvements to make for the final client.

So you must be able to balance the interests of the parties involved (CEO, financial managers, marketing, etc.) and the clients, not to mention the final user.

What are the skills necessary to do this job?

A Product Manager need not especially have a specific background, but he must definitely:

• Have a passion for quality and for his product.
• Know how to communicate at all levels of the business and understand everyone’s problems.
• Not be afraid of pitfalls, as a large part of the position consists of resolving problems. So he must be able to transform a negative into a positive.
• Have the ability to think out of the box to find an innovative solution that will certainly be more difficult to sell internally, but in the end will always be the best option.
• Be organised and responsive in order to be able to manage priorities.
• And in the case of StepStone, he must also be passionate about the web! Having basic computer skills is also a distinct advantage in understanding what is being talked about and knowing what does and doesn’t exist, in order to innovate.

What advice would you give to an apllicant who wants to pursue the same path?

The main advice I would give to applicants who want to become a Product Manager is to listen to everyone around them in order to be able to locate problems even before they occur.

I also think that it’s necessary in a sense to be passionate without having an opinion. A good Product Manager must understand that he must call on experts, rely on the data and put himself in the place of the final client.

Would you like to join Jean-Christophe’s team to help recruiters and applicants meet? Consult our available job advertisements at StepStone.