Examining the Career Paths of a TPM

In this chapter, we’ll look into the paths someone might take to become a Technical Program Manager, followed by an overview of the different career paths that are available to a TPM. Because the tech industry is large, the paths described here represent a generalized view of these career paths based on the interviews that were conducted and the job descriptions that were examined for this course.

We’ll also get a close look at two professional TPM journeys that showcase the different paths we can take, which will reinforce that no two journeys are the same, nor are they ever straight paths.

We’ll explore the available career paths by doing the following:

• Examining the career paths of a TPM

• Exploring the Individual Contributor (IC) path

• Exploring the people manager path

Let’s dive right in!

Overview

The career paths of a TPM are as varied as the paths to becoming a TPM in the first place. Each person has their own story and path they follow, and the timing from step to step is just as variable. This course combined job postings, interview notes, and personal stories of TPMs at different stages of their career to get to these career path outlines. What the data only hints at, however, is where you start. How do you become a TPM?

The path to becoming a TPM

The TPM ...