How does the expected background for PM candidates vary from company to company?

Data-driven decision making is important in PM roles because it allows for more objective, factual, and reliable decisions. It reduces the risk of bias and assumptions, and provides a solid foundation for strategies and actions. It also enables PMs to measure and track performance, identify trends and patterns, and make adjustments as necessary. This approach ensures that decisions are based on real, actionable insights rather than gut feelings or intuition.

Product design skills can be demonstrated through side projects by choosing projects that allow you to showcase your ability to understand customer needs, create user-friendly designs, and solve problems creatively. This could include designing a new app, creating a website, or even redesigning an existing product to improve its functionality. It's important to document your design process, including research, sketches, prototypes, and user testing, as this provides evidence of your design thinking skills. Additionally, sharing your projects on platforms like GitHub or Behance, or on your personal website, can provide tangible proof of your skills.

Customer focus is important in choosing side projects for PM roles because it demonstrates your ability to understand and cater to the needs of the customer. This is a crucial skill for a PM as they are responsible for ensuring that the product meets the needs and expectations of the customer. It also shows your ability to make decisions based on customer feedback and market trends, which is a key aspect of product management.