When she enrolled in the live and online version of Product Marketing Core, Molly Jaggers, Product Marketing Manager at WorthPoint, was between companies and on the lookout for her initial breakthrough into the product marketing sector. This prompted her to get certified and improve her understanding of the area.
In this case study, she discusses:
- Why she enrolled,
- Why she picked us,
- PMMC's main benefits, and
- Key outcomes
Molly’s motivation
Though she had transferable skills from previous roles, Molly found the initial breakthrough hard to come by, given her lack of experience in product, hence her enrollment in Product Marketing Core.
Now certified and occupying a Product Marketing Manager role at consumer goods company WorthPoint, she gave an insight into what motivated her to take part.
“I had some background in a few different things from market strategy, media sales, and most recently creating partnerships in emerging tech industries. It created a lot of breadth in my background, but not a lot of depth, so I was looking forward to getting a bigger understanding of the technical side of software-driven products to make the jump.”
Why Product Marketing Core?
Getting a foothold on the initial rung of the PMM ladder had proved to be challenging for Molly; it was pivotal she selected the right certification program to meet her needs. She gave us an insight into the process she went through en-route to deciding Product Marketing Core was the course for her.
“I had taken a few courses on Udemy, just to identify what it is that makes a good PMM, and whether I wanted to pursue the course; I also reached out to individuals who’d created those courses, people who were trying to educate the new product marketers on best practices and they all said PMA’s program was far and wide the most robust and the most immersive.
“The content, first and foremost, was something that was going to be important to me. As somebody who had a marketing background, but not the product piece of the puzzle, I wanted to know I was being educated on how to do things correctly and aligning myself with people who are leading the charge in the industry.
“Also, the way it was taught was essential. My instructor Collette Johnson was fantastic and so helpful. I also enjoyed the combination of the live classes each Thursday, when we were able to break up into smaller groups.”
What are PMMC’s main benefits?
With an OnDemand and live and online version available, PMMC caters to the learning needs of the masses. Molly opted for the live and online version and highlighted some of the core benefits.
“Being able to have interactivity was so useful for me. However, the format is only as good as the instructors delivering it. Doing everything online is a hurdle for everyone at the moment, but Collette was great at offering people chances to ask questions in the moment.
“The templates and frameworks, as well as the collateral pieces are so helpful for me.”
Key outcomes
Foothold in the industry
Molly’s enthusiasm to improve her credentials is palpable. Though her skills in market strategy, media sales were relevant, she struggled to get the break she craved in product marketing. Now a fully-fledged Product Marketing Manager, she’s successfully launched her PMM career. She discussed the role Product Marketing Core played in helping her secure her first position in the industry.
“I’m a strong advocate that to be the best, you have to learn from the best. PMA has created this program that’s going through the day and the life of a product marketer; it gave me as a student the opportunity to ask questions about emerging problems PMMs are facing in their job day-to-day. It gave me a leg up in my mind that going through the certification process with PMA, rather than someone like Pragmatic Institute was going to be the right choice.
“After finishing the course, I was excited that I got a comprehensive outlook at the different hats a product marketer can wear, and how I can position myself to be that much more valuable wherever my next role is.”
Molly's message to prospective students
Molly’s willingness to embrace the course curriculum and desire to transition into the PMM realm has catalyzed her success. She gave her advice to prospective students who are considering investing in the course.
“Self-education can only get you so far; the process would’ve been so much longer and ambiguous. The certification has made things much more defined and laid out clear expectations of what a PMM is, what they are not, and having that industry expert to differentiate the two - that would’ve taken me three to four times longer at least to educate myself by going down the Google search rabbit hole. This was a much clearer way to understand how to be the best in our business, and our space.
“If you’re having hesitations about taking the jump and enrolling in the course, I’d say reach out to the community at PMA.
“This is one of the most friendly, eager to help, eager to learn communities I’ve ever come in contact with; that’s coming from someone who in their last role spent eighty-percent of their time interacting with communities and their members.
“What PMA has here is special, and they’ll be able to give you answers to any questions you may have, whilst helping you understand the value of this course. When you speak with them, I think that’ll be enough for you to take the plunge.”
Enroll in Product Marketing Core: Live and Online, gain expert tuition from an experienced PMM and work toward a coveted PMM certification with access to 11 chapters and 68 modules of material, plus a whole lot more. Awesome expertise. Continued support. Unrivaled insights. Get certified.
