Career Path of a Senior Product Marketing Manager at Adobe
Ryan's career path, beginning with a high school marketing class and undergraduate business studies, was "a little bit unconventional," progressing from retail jobs and a brief stint in grassroots film promotions to a Microsoft role where, after starting as a contractor, they transitioned from program management to product marketing. This ultimately led to a senior product marketing manager position at Adobe, working on Photoshop, showcasing a journey driven by adaptability and a consistent focus on understanding customer behavior.
Product Marketing, Program Management, Consumer Behavior, Marketing, Technology
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Ryan Khademi
Senior Product Marketing Manager
Adobe
University of Washington, Michael G. Foster School of Business, 2013
UCLA Anderson School of Management
Marketing
Technology
Product / Service / Software Development and Management
None Applicable, Worked 20+ Hours in School
Video Highlights
1. Ryan's career path demonstrates that a background in various fields can lead to a successful career in product marketing. His journey started with retail, which provided valuable customer interaction skills, and continued through program management at Microsoft where he gained a deep understanding of product development. This highlights the value of diverse experiences.
2. Ryan emphasizes the importance of understanding customer behavior, a key skill for product marketing. His early retail jobs and his focus on consumer behavior in college laid a solid foundation for his career. His experience in creating campaigns for film studios further strengthened his ability to connect products with target audiences.
3. Ryan's experience showcases the potential career progression within the tech industry. His transition from program management to product marketing at Microsoft illustrates the possibility of career changes and the value of adaptability. His eventual move to Adobe underscores the opportunities for growth and advancement within the product marketing field.
Transcript
Could you please walk me through your career path, starting with your experience in college? Please include any internships or jobs you had before your current position.
I'm a Senior Product Marketing Manager at Adobe, working on Photoshop. I didn't originally know I wanted to go into marketing.
I took my first intro to marketing class as a senior in high school, and that opened the door for me. All my college classes focused on becoming a marketer.
I went to the University of Washington for undergrad and then transferred to the Foster School of Business. My studies focused on finance, marketing, and accounting, with a clear emphasis on consumer behavior, advertising, and retail.
While in college, I worked part-time in retail sales, talking to people and understanding how customers buy. I also worked at Cost Plus World Market.
Later, I completed a three-month internship with Allied Integrated Marketing in Seattle. We ran grassroots promotional campaigns for film studios, including press screenings and filling theaters. We also worked with retail stores to promote upcoming movies.
After college, I went back to retail for the summer. A family member at Microsoft mentioned a startup team within the company looking for a junior contractor.
I was hired as a "V-dash" contractor at Microsoft, a temporary position that could lead to an extension or release. I worked on Microsoft's first fitness wearable product as a program manager.
My contract was extended from three months to six months, and I became a producer on the design team. The contract was extended again to a year, and it continued to grow. After about a year and a half, I became a full-time employee.
I spent the next seven and a half years at Microsoft. It took me about three years to transition into product marketing from program management. I didn't even know product marketing was a job title three years into my time at Microsoft.
Our team was dissolved, which can happen in tech when products are discontinued. I started looking for marketing roles, as that was my undergraduate degree. I was heavily involved with products and product management.
I explored roles in integrated marketing, go-to-market, and PR. People kept talking about product marketing management. They saw that I knew products well, was a storyteller, and understood customers.
I landed a role on the Windows team, working on product marketing from 2016 to 2019. I worked on campaigns for handheld devices, digital pens, and dual-screen devices. This led to my current role as Senior Product Marketing Manager at Adobe.
Since that first class in high school, my path has been unconventional and challenging, but it's been a great journey.