Marketing or sales career?

How can I make a career switch from IT sales to Product Marketing?

• Two years ago, post my MBA from a good college, I decided to be in IT sales (after spending six years as a engineer in a leading IT product company). An year into IT sales, I realized that I want to switch  into a product marketing role and read lot of books to acquire the knowledge. However, I never got an interview call for a product marketing role as my 'most recent work experience' was in IT sales. So after, two years of being at a career that I didn't like, I quit my work and reside in Bay Area. Thus my H1B, although valid, needs a sponsor for me to start working again.  I am willing to work for free or do some internship in product marketing. Also, contemplating of taking up a relevant certification to aid me in my endeavor. Please let me know how I can make such a career switch in Bay Area?

• Answer:

  Check out pragmatic marketing certification, as the name suggests it's a pragamatic approach to product management and marketing. Like a lot of career changes sometimes you need to do them within the same company, you leverage your general professional credibility which gives you margin to move from one vertical to another, difficult to do it from one company to another. I moved from Tech to PMM within the same company of the bat of an MBA and pragmatic marketing. I believe that a sales perspective on PMM is unbelievably valuable as you have automatic cred with the sales force but first you need to gain cred with management and that comes from poven experience:(  I'd look at going back into sales short term in a company that is taking off and opening up its portfolio, get a cert under your belt and then when an opportunity comes up go for it. The most extraordinary PMMs that I have known have had sales back grounds, it's really uncommon. Good luck