3 stories on how to build a successful career in IT as a product manager

Oleg Lebedev, Aigerim Mukasheva, and Azamat Zhasyllyk are product managers at Kolesa Group and graduates of Kolesa Academy’s product management program.

In this article, they share insights into their roles at the company, their career choices, and their experience with the Academy.

For more information or to apply for the Kolesa Academy product management program, follow this link.

Oleg Lebedev, 28 years old, city – Almaty, Product Manager at Krisha.kz

On choosing a profession and the Academy

I studied accounting. I worked for three years in the technical support department of an accounting firm. I disliked the fact that projects were handled poorly and missed deadlines, so I began looking for a way out. That’s how I learned about product managers—professionally trained specialists who streamline interaction processes between different experts within a company and oversee the overall product performance.

This was a new field for me, but I became passionate and dove headfirst into learning. I found my first job at a small digital agency, where I implemented CRM systems and configured business processes for clients. While taking courses, I learned about the Kolesa Academy internship. I submitted an application and passed the selection process.

I was worried that the internship would involve too much theory. However, from the very start, we were immersed in real product development. We completed tasks as a team and felt our impact on the product. The team consisted of top-tier professionals who were fully engaged in what they created. They were always ready to offer advice and support.

The Academy is an excellent option for those who want to gain real experience in products used by millions of people.

On working at Kolesa Group

I am a manager in the Core team at Krisha.kz. I am responsible for the “property seeker” journey within the product. We ensure that it is convenient for users to find an apartment, house, or commercial space. I monitor key metrics and, together with the team, constantly look for growth opportunities for our product. We love what we do, and most importantly, our work makes life easier for millions of users.

On future plans

I plan to grow and develop in product management.

What’s great about my job? There is no arbitrary “ceiling.” Growth and development are limitless.

Advice for those wishing to join the Academy for product managers:

— Be yourself during the interview

— Definitely review the recommended preparation materials

— Try to describe your management experience in the format of case studies. Even if you organized a gathering or a trip with friends, that is already management experience

— Explain what the goal of your project was, what you did to achieve it, and what results you obtained.
 

Aigerim Mukasheva, 26 years old, city – Almaty, Product Manager at Kolesa.kz

On choosing a profession and the Academy

I graduated from a chemistry and biology-focused high school and enrolled in university to become a chemist. I quickly realized that I did not want to tie my future to this specialty. While searching for new opportunities, I came across an article about product management.

I was inspired by how product managers create products that benefit millions of users, manage processes, conduct market research, build metric pyramids, and collaborate with various teams.

It was scary to change direction, but the desire to grow and become part of something global and useful was stronger than the fear. I took a product management course on Udemy. Theoretically, I understood how everything works, but I needed practical experience.

Friends told me about Kolesa Group. I decided that I needed to learn product approaches from the best and began preparing for the internship at Kolesa Academy. I studied the requirements and conditions and applied for the internship.

The advantage of the Academy is that we started working “in the field” right away, like real product managers. We launched initial releases, worked with data, and participated in project development. Each of us was assigned a mentor who guided and assisted in our learning:

— how to work in product teams and make decisions based on numbers and research

— how to communicate effectively with users to identify problems

— how to conduct A/B tests and meet product KPIs

— how to identify product growth points and improve team efficiency.

On working at Kolesa Group

Currently, I am a product manager for Kolesa.kz. My schedule might include a meeting with a designer to discuss a mockup, a meeting with a car dealership director, or perhaps a meeting with a spare parts sales manager.

A product manager is someone who manages the product and bears full responsibility for it. This is a story about leadership, structure, engagement, and mindfulness, not just in work but in life as well.

On plans

Kolesa Group has a transparent grading system that provides a clear path for professional development. In two years, I grew from an Intern to Middle 3. My immediate plans are to enhance my expertise in product management, teach product approaches to others, and launch products with the team that solve people’s problems and needs.

Advice for those wishing to join the Academy for product managers

For preparation for the Academy, I recommend reading:

— Who is a product manager?

— Yandex Management School

— Setting SMART Goals

— JTBD: Jobs to Be Done

— How to write user stories?

— “Hard Sell: Make People Work for Results” by Dan Kennedy

— “Kaizen: The Key to Japan’s Corporate Success” by Masaaki Imai.

Academy graduates are always organized individuals who strive for results and demonstrate high engagement.

Azamat Zhasyllyk, 26 years old, city – Almaty, Head of Product at Avtoelon.uz

On choosing a profession and the Academy

I studied business administration at UIB. There, I learned the basics of management, marketing, accounting, econometrics, and everything else that can help develop a business.

At the same time, I built websites and created ads on commission. I got tired of working remotely from home and started looking for new opportunities. I accidentally came across a product manager vacancy at Kolesa Group. I reviewed the position and realized that I liked the mix of business and IT. Moreover, I became eager to influence products used by a large number of people. Unfortunately, I did not get the position. However, at that time, Kolesa Academy was accepting applications for its product management program. I applied there and received an offer.

For someone with minimal work experience, the Academy was extremely useful. During the internship, I worked in a large team of developers, analysts, designers, and researchers. We tested business hypotheses through quantitative and qualitative research.

At the beginning of my studies at the Academy, I made every mistake: micromanagement, a failed release, and missed deadlines. Fortunately, I had an understanding mentor. I learned how to work in a team, set tasks correctly, communicate them to people, and deliver on time. In the role of a product manager, I began to understand user and business needs. I started applying this knowledge and consistently grew the revenue of a mature product by 1.5 times year over year.

On working at Kolesa Group

At Kolesa Group, I engage in management. Over three years and nine months, I progressed through the following roles: Academy graduate — product manager — team lead for the monetization direction — Head of Product at Avtoelon.uz.

My job is to form a strategy for growing the product’s market share, streamline processes in product development, and help product managers grow professionally.

Advice for those wishing to join the Academy for product managers

Here is the checklist I created for the Academy interview:

— Compile your management experience into case studies and be ready to explain the logic behind your decisions

— Review your resume. If you have extensive experience, emphasize management

— Prepare concise, impactful answers for the interview about yourself and your results, as if you are pitching a business project to an investor while riding in an elevator with them.