Preparing for a US product career without a strong degree
Posted by Affectionate-Lion582@reddit | expats | View on Reddit | 5 comments
Hey all, need some advice
I've got a potential path to move to the US (through spouse sponsorship). It'll take a few years, so I have time to prepare, just not sure what actually matters.
I'm 25, working in tech (design/product side, not engineering). Started early during COVID, now 6 years of experience. I'm doing well in my home country money-wise (above average), but quality of life isn't great, everything is expensive (rent, food, etc.), and the economy is rough.
Career-wise, that's a big driver for me too. I currently work remotely for an EU company on pretty interesting stuff (fintech, digitalizing workflows). I've had other offers locally, but most weren't exciting enough.
That's also why I'm drawn to the US, it feels like the center of tech, especially for product thinking and innovation. I genuinely believe I'm strong at what I do and could grow a lot there.
My concern: I delayed focusing on university to prioritize real work experience. My degree isn't even directly related (fine arts), and my GPA is pretty bad because I barely attended while working. I don't regret the experience path at all, it helped me grow fast but now I'm wondering how this plays in the US.
Plan right now is to try to finish my degree anyway (just to have it), then maybe do some certifications when I move. Long term I'd love to end up in the Bay Area or NYC working on high-level products, but realistically I know I'll have to start with whatever I can get in my field.
I've got around 3 years to prepare. What would you focus on if you were in my position?
Any advice appreciated!
aalsaad1@reddit
“I moved to San Francisco earlier this year and the one thing nobody told me is that the degree conversation matters a lot less than you think once you’re actually in the room. What opens doors here is portfolio, context, and who can vouch for you. I’ve watched people with fine arts backgrounds land product roles at serious companies because they could talk about their thinking clearly and had work that showed it. Six years of real fintech experience is not a small thing. That’s more relevant than most CS graduates walking out of school right now. If I had three years to prepare I’d spend them building in public, writing about product decisions, getting visible in the communities where hiring managers actually hang out. By the time you land you want people to already know your name. The Bay Area rewards people who show up with proof of work and a point of view. You seem to have both.”
Affectionate-Lion582@reddit (OP)
Thanks for sharing!
_bobby_tables_@reddit
Your goal is NYC or Bay Area?! These are two of the most expensive COL areas in the world. You didn't mention your current location, but the odds are you are asking for a large cost shock. More research may be needed.
Affectionate-Lion582@reddit (OP)
I was thinking NYC/Bay Area since most tech HQs are there + more hybrid/in-person teams, so maybe better shot at moving into management, but I haven’t really looked into COL vs benefit, so I’m probably thinking too narrow right now and need to research more options.
striketheviol@reddit
Your degree situation likely makes an H-1B visa a non-starter now. A few people I know of in similar situations, and we are talking about a single digit number here, were able to make this work by leveraging an O-1 visa after they'd had very substantial success as startup co-founders in their home countries.