Coaches Poll: How to be a successful product manager

PM Exercises supports a community of over 30,000 members looking to jumpstart their PM career with tools and resources designed to streamline the interview process at today’s leading tech companies –– including one-on-one interview coaching from highly successful PMs. In this article, we interviewed five of them to learn more about their careers, how they got to where they are, and most importantly, advice on how to be a successful PM.  

Before we dig in, let’s allow our coaches to introduce themselves:  

Robert Hamilton 

After a career of PMing (Google, Facebook, start-ups including one of my own), I now work as a coach for PMs and PM Leaders. Over the course of my career, I conducted several hundred interviews, so I can help you to learn techniques rather than answers to specific questions, and also give you tips to strengthen your answers to any question.

Erika Gemzer

I was on the founding team at Verily Life Sciences / Google Life Sciences, originally hired as a Technical Program Manager. I built and led the Product Management, Technical Program Management, and Test Engineering teams at Verily for 5 years. I conducted about 5 interviews per week as a hiring manager or stakeholder, and I was on the hiring, calibration, and promotion committees for years. Currently, I am an Entrepreneur in Residence and a  product leader looking to meet great people and to cook up a great company. Interview coaching is one way that I try to stay connected and network with sharp people.

Vishal Chaudhary

I am a product enthusiast with experience in launching B2B and B2C products in SaaS, eCommerce & Fintech. Currently, I am building same-day/next-day delivery product for a major eCommerce platform.

Anand A

I am a former Product Growth leader at Facebook, where I focused on product and growth and worked on key Facebook products like Messenger and Instagram. I’ve also lead Product in successful startups – Grin, Pinsight, Vungle. During the course of my career, I have interviewed 100+ PM candidates, mentored 30+ PMs and startup CEOs, and have coached over 100+ people. Today, I work as a startup advisor and investor.

Faustina Fan

I am passionate about Product, working as a Product Owner at companies like Facebook and eBay tasked with finding new solutions to problems and building impactful products that transform people’s day-to-day lives. Over the course of my career, I’ve learned to embrace new challenges, ruthlessly prioritize and take risks, and now use these skills to help coach aspiring PMs and advise startups across B2B and B2C spaces on growth, product, strategy, and execution.

What was your background before becoming a product manager?

Robert Hamilton — I was a digital strategy consultant in the early days of the internet before product management was a defined career path. 

Erika Gemzer — I was an engineer at a small tech company before I became a PM. 

Vishal Chaudhary — I started my career in software engineering before transitioning to product.

Anand A. — I was also an engineer, which helped me transition into becoming a PM.

Faustina Fan — I worked in finance before transitioning into product. 

What helped you land your first PM role, and what skills did you leverage during your first interviews?

RH — My transition into product wasn’t as traditional as most because I became a PM when I founded my company. It was trial by fire, but the experience I gained remains with me to this day.

EG — I found my first PM job at a startup, which was an excellent opportunity to learn in a fast-paced environment. This was particularly beneficial because I didn’t have a lot of experience but could leverage my expertise in engineering to help bridge the gap. 

VC — Preparation! I read multiple books, which taught me the importance of user-centric product development and focusing on the product instead of the feature. I also would talk to my network of PMs about their experience.

AA — I gained my experience through Internships which also helped me build the network that I would leverage to find open PM roles. 

FF — I became a PM via an internal transfer, but before that, I made sure to take on as many projects that directly influenced my company’s products.

Do you need a technical background to be a PM? 

RH — No, but it helps because product management requirements are variable from company to company. What matters is that engineers want you in the room when there’s a problem to solve. A technical background can help with that, but it’s not mandatory.

EG —  I did have a technical background, but it was more physical and hardware engineering (biosciences and batteries). Software engineering was new to me in my first PM role. 

Eventually, I went to grad school part-time and got a master’s degree in computer science to take my PM capabilities to the next level, particularly with respect to machine learning and AI knowledge.

VC — Though a technical background is not needed, having one always helps because it helps you build a great rapport and trust with the engineering team – which is essential for any PM.

AA — I agree. Technical backgrounds help but are not required. In my opinion, critical thinking and problem-solving are essential qualities for a PM to have.

FF —  No. I don’t have a technical background and have met many PMs that don’t either. Again, it’s all about identifying problems and pulling together a team to solve them.

What are the most rewarding aspects of a PM job at a top tech company?

RH — Working with world-class engineers on world-scale problems and opportunities.

EG — The opportunity to work with really sharp people in every business group like Engineering to Customer Support. Working at a top tech company is also great because the vast user base means that you have a significant impact on people’s lives when you get things right. 

VC — Yeah, for me, it’s the impact you can make on people’s lives. 

AA — The satisfaction that comes from seeing your work out in the real world is used by millions of people: It’s truly humbling.

FF — For me, it’s the ability to build products and solutions that are helpful for so many people.

What are the biggest challenges of a PM at a top tech company?

RH — Project management when there are so many competing priorities: It’s easier said than done and requires a lot of practice and experience. 

EG — The larger the company, the harder it can be to move things forward. The challenge is to figure out a formula for moving fast to enable the user benefit, despite the complexity and size.

VC —  All the red tape: Sometimes, it’s hard to navigate politics and bureaucracy. Especially for PMs and engineers that want to push the envelope and innovate. 

AA — Collaboration — to Erika’s point, the larger the company, the more cooks in the kitchen. That’s why developing soft skills in people management is a must for aspiring PMs. 

FF — To add to what Anand and Erika said, driving cross-functional alignment to move forward on an idea is hard if there are competing opinions: Prioritization is key! 

How do you stay up-to-date on the latest trends and technologies? What are your favorite resources and communities?

RH — Social media! Twitter is a great place to keep your finger on the pulse of innovative ideas from the best PMs and thought leaders in the world. 

EG — I set up Owler, Google Alerts and follow Crunchbase to track news and deal flow. I also try to regularly reach out to my network to learn more about industry-specific news or pick their brains on emerging trends.

VC — Industry-specific publications, Robinhood Snacks, Wired, PM Exercises, and Yahoo Finance, are my favorites. I feel like they strike a balance between industry know-how and the business implications of Product. After all, great products make or break companies.

AA — Similar to Vishal, I follow popular websites. My two favorites are TechCrunch and Stratechery.

FF — I read A LOT. Newsletters, Medium, subscriptions like Stratechery that Anand mentioned, and more! This industry is constantly pushing the envelope, and it’s critical that you follow thought leaders that are challenging the status quo.  

What advice would you give to someone trying to land a job at a top tech company?

RH — Sharpen your critical thinking skills. That’s the key to making good decisions. If you can’t make good decisions, you’ll struggle with almost every aspect of PMing, including the people parts.

EG — Network as much as you can: Referrals make a difference! I didn’t have referrals when I got into tech, so if you’re like I was, I would also recommend that you make sure your resume and LinkedIn are in good shape so you’ll be noticed. Product management is a competitive field, so every bit you can do to optimize your professional brand matters.

Lastly, if you aren’t getting traction with Big Tech, consider starting with small tech and take on an outsized role at a fast-growing tech company where you can grow fast and apply again at Big Tech.

VC — Before joining a top tech company, first join a startup with a good manager and mentor. You will learn a lot faster there.

AA — Take ownership of every aspect of your career and never stop learning. 

FF — Never settle! To hone your PM skills, you’ll need to take on many different projects.

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