Is Microsoft the Right PM Career Path?

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When it comes to the most coveted product manager jobs, any opening at Amazon, Facebook, Google, or Microsoft is sure to attract a lot of attention. In this blog post, we examine the Microsoft PM career path to help you decide if it’s right for you.

The first thing you need to know is that Microsoft refers to its product managers as program managers. While the name differs, the general responsibilities of the two remain the same. But of course, the exact responsibilities of each PM job depend on the team and product you’re assigned to.

Here are four points to consider as you attempt to determine if the Microsoft program manager/product manager career path suits you.

1. Appealing Traits

Just the same as every company — especially leading tech companies — Microsoft has a list of traits that it looks for in PM candidates. These include:

• Customer-centric
• Data analytics skills
• Enterprise and business-driven
• Innovative
• Leadership skills
• Results-oriented

Having these traits isn’t good enough. You need to convey this throughout the application and interview process. If your interviewers and hiring committee don’t know that you have these traits, they can’t use that knowledge when making a decision. 

2. A Lengthy Interview Process

Although the interview process isn’t set in stone, you should expect it to last anywhere from one to two months from first contact. We explain this in greater detail in our Microsoft PM interview guide.

While the Microsoft PM Interview process usually takes between 4-8 weeks, sometimes it can take even longer. This is because the interview process is not only highly competitive; it also involves multiple interviews with different people. 

So, if you’re looking to get a PM job sooner rather than later, turn your attention to smaller companies with a faster hiring process. You’re not likely to receive an offer from Microsoft — or any other tech giant — in less than four weeks. 

Mentally prepare yourself upfront for a lengthy interview process. And of course, you should use as much of your available time as possible to prepare for the next step. 

3. The Eight Microsoft PM Levels

There are eight Microsoft PM level bands. Your level is determined by your expertise and skill, and if you’re a current employee, your performance to date. 

Each band has different responsibilities and compensation structures. 

PM 1 is the entry-level position at Microsoft, but still offers an average total compensation package of $146K. As you move up the ladder, the final stop at the PM level is Principal PM. 

Note: your salary can vary based on the team you join and your responsibilities. 

4. Competition is Stiff

The best PMs want to work at the best companies. And that’s why employers such as Microsoft, Facebook, and Google have their pick of who they hire. There’s no shortage of PM talent, so these companies don’t have to settle for anything less than the best.

Microsoft’s hiring requirements may not be as strict as other tech companies, like Google, but they’re not far behind. Some of the things you can do to position yourself above other candidates include:

• Prepare for anything and everything that could come at you during your interview (see below). This gives you confidence and allows you to answer any question without stumbling. 
• Display unique skills and traits that align with the six above: customer-centric, data analytics skills, enterprise and business-driven, innovative, leadership skills, and results-oriented. For example, if you’ve created and launched a successful product on your own, share your experience in your resume and during the interview process. 
• Know the company and its products inside and out. Go beyond the division, product, or team you’re applying to join. 

How to Prepare for a Microsoft PM Interview

No two people take an identical approach to preparing for a Microsoft PM interview, but there’s a basic structure anyone can use. Recently, we spoke with Mukta Agarwal, a product manager who recently passed the Microsoft PM interview. He’s her 10-step preparation process:

• Update my resume with current skills and experience.
• Explore PM career opportunities on all applicable job platforms.
• Connect with my network for references.
• Maintain a job tracker to keep an updated list of positions I applied for.
• Spend two to three hours per day preparing, especially after I received the Microsoft interview screening call.
• Learn more about the current structure of the questions commonly asked at Microsoft.
• Resume review to ensure familiarity and to create examples to back up the information shared. 
• Preparation focused on system design, product design, and estimation questions, as these are common at Microsoft. 
• Preparation focused on soft skills and non-technical questions, including frameworks for answering them. 
• Practice, practice, and practice some more.

Maybe you’ve already done some of these things, like updating your resume to match the job description. But even so, you probably need to touch on several of these areas to feel confident as you move into the first step of your interview.

Along with the above, PM Exercises has many resources for helping you ace the Microsoft PM interview. Here are just a few examples:

• Database of interview questions: 100+ of the most common Microsoft PM interview questions, along with potential answers from our community members. 
• PM interview course: 100+ online lessons and 50+ video hours to help you prepare for every aspect of your interview. 
• Mock interviews: PM mock interviews provide real-life interview experience with a seasoned product manager. 

Do you have experience with the Microsoft PM interview process? Would you add anything to the details above? Contact us at [email protected] to share your experience and guidance. Our community would love to learn more from you!