Oh crap, GPM is glorified project manager! /s

Software Engineer

Product roles in India is still behind the ones which are available in USA and most of the times it's still not what a actual PMing is

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Query- what do PMs on grapevine think about product management

Product Manager

Query- what do PMs on grapevine think about product management- Grapevine

Welcome to Indian Startups's Private Community

Product managers are a divisive bunch. Ask us what we do, and most of us puff our chests and babble about Steve Jobs, PMF and god-knows-what. The rest slouch and mumble something about writing JIRAs.

Curious about how non-PM folks view us - both good and bad!

What do you think of Product Managers?

Welcome to Software Engineers's Private Community

Let's face it. In some company (read mine) they are the gatekeepers of all things roadmap, obviousness, communication between engineers and business. While in some companies they are nothing but a left over thought acting no more than a typical Program Manager (Google and how Engineers have more say and power in roadmaps).

What are your thoughts on your PM?

Ask Engineers: Thoughts on Product Managers?

Tech Lead

Welcome to Product Managers's Private Community

Ask me anything except my company name, or things that can reveal my identity. I may respectfully choose not to respond to your question based on my own judgement.

Here’s a brief intro about me: I’ve worked as both software engineering manager & software technical architect over the last 18+ years on various tech stacks managing backend, frontend and a little bit of cloud. I have seen ups and downs in the software industry. Currently I’m working as a senior architect in one of the product based companies in India.

I’ve been an Engineering Manager before. Ask me anything.

Software Architect

I am reading very often that the craze around product management is too much and this career is not worth the hype. Adding on to that it has huge supply of PMs and many of PMs are underpaid. Is it true?

Is product management as career reallyworth the hype?

Intern

When asked at the end of the interview, what questions do you generally ask the interviewers? There can be two types of interviewers, one from the PM org and the other from the engineering org (in later rounds) and usually senior folks. What type of questions can be asked to both types of panels?

PM interviews: What questions do you generally ask interviewers after the interview?

Experienced Product, Tech, Sales, founder folks of GV, what would be your one piece of advice for a new APM/PM (1-2 yoe) in the industry, that would help them in the long run.
Feel free to also let us know any mistakes you made as a Product guy, early in your career.

Advice for PMs!

[Thread] What is the one thing you could add to PM, so that it doesn’t become the HR of jokes?

Is product management going away?

Analyst

This question is more for senior PMs and above who end up taking lot of interviews. 

Why do you ask this question? 

My question is around guesstimate, since the product we're building requires lots of data analysis. And I would prefer a PM from a STEM background.

Mostly TAM related: example: Estimate the TAM of an in-car entertainment system for the next generation of internet users

PMs on grapevine: what is your favourite question that you usually ask in the interview?

Software Developer

Please put an example of why you think so, it will help everyone know the difference of great v good product work.

Reply if your company does great Product work

Office Assistant

Hey guys, I’m from a non-tech background working in sales (with MBA) & looking to get into PM role. Can grapevine family help/share some tips as to how can I switch to PM role?

TIA.

Product Mgmt. Role

Account Manager

Sharing some reflections on this:

1. Product is not a function with a large hierarchy / multiple levels in the ladder. Managerial responsibility comes in very late in the product career and the spans are typically small (relative to other functions like engineering, sales, operations). This also means a steeper funnel to the top and only a handful VP Product roles in the industry.

2. Product is centered around technology and digital consumer trends, both of which are fast changing. This requires constant unlearning and relearning. But more critically, this also means that previous knowledge/experience hits a plateau on marginal value beyond a basic threshold (where you have developed some essential product semse and skills).

3. Product managers are also much higher-paid vs other functional peers, at comparable years of experience. This means that a PM gets to a very high salary (say, 1+ crore) by the age of 40 (15-20y into their career). Tech functions in non-tech companies (like FMCG, banking) cannot offer that kind of pay, meaning salary growth beyond a point is limited to tech-first companies / limiting addressable market for lateral moves.

All of these considererd, how should PMs think about the longevity of their careers? Unlike traditional roles, this does not seem like a "retire at 60" job. What would be the realistic age one should plan for, at which career growth and salary growth will stagnate? What are ways in which a 80%ile PM can extend their career (eg: also taking up engineering management or P&L responsibility or growth function etc., to increase scope)?

PS: this post is not for the top 5-10% PMs. They will always find roles at VP level etc, this is for the 50-90%ile bucket of PM talent.

Longevity of a product career

Will commend you on a very well written and well articulated post. 
  
 Options for the future will be apparent at ~40.  Most peak roles will be achieved between 45-50. 
  
 Possible exits: 
  
 1. Running Category roles at companies which have a broad canvas, multiple product categories. 
 2. Deputing for and eventually running a P&L or a LoB. 
 3. Sales or more critically Customer Success.  Don't shy away from revenue responsibilities. 
  
 Engineering is a sharp left turn imo.  It's not an overlapping skillset at best and don't see how that is part of a PMs likely roadmap.

Sales Manager

Investor

What does a product manager actually do?

Would you rather be an Engineer learning how to Product or a Product Manager learning how to Engineer?

Answer is obvious mate. And it's already in motion. 
 Everyone knows current product management breed is a messed up fraudulent bunch. They will run into poverty if they don't change ways🙂

Founding Engineer

Coding is like solving 2+2 but coders take pride in the fact that you do it in English but I can do it in Sanskrit.Iykwim. I have coded for two years and as long as you're well versed in a language it's like making simple additions and subtractions in that language. Still coders make mistakes because they're lazy and incompetent like the rest of us . 80 percentage of coders just solve basics and still act like it's a big deal . Product Managers are not special I get it but coders are not special too just by knowing a language. It's like a bilingual person shitting on someone who knows just one language. When we all know if you're brought up in a certain way it's very easy to speak in two languages like we all do in India.

Why do people shit on product managers

Do anyone else think PMs aren't very good at the things they are supposed to do.
It is evident from failing products across industry.
Any views??

Are PMs even revelant?

With over 10+ years of experience in Product management within the insurance and Fintech sector, I’ve realized that product management is still not understood/defined well as a role. I’m open to all sort of queries.

Ex-Policybazaar Product Head #AMA

Product Owner

"How do you look after any program from start to end that comes to you? How do you prioritize? What was the product process you followed?"

I explained the exact thing that i have followed in my previous company as a PM intern but the interviewer did not like the answer (maybe my structuring was wrong or maybe my way of communication). 

I want to understand from the experienced folks - how would they approach this question if they were asked this in an interview?

If this question is asked to you in a product management interview. What do you answer?

Hey everyone, excited to be doing this AMA!

A brief about me, I work currently as a Director of Product at an Indian unicorn startup 

About my career: 
- Did my undergrad from IIT and then masters from an Ivy league school
- Have been in product for almost 10 years now - across 2 Indian unicorn startups and a publicly listed company

Would love to take questions on what it means to be a PM, growing within the role, building your career, and other things :) 

Will be back here at 4 pm and start replying
Shoot away!

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