This week, Product College hosted Tannu Jiwnani, Senior Product Supervisor at Microsoft, for a particular #AskMeAnything session. Tannu spoke about core PM traits, networking to interrupt into Product, and roadmapping at Microsoft.
Meet Tannu
Tannu Jiwnani is a Senior Product Supervisor with years of expertise engaged on laptop software program. She is at the moment working at Microsoft.
She began with the corporate in 2018 as a Enterprise Program Supervisor. Earlier than that, she was a Senior Information Analyst at EY and GA Telesis. Tannu earned her Bachelor’s in Electronics and Telecommunications from the Bhilai Institute of Know-how, Durg. She later went on to attend the College of Florida for her Grasp’s in Info Programs and Operations Administration. Not solely did she graduate within the prime of her class with the Beta Gamma Sigma Honors Society, however she additionally held varied positions on the college together with Operations Affiliate, GBCS Ambassador, and Information Migration Analyst.
What are some core traits for a Product Supervisor?
I might emphasize delicate abilities. As a PM many of the occasions you’re engaged on merchandise/options which was not developed earlier than and require lots of communication, battle/time/stakeholder administration. Additionally, it’s essential to be comfortable with ambiguity, and asking proper questions to ensure we’re heading in direction of some readability.
Learn subsequent: Traits of Distinctive Product Managers
I’m an engineering undergrad seeking to transfer into the PM area, what would you counsel I do for an excellent begin?
I might counsel taking some small duties as a PM and begin exploring the world, it’s the easiest way to study one thing. Getting extra concerned with customer-facing engineering roles gives you the zest of the position, and allow you to getting ready your story as a PM at any time when you could have dialog with you subsequent potential hiring supervisor.
How to put together for Product Design interview questions?
- Learn up on books and familiarize your self with all of the sort of questions and respective approaches. I might suggest Fixing Product Design Workout routines, System Design Interview ( Alex Xu).
- There are bunch of YouTube assets obtainable too, they’re very useful as effectively.
- Working towards questions together with your friends, that’s the easiest way to get suggestions.
Take a look at: What Is Product Design?
What can I do to maximise my probabilities of getting my foot within the door and beginning my PM journey at corporations akin to Microsoft or Google?
IMO, Reaching out to people is essentially the most impactful. In the event you can attain out to hiring managers or recruiters with the precise job ID and what you’re searching for, it reduces their effort in addition to provides you a foot in or at the least have your resume checked out.
What’s the easiest way to interrupt into Product at Microsoft?
Utilizing LinkedIn posts as a useful resource is essential. If I as a recruiter or hiring supervisor am searching for a PM and the appropriate individual reaches out to me on LinkedIn, I can’t clarify how straightforward my job turns into. Networking/Referrals are additionally a great way as a result of you possibly can ask all of the questions in regards to the position to your referrer, to determine if the position is best for you or not.
Learn to make higher connections: Networking for Product Managers
I’m making an attempt to interrupt into Product. Would it not be efficient for me to pivot into Challenge Administration after which into Product Administration? Or ought to I goal Affiliate PM positions first?
If it’s within the PM position in identical area/trade you’re in I might say Product/Program supervisor is a proper entry path as you already deliver some area/trade expertise to the desk. Nevertheless, if you’re concentrating on completely different trade the place you haven’t any data of enterprise/trade then concentrating on an affiliate can be a wise transfer. You’ll be able to all the time show your self and progress forward.
How does roadmap planning occur at Microsoft for shopper going through non-technical enterprise merchandise?
There are numerous components to think about whereas defining roadmap:
1. What’s the Product Technique (imaginative and prescient, objectives, and so on)
2. What are the potential options mapping to that technique, what’s the function precedence?
3. Do we’ve necessities outlined? Do we’ve any exterior drivers for these function releases? As a PM its our job to think about the components and outline a roadmap ensuring you could have proper assets in place.
Any remaining ideas?
I might suggest searching for alternatives in your present position and act as a PM, possibly for a small undertaking, function, or process. That’s the easiest way to study something. Additionally, it’s serving to you create these tales /experiences which you’ll be able to communicate to in your subsequent PM interview, making a case for why you have an interest within the position.
