Product Manager at Top Tech Companies
Working as a Product Manager in the world’s top tech companies such as Google, Microsoft, Facebook, Apple and Amazon is rewarding both professionally and financially, but also comes with challenges. A lot is expected from PMs who’re expected to spearhead the development of good products and ensure a company’s financial and strategic positioning is maintained. Product Managers at these companies are expected to build products that fully meet customer needs while contributing to the success of a business.
PMs who work in these tech giants work as CEOs of the product expected to lay out the initial product vision based on market assessment and requirements gathering. They also closely work with cross-functional teams including product, engineering, design as well as sales and marketing. To succeed in big tech giants, PMs are expected to strongly understand the target market in order to accurately capture its needs and create positive experiences for customers.
Below is a highlight of what Product Managers do at Google, Microsoft, Facebook, Apple and Amazon.
Google is considered on the most attractive employer of Product Managers globally as Google PMs are considered the best in the world. The company prefers hiring PMs with a technical or engineering background as product management activities are highly technical. With a large portfolio of products, Google PMs find themselves deeply rooted in innovation in a role where excellent managerial and communication skills are critical.
Google PMs perform their functions within a broader product management team linking both the technical and business side of a company. Product Managers are expected to always think about the future impact when designing new Google products. As a Product Manager, you’re expected to be action-oriented and be capable of analyzing and breaking down technical and complex situations into systematic and defined processes to aid building of products in line with Google’s product development framework.
Microsoft
Microsoft is a global tech giant and an attractive destination for Product Managers who want to work in a highly rewarding, respected and multi-cultural company. Unlike Google and Apple, Microsoft PMs take on a more marketing-based role. As a market-driven company, PMs work within a company whose duties are split between market and engineering. Product Managers in Microsoft can either be Product Marketing Managers or Program Managers. Product Marketing Managers at Microsoft are responsible for defining the product roadmap, drive messaging, assists with supply chain issues, determines strategies for pricing and manages customer sales and marketing relationships. Program managers on the other hand are in charge of the New Product Introduction (NPI) process and overseeing multiple milestones until a product is finally delivered to the market.
Apple
Apple has a mission to design exceptional tech products within a highly structured framework that emphasizes on fully meeting customer expectations. Apple Product Managers focus heavily on design which is the benchmark for product development. PMs at Apple are held in high esteem because all the company’s achievements revolve around the design and building of great products. Teams at Apple work closely throughout the ANPP (Apple New Product Process) which is a detailed roadmap including realistic and deliverable timelines. Every milestone has a DRI (directly Responsible Individual) whose task is to ensure initiatives defined under a milestone are accomplished. Apple PMs are expected to be skilled both in strategic and tactical approaches as well as adopt a futuristic approach while remaining updated on current trends.
Amazon
Amazon has over the years supplied the entire globe with the best products. Product Managers play a key role at the world’s top e-commerce giant as their role centers on innovation to enable the company easily move products across a vast global logistical network. Amazon PMs are expected to be highly analytical and good in stakeholder management considering they have to seamlessly work with multiple cross-functional teams. Product Managers cuts across both technical and non-technical categories with both teams ensuring product teams follow up on tasks to ensure success. Amazon PMs focus on task prioritization and ensure all product development activities are executed systematically. They also collaborate extensively with both internal and external stakeholders to build consensus and ensure a coordinated approach to product development activities.
A global tech giant, Facebook heavily relies on its Product Managers to achieve its development agenda and remain globally competitive. PM roles at Facebook are diverse depending on the department a Product Manager is assigned to. While some PMs focus on testing growth strategies, others are assigned to specific areas such as News Feeds. Facebook emphasizes on PM experts with a technical background as they’re involved in building various projects such as social products, mock-ups as well as external products. Facebook PMs collaborate closely with software engineers, product teams, data scientists as well as marketing experts.
A large responsibility for Facebook PMs is consensus building as well as dealing with many other issues beyond strategy, development and execution. For instance, Facebook PMs work with product marketers to assist in marketing aspects such as budgeting. They also closely follow-up the product roadmap with key stakeholders such as product owners and analysts to ensure product development processes are successful.
