How to Get a Product Manager Job, Presentation to Stanford GSB MBAs

1. Lewis C. Lin talk to Stanford MBAs
April 15, 2014
#GetPMJob1

2. The Role
#GetPMJob2

3. #GetPMJob3
What Product Managers “Can” Do
MarketingPM1 2
3
4

4. What Product Managers “Say” They Do
#GetPMJob4

5. What Product Managers “Typically” Do
#GetPMJob5
Understand
the customer
Develop
requirements
Prioritize
resources
Serve as
launch lead
Collect
feedback

6. Understanding the customer
#GetPMJob6
1. Name and alias
2. Problem quotes
3. Age, day in the
life, thoughts &
feelings
4. Goals
5. Behavioral
variables
1
2
3
4
5
Personas
Understand
the customer
Develop
requirements
Prioritize
resources
Primary POC
for launch
Collect
feedback

7. Developing requirements
#GetPMJob7
Understand
the customer
Develop
requirements
Prioritize
resources
Primary POC
for launch
Collect
feedback
As a <role>, I want <goal/desire> so that <benefit>.
Examples
 As an administrator, I want to be able to
add/delete/change my boss’s schedule so that I
don’t have to use his password.
 As a Facebook user, I want to see out-of-town
friends who send status messages in my hometown
first, so that I can send them a note.
User stories

8. Prioritizing resources
#GetPMJob8
Understand
the customer
Develop
requirements
Prioritize
resources
Primary POC
for launch
Collect
feedback
User Story Revenue Customer
Satisfaction
Implementatio
n Difficulty
Overall
Story A 3 3 1 9
Story B 2 2 2 6
Story C 1 1 3 3
Prioritization matrix

9. Serving as launch owner
#GetPMJob9
Responsibilities
 Manage project
execution
 Primary exec contact
 Primary product contact
 Primary press contact
Key documents
 Product FAQ
Understand
the customer
Develop
requirements
Prioritize
resources
Primary POC
for launch
Collect
feedback

10. Evaluating customer feedback
#GetPMJob10
Lift P-Value
# of users completing
signup
-13.21% 0.02
Profile completeness +1.65% 0.01
# of users the posted +2.11% 0.05
# posts +4.85% 0.01
# of invites sent +2.36% 0.02
1 day retention +2.12% 0.07
7 day retention +1.08% 0.20
30 day retention N/A N/A
Understand
the customer
Develop
requirements
Prioritize
resources
Primary POC
for launch
Collect
feedback
A/B test: Adding “upload photo” to social network sign-up flow

11. Day-in-the-life of a PM
#GetPMJob11
8:15a Go through emails
8:45a Read TC; check out Nest UI
9a Review mock-ups with designer
10a Lead daily stand-up meeting
10:30a Check email
11:30a Customer call with sales team
12p Lunch meeting with market research team
1p Last minute prep for product roadmap review
2p Product roadmap preso to executives
3p Send out meeting notes to team
3:30p Lead eng. call with Google to discuss API implementation
4:30p Review A/B test results
5:30p Work on product roadmap & tweak product backlog

12. Speed Round
#GetPMJob12

13. Quick tips for the PM interview
#GetPMJob13
Standard
 TMAY
 Why company X?
 Behavioral questions
Case questions
 Product design
 Pricing
 New market entry
 Analytical
 Strategy
 Technical