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Using Product Management to Get a Product Management Gig
The document details Andrew Hsu's journey through job searching and product management, including his past experiences and the lessons learned throughout his interviews over several months. It outlines his problem-solving processes, goal-setting frameworks, networking strategies, and adjustments made based on feedback and experiences. Hsu emphasizes the importance of continuous learning, adaptability, and staying positive in the face of challenges while seeking a product management role in healthcare or energy sectors.
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Using Product Management to Get a Product Management Gig
- 1. Andrew Hsu ||2019-02-10 USING PRODUCT MANAGEMENT TO GET A PRODUCT MANAGEMENT GIG
- 2. ABOUT ME Past ﹢ Electricalengineer ﹢ 7+ years of product management Launched Android and iOS apps, coordinated a design refresh of Google sign-in, grew a start-up to value homes using machine learning, and consulted to raise company motivation and performance Present ﹢ Oscar Health
- 3. ABOUT ME Unfortunately, andfortunately, I have experience over these past 7+ years... ﹢ 6 companies ﹢ 2 “from scratch” job searches ﹢ 3 different cities
- 4. TODAY ﹢ Product management Processesand frameworks ﹢ Stories Inspiration and customization ideas ﹢ Lessons Favorite lessons learned ﹢ Ask Take the first step
- 5. PRODUCT MANAGEMENT Processes andframeworks
- 6. PRODUCT MANAGEMENT 1. ProblemSolving A process to problem solve and keep moving 2. Roadmap A framework to articulate your goals 3. Adjust A framework to refine your goals and process along the way
- 7. PM PROBLEM SOLVING ﹢Start ﹢ Retro ﹢ Adjust ﹢ Share
- 8. PM ROADMAP Where we’dlike to go and how we’re going to get there ﹢ Vision ﹢ Mission ﹢ Monthly roadmap • Goals • Accomplishments
- 9. PM ADJUST What’s changed,what we’ve learned, and new goals ﹢ Retro ﹢ Accomplishments ﹢ New goals
- 10.
- 11.
- 12. Laid off andjob searching...
- 13. MONTH 1 Transition andtry to relax
- 14. REALITY NOT RELAXING ﹢6 trips to T-mobile ﹢ 2 extra weeks of work ﹢ Starting to organize the entire home ﹢ Unsolicited introductory emails ﹢ Meetings
- 15. REALITY INTRODUCTIONS ANDMEETINGS Unsolicited introductory emails ﹢ Forced to write a mission Meetings ﹢ Forced to prepare
- 16. ﹢ Deep researchon person’s background • LinkedIn - (connections, stability) • Greenhouse (culture) • CrunchBase (rounds of funding) • Blog (recent focus) • Publications (marketing focus) ﹢ What they’re working on ﹢ Hypothesize on their problems MEETING PREP
- 17. ﹢ I tellmy story ﹢ They tell their story ﹢ Offer each other topical help ﹢ Talk generally about positions at their company and about what’s interesting ﹢ Drink a lotttt of coffee ﹢ Ask for help and introductions ﹢ Offer help ﹢ Never explicitly asked for a job MEETING
- 18. ﹢ I'm verycaffeinated ⤑ Drink tea ﹢ Past stories not specific enough ⤑ Review resume, practice my story telling ﹢ Unclear mission ⤑ Unsure what to do about it MEETING RETRO
- 19. Monthly Roadmap AUG -Relax PM ROADMAP Vision Mission
- 20. PM MISSION Here’s aquick run down on what I’m looking for: 1. A team that recognizes the world is always changing and constantly seeks to learn and improve how it operates and how to make a better product 2. A company that is dedicated to the product they’re building 3. Products which give time back to people or create social good: Education 4. A senior product manager or director of product role 5. A medium sized company (50 to 2,000)
- 21. PM ADJUST 2.1 Retro ﹢I'm very caffeinated; Drink tea ﹢ Past stories not specific enough; Practice talking about my past accomplishments ﹢ Unclear mission; Keep searching and practicing 2.2 Accomplishments ﹢ Met many interesting people and landed an interview 2.3 Goals ﹢ Apply in earnest and interview ﹢ Get more comfortable with my story
- 22. PM ROADMAP Monthly Roadmap AUG- Relax ﹢ Goal: Enjoy ﹢ Accomplishments: 1 interview SEPT - Applying and interviewing ﹢ Goal: Get 3 interviews Vision ... Mission *New*
- 23. Month 2 Applying andinterviewing
- 24. ﹢ Turned onLinkedIn ﹢ Email: Friends asking for job leads ﹢ In person: Mention I lost my job and explain what I’m looking for ﹢ Take every meeting: friends, recruiters, and interviews JUST START...
- 25. Public company, 20years, 2,000 people ﹢ 2 general managers in NY (business context, key problems - situational asks) ﹢ Project manager (how we’d work together) ﹢ New manager and head of business in Seattle (company structure and new responsibilities) ﹢ Co-founder (what he’s looking for) ﹢ 5 leaders across 3 offices JOB 1
- 26.
- 27. ﹢ …..…... ﹢ Noone owes you anything ﹢ Volatility is a constant ﹢ “At least half the time, when a company rejects you, it’s not you. Budgets change, needs change, the company could be re-organizing, or it could even be shutting down.” Adjustment: ﹢ Get used to no feedback ﹢ Evaluate company stability JOB 1 RETRO
- 28. 100 person startup, Series B ﹢ COO - Get to know each other (casual) ﹢ CTO & Managing director (role of product management, different conceptual question) ﹢ CEO - Problem solving approach (business, culture shifts, problem solving) ﹢ Managing director again (role shifts, problems) ﹢ COO - Consulting problem (How many ways can you organize these paintings?) JOB 2
- 29.
- 30. Work through myfeelings ﹢ What kind of BS is this ﹢ “5 rounds of interviews and then a question completely unrelated to my job” ﹢ Not even a word JOB 2 RETRO
- 31.
- 32. Discussed interview indepth with multiple people, realized: ﹢ False expectations - “I should solve problems here like I solve them in the real world” ﹢ Not solving the real question being asked - Question being asked AND... • Culture fit, expansive thinking, creativity, ability to dig, focus on customer, etc… ﹢ Not managing time - Compressed time frame, person is often late ﹢ Not being positive - Time and time again, If I’m negative or incredulous, I perform worse JOB 2 RETRO
- 33. Adjustment: Practicing againstmy failings ﹢ Ask friends who interview at their companies to ask me conceptual questions ﹢ Answer them in 30 minutes ﹢ Practice positivity, time management, solving different types of problems - creativity, etc. Adjustment: Found new mental models ﹢ Anytime stuck, work backwards ﹢ After answering a conceptual question, think 3D to expand your ideation JOB 2 RETRO
- 34. PM ADJUST Retros ﹢ Don’texpect feedback ﹢ Lose my expectations, be positive, manage time, “answer the true questions” Accomplishments ﹢ 2 “last round” interviews ﹢ Talking about my past accomplishments more effectively Goals ﹢ "This is an opportunity to make a world class network" ﹢ Meet more people ﹢ Get to know the NY scene ﹢ Find communities I want to be a part of long term
- 35. PM ROADMAP Vision Still unknown,many quizzes taken Mission Company with more than 100 people, in healthcare, emergency services, or energy. AUG - Tie up loose ends; 1 interview SEPT - Applying and interviewing ﹢ Goal: Get 3 interviews ﹢ Accomplishments: 2 interviews OCT - Invest in networks ﹢ Goal: Expand top of funnel ﹢ Accomplishments: NOV DEC
- 36. Month 3 Invest innetworks
- 37. ﹢ University alumnigroups ﹢ Ex-company groups ﹢ Meet-up groups NETWORKING SET UP
- 38. NETWORKING ﹢ Attended 4events ﹢ Found two amazing companies ﹢ Met many inspiring people ﹢ Many introductions ﹢ No interviews
- 39. ﹢ Go withsomeone positive ﹢ Choose long term communities (Lessened mental angst about “networking”) ﹢ Be consistent to the events ﹢ My mission is landing better ﹢ Continue even after getting a job NETWORKING RETRO
- 40. 200 people, SeriesD ﹢ Call - 1 recruiter interview (company background) ﹢ Call - GM (product role) ﹢ In person - General manager and Head of operations (situational) ﹢ All day (case interview + presentation) • Group - Head of operations (defining the problem) • Group - CTO and 2 engineers (engineering research) • Lunch - 4 people • 2 hours - Build presentation • Present to 8 people - 3 month road map JOB 3
- 41. Reasons I failedand mitigation strategies ﹢ Don’t actively manage time ⤑ Maintain a sense of urgency, know I’m fighting the clock ﹢ Not positive ⤑ Regardless of what happens, stay positive and calm ﹢ Get off topic, don’t actually answer the question they need ⤑ Notice when the conversation is not flowing ⤑ “Re-base” - pull up and ask if the solution is going in the direction they need ⤑ Ask exactly what they’re looking for and expecting JOB 3 PRE-MORTEM
- 42. ﹢ Group -Head of operations (defining the problem) ﹢ Group - CTO and 2 engineers (engineering research) • Re-based with CTO: “What do you think I should focus on?” • Answer: “Just the problem, not the customer or tech stack” ﹢ Lunch - 4 people ﹢ Problem solve ﹢ 2 hours - Build presentation ﹢ Present to 8 people - 3 month road map JOB 3 INTERVIEW
- 43. ﹢ Group -Head of operations (defining the problem) ﹢ Group - CTO and 2 engineers (engineering research) • Re-based with CTO: “What do you think I should focus on?” • Answer: “Just the problem, not the customer or tech stack” ﹢ Lunch - 4 people ﹢ Problem solve • Re-based with GM: “Here’s the problem I see and my solution. Does this feel right? What’s the ideal presentation format?” • Answer: “30, 60, 90 day plan” ﹢ 2 hours - Build presentation (30 min. build, 30 min. of feedback) ﹢ Present to 8 people - 3 month road map JOB 3 INTERVIEW
- 44. ﹢ Presented a30, 60, 90 day plan to 8 people ﹢ Conducted immediate presentation retro ﹢ Very positive feedback ﹢ Had an hour more to ask questions JOB 3 RESULT
- 45. Hired someone moreexperienced
- 46. ﹢ Past retro100% helped ﹢ Reinforced: My performance is at most half of the equation in interviews Adjustment: ﹢ Try to get to solution even faster and add more perspectives to it ﹢ Practice presenting design solutions ﹢ Practice presenting technical solutions JOB 3 RETRO
- 47. PM ADJUST Retros ﹢ Practicepresenting design solutions ﹢ Practice presenting technical solutions Accomplishments ﹢ 3 interviews ﹢ I’ve made a lot of progress in getting comfortable with interviews Goals ﹢ Meet even more people and keep expanding top of funnel ﹢ Understand how VC’s evaluate markets and choose investments ﹢ Practice getting to design and technical solutions quickly
- 48. PM ROADMAP F2.1 Vision ... F2.2Mission (more conviction) I'm looking for a company that's 100 people plus, working in medical, wellness, emergency response, or energy. I’d like to close a job by next April.
- 49. PM ROADMAP AUG -Relax SEPT - Applying and interviewing ﹢ Goal: Get 3 interviews ﹢ Accomplishments: 2 interviews OCT - Invest in networks ﹢ Goal: Expand top of funnel ﹢ Accomplishments: 3 interviews, strong presentation, more comfort, new friends and connections NOV - Study the NY market ﹢ Goal: Learn how VC’s evaluate industries, find more industries I’m interested in ﹢ Accomplishments: DEC - Pause
- 50. Month 4 Study theNY market
- 51. 1,200 people, SeriesD ﹢ Call - Recruiter call ﹢ Call - Recruiter ﹢ Call - Product (situational) ﹢ On site • 4 product managers (6 case studies, culture, role fit, interests) • 2 engineers (problem they were working on) JOB 4
- 52.
- 53. ﹢ I didnot know all roles open ⤑ Next time: study all open roles at a company ﹢ I could have reached out earlier to people to learn about Oscar ⤑ Next time: reach out earlier JOB 4: OSCAR RETRO
- 54.
- 55. PM PROBLEM SOLVING ﹢Start ﹢ Retro ﹢ Adjust ﹢ Share
- 56. PM ROADMAP Where we’dlike to go and how we’re going to get there ﹢ Vision ﹢ Mission ﹢ Monthly roadmap • Goals • Accomplishments
- 57. PM ADJUST What’s changed,what we’ve learned, and new goals ﹢ Retro ﹢ Accomplishments ﹢ New goals
- 58.
- 59.
- 60. LESSONS IT’S ALLABOUT THE PEOPLE ﹢ Don't stare at the computer screen, it's not going to give you feedback and it rarely gets you interviews. ﹢ Keep a steady stream of conversations, meetings and interviews going. ﹢ There are a lot of what if’s when you interview, here’s how I reduce churn: • Go long term - Any company / person I might want to have a "long term relationship" with is an easy yes • Follow the energy - Keep exploring people and companies that energize you
- 61.
- 62. ASK Write an email,call a friend, walk over to your roommate Hello ____<friend>_____, Long time. <pleasantries> In my past, <what did you own, what did you do, what did you accomplish> I'm interested in finding a product management job in <industry, role, topics> Do you have time to grab a coffee or talk next week?
- 63.