I had 50 Coffee Chats with 50 PM’s, and this is what I learned.

In 2022 I transferred from PSU to UW to pursue a more technical degree to support my interest in becoming a Product Manager. Despite cleaning up my resume 100 times and practicing PM questions about 200 times more, I found it difficult to land internships more than ever and I thought to myself… what am I doing wrong, and how can I keep learning during this time? Over the past 3 months I had 50 coffee chats with 50 PM’s from Apple, Adobe, Tesla, Microsoft, etc — and this is what I learned.

“Ask questions. Nobody knows what they’re doing, so I promise you, you’re not the dumbest person in the room”

Learn how to prioritize

Ask yourself:

1. What is the goal we are trying to achieve with this initiative?
2. How does this initiative align with the company’s overall vision and strategy?
3. What are the risks and uncertainties associated with this initiative, and how can we mitigate them?
4. How feasible and realistic is this initiative, given our available resources and constraints?
5. What is the urgency or timeline associated with this initiative, and how does it fit into our overall roadmap?
6. How does this initiative compare to other competing initiatives in terms of priority and impact?
7. How can we measure the success or failure of this initiative, and what metrics or KPIs should we use?
8. Be able to say no.

Communicate Effectively

“shit goes wrong and its not your fault, make sure to communicate it upwards, and ask for help often whenever you need. You don’t always have the answer, communicate when you don’t.”

1. Listen actively: Listen to your team, stakeholders, and customers actively, and try to understand their perspectives, needs, and feedback. This can help you address their concerns and make informed decisions.
2. Use visuals: Use diagrams, flowcharts, and other visuals to communicate complex concepts and ideas. This can help stakeholders and team members visualize the product vision, roadmap, and features more easily.
3. Be transparent: Be transparent about the product roadmap, priorities, and decisions, and communicate any changes or updates promptly. This can help build trust and credibility with your team and stakeholders.
4. Follow up: Follow up with your team and stakeholders regularly to ensure that everyone is on the same page and to address any concerns or questions that may arise.

How Can I Practice Being a Better PM while in College?

1. Try creating your own note system in Notion! This can help practice documenting information and developing organizational skills for your digital workspace.
2. Take on leadership roles in class/clubs.
3. Learn what kind of PM you want to be, don’t be afraid to reach out to people on Linkedin and ask questions.
4. Read newsletters/listen to podcasts; having a pulse on the industry and learning the language can help tremendously in interviews.

Best Resources:

1. Best Interview Guide (1): https://www.tryexponent.com/courses/pm?src=nav
2. Best Interview Guide (2): https://brainstation.io/career-guides/product-manager-interview-questions
3. Guide to perfecting product design question: https://producthq.org/career/product-manager-interview-questions/product-manager-interview-the-product-design-question/
4. Building user empathy: https://growth.design
5. Best blog: https://www.mindtheproduct.com
6. Best podcast: https://mastersofscale.com
7. My personal favorite newsletter/podcast: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com

Lastly, huge shoutout to all the Product Manager’s who were willing to hop on a call with me, I am honestly so grateful for being able to connect with such an incredible community of talented people :)