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Episode 30 - How to Crack your Product Manager Career (with Jackie Bavaro)

Authors
Getting into Product
Product Leadership
Top 6
Women in Product
Episode 30 - How to Crack your Product Manager Career (with Jackie Bavaro)
30 Jan 2021
Jackie Bavaro head shot
Jackie is formerly of Microsoft, Google and was the first Product hire at Asana. She's also the co-author of two fabulous books - "Cracking the PM Interview" and "Cracking the PM Career". We speak about her history in Product Management, why she wrote the books, and some great advice for all Product Managers to turbo-charge their careers.
Content Warning - May Contain Adult Language or Themes
Listen here!

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Closed captioning is available via YouTube - I am investigating better alternatives!


About the Episode

Jackie started her Product Management career as a Program Manager at Microsoft, before joining Google's Associate Product Manager programme and then getting hired as the first Product Manager at Asana. Back in 2013, she collaborated with Gayle McDowell to write the best-selling book "Cracking the PM Interview", which inspired a generation of Product Managers to get their first jobs. Jackie and Gayle are back with "Cracking the PM Career" which explains how to get good at it once you're in.

Understandably, we cover a lot, including:

  • How Jackie got into Product in the first place, and why Microsoft calls Product Managers Program Managers
  • The pros and cons of working for Google versus a new startup
  • How she met and decided to collaborate with Gayle McDowell and how they write together
  • How the FAANG companies reacted to her giving away all their secrets
  • Excellent advice on how to make an impact in your new PM job
  • How to avoid the dreaded Feature Factory, build a strategy and sell it
  • Why it's important to look outside your Product bubble for inspiration

And much more!

Contact Jackie

You can connect with Jackie on Twitter or find her on Medium.

Get the books!

You know it makes sense.. go and get 'em!

Cracking the PM Interview

Cracking the PM Career