yes ik another of these posts. i’m a current undergrad at HYPSM (top schools) with 2 faang internship and one pm internship at startup. Debating on whether i should just stick with swe or go into PM (if i can manage getting into a top APM program). Even if i get into a top apm program like g, linkedin, etc. is it still worth it? Please feel free to comment to add more rationale behind your vote
Do SWE, gain lots of experience, and then switch to PM or even engineering manager. A PM with SWE experience is much better because they understand the technical side
This. But you might as well try PM if you can get the APM and a return offer. If you can't just do SWE and get more TC. I was SWE then fell into PM for 8 years then switched back to SWE. Mainly because the company that I was lead PM got acquired by a dino tech company and then their culture for PM was not to own products, but rather project management. The true product owners of that company were technical fellows or some high level engineering manager.
I’m a pm. Never was a swe but have the CS degree. I’m currently a pm for several pretty technical products. Not sure the junior level skills you master as a junior swe are super important long term. As a PM I work with fairly senior engineers all the time and suspect I’m getting exposed to higher level engineering concepts. I find the senior level skills more intellectually stimulating and suspect they’re what’s really relevant for me as a PM.
PM path is not for faint of heart. If you get laid off you will be burnt toast