Program Manager Role at Microsoft

FedEx
rxka37

Go to company page FedEx

rxka37
Apr 30, 2020 127 Comments

I am curious to know what the program manager role at Microsoft really entails? I am looking for the next move in my career, currently a product owner with 2 years of experience. Is coding part of the expected job responsibilities?l

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TOP 127 Comments
  • Nordson
    gotcoffee

    Nordson

    gotcoffee
    Pretty much just powerpoints and emails/meetings all day. No coding although there might be some in the interview
    Apr 30, 2020 31
    • Google / Product
      Gooooogle

      Go to company page Google Product

      Gooooogle
      @tJpM71 I'm just a GPM with 15 yoe at Microsoft, Facebook (hired as a MSFT PM), and Google. What do I know, right?

      I never said anything about Microsoft TPMs. Sounds like you can't even read. Thanks for your worthless ignorant opinions and backpedaling 5% BS. You're right, no point arguing with a bonehead.
      May 2, 2020
    • TPM has always sounded like a fun job. Not sure why anyone should care about whether or not they are second class citizens. Do you enjoy your work and get paid fairly? Then who cares what some clueless dev thinks.
      May 4, 2020
  • Facebook
    summerdone

    Go to company page Facebook

    summerdone
    Honestly, based on the last 2 Microsoft PMs I knew, you just need to be able to sound like you know everything and good at playing politics.

    IRL, you don't need to know shit.
    May 1, 2020 6
    • Facebook
      summerdone

      Go to company page Facebook

      summerdone
      The problem is when it's one of your only skills and it's not used to benefit the team.

      I've met great Product Managers, Project Managers, and Scrum Masters. I've also met people that were absolute shit, and intentionally so. (They used "playing politics" to throw others under the bus and screw the team over.)

      Two of the bad ones both came from Microsoft. Not say there isn't anyone with skills there, but one of the few I knew was good left.
      May 1, 2020
    • Twilio / Sales
      twiml

      Go to company page Twilio Sales

      twiml
      I guess it's harder to hide as a bad PM than it is to as a bad engineer.
      May 1, 2020
  • IBM
    Trunk

    Go to company page IBM

    Trunk
    It's the usual PM role everywhere else. People who couldn't make it as an SDE, so they parade around pretending to understand all the buzzwords.

    The flipside is, most executives likely started off in a role like this. So if you persist long enough, then you too can order around SDEs one day.
    May 1, 2020 10
    • IBM
      Trunk

      Go to company page IBM

      Trunk
      Now that I think about it, most TPMs I've worked with are mid to late career folks. I do see that being a viable career option myself one day when the SDE burnout arrives.
      May 2, 2020
    • Amazon
      billyRob

      Go to company page Amazon

      billyRob
      PM role has worse WLB, at least at the 6 and above at Amazon.
      May 2, 2020
  • Why is it that whenever anyone opens any topic on PM, the PM bashing starts immediately on Blind? Are devs jealous of PMs or, they do not understand what PMs do hence vent on Blind?

    I am not a PM, but, I have seen so many Devs..who are basically unemployable even at McDonald's...just because they don't understand business...
    May 1, 2020 7
    • @jyret if you’re a dev your comment strongly proves the point why PMs are needed.
      May 2, 2020
    • Amazon
      billyRob

      Go to company page Amazon

      billyRob
      @paec - why are you bringing up TPMs? The discussion was around SDE and Product. TPMs job descriptions quite literally only matters once a company scales up or needs organization - its a technical program/project role. There is no need for a TPM during a nascent stage. Your question is perplexing and makes you seem like a dolt.

      It appears a few code jockeys believe any business function is ancillary
      May 2, 2020
  • Program Manager is a catch-all title at Microsoft.
    Apr 30, 2020 2
    • New
      MooLan

      New

      PRE
      NortonLifeLock, Microsoft
      MooLan
      Yep. You could be a facilities staff and be designated as a PM.

      And I guess the janitors also do a lot more work as PMs than the rest of the IT crowd combined
      May 5, 2020
    • 💯 % agree with MooLan
      Feb 6, 2021