Amazon seems to value MBA's more than most tech companies for the PM role. Does this generally hold true? How are other Master's Degrees perceived (ie. MEng Software Management, MEM Eng Management) in lieu of an MBA?
Yes lots of PMs without MBA. I'm one of them (PM-T)
Good to know - do Master's degrees help at all? Technical/Management?
Are you looking at the new grad route or industry hire? If new grad, Amazon hires MBAs directly into L6 PM role from biz school. Other route is industry hire. They need min bachelor's degree. Masters might help if they want to see whom to give an interview invite. After that it depends on ur interview performance, education doesn't matter at that point
Fresh grad Phd: L4 Fresh grad MBA: L6
Yes making MBA grads with no experience L6 sucks.
Are you for real? PhD only gets L4? Is this Applied Scientist?
Amazon hires non MBA PMs and there are those who grew up within amazon from different roles to be PMs w/o B-School. That’s said, for industry hires without MBA, work experience is paramount. Have not really seen PMs being sourced out of other master programs. Having a different master AND industry experience would help. Degrees you mentioned sounds as a better fit for PrM/TPM roles.
Another path to PdM at Amazon. Eccentric but not far off from reality: Liberal arts degree —> random work exp—> get in as L4/L5 Program Manager anywhere you can at Amazon —> get promoted to L6 Program Manager (handed out like candy) —> transfer to Product Manager with a pay bump.
Is it that easy to transfer to PM there?
Are you saying any random work experience, like an HR Associate can make you eligible for a PM job at Amazon? L4 to L5 PM to L6 PM to L6 Product Manager can take 2 or 3 years to accomplish. In the meantime, you have to fight for survival, be rated as top performer so you don't get forced out via pip. Instead of wasting your youth climbing this ladder, it's a good idea to spend the time on an MBA. I've seen a few people make it though. L4 program manager roles are also very hard to come by. They are also filled within a day or two.
Product Managers at Amazon have a very clear career path to general manager alike roles (single threaded leader managing cross-functional roles) and as such having a solid business background helps quite a bit. As a PM you are likely to drive or get heavily involved in running various business reviews as well, that includes owning a broader set of business objectives and metrics. You are expected to understand P&L and seamlessly read those of other groups. Without an MBA, I don't have one (Retail org), it's really difficult at times.
Couldn't you get by if you had an undergrad business degree? (ie. Is the MBA necessary)?
You could. Reading a P&L and finding commercial drivers isn’t rocket science. Avoid an MBA if you can rise up without the expense.
I don’t think I know a PM at Amazon without San MBA.
Plenty of them out there and they have real exp
There are all kind of folks with and without MBAs but I have to say that Amazon values MBAs than others. I also see how these MBA folks with tech background products with a greater focus on business than others. There are exceptions as well but generally holds true.
I got an invite for their MBA 2021 PM positions because I finish a MS in Systems Engineering in December. I just completed the OA. Will it be held against me for not having a MBA if I make it to onsite do you think? Rn I do project management type work as a systems engineer, have been a SWE, and have acted as scrum master before for a brief period but don’t really have a lot of PM experience.
I got a job as PM without MBA. However I haven’t seen anyone else yet at Amazon😃. Also I am not PMT just PM.
I am a Sr. PMT at Amazon without an MBA. I agree with the OP-- almost every PM or PMT I know at Amazon has an MBA. I may still go for mine in the near future. Not because of the current role, but to open doors for other opportunities in future.
Would Amazon consider someone with consulting experience for Technical product manager role?