Product manager (@samsung) to Engineering Program Manager (@apple) a demotion?
I currently work at Samsung as a product manager. I love the job and the work I do. Current role is really great where I get to enable future technology, interact with all great companies and learn about their projects, travel etc. But there is no growth and stuck at 2015 salary. Apple got in touch with two Engineering Program Manager roles. Don't know much about the roles yet but I asked few friends at Apple and they said EPM role is mainly schedules and communication management,it's not highly respected position compared to product manager. They said all Apple EPM wants to become product manager eventually. From this limited research it looks like it would be a demotion for me if I accept this job. However, I will get higher salary and a new company in my resume as experience. What do you guys think about EPM role at Apple ?
EPM role is mainly ensuring project stays on track and all the milestones are met. Nothing to do with actual engineering
Yeah..little product, way more project management
Yes. It depends what you like about your role and what you consider “enabling technology”. If you like product planning, figure out the requirements and shape a feature or product, the job will be sorely disappointing. If you love getting teams together and making sure things are on schedule, then this is your jam. Most technical people I know don’t like being an epm at Apple.
Agreed 100%
I was a L6 senior product manager at amazon and now EPM at Apple. I love my job a lot more than when I was at amazon and overall pay was higher. I wouldn’t say it is a demotion at all. It really depends what you like doing, product management and project management is very different. Do you want to define what a product/feature set, do market research or do you want be in the process of actually making the product?
I was a Apple EPM for 6 years and now at Google. Apple experience is fabulous and you really learn very fast.On the flip side you really have no say in product definition or features which gets boring if you have a tech background.However you become a expert in execution and manufacturing .
It’s a demotion. You are a schedule monkey setting up meetings and tracking milestones. Samsung comp is on par if not better than Apple. Samsung allows ideas to trickle up which does influence product and feature definition and in some rare cases strategy. At Apple, you will be told what to do.
Samsung -> Apple is never a demotion. 🍆
Is there a real reason you say this besides it being funny? Mind you, we are not comparing Samsung phone vs Apple phone here, we are comparing the jobs. Why do you think Apple job is always better than samsung?
Brand, reputation, resume, pay, career opportunities that open up.