TPM at Microsoft/Amazon/Google
What is the difference is skill set between a Cloud Solutions Architect and a Technical Program manager? Do you think it is easy to switch between the two at these companies?
By the way, TPM isnt a thing at Microsoft. Look at yourself in //who. Does it say TPM? (...no) I'm assuming the transition you are referring to is CSA and PM in Azure. I think there is a good case to be made for transfers both ways. For this scenario, I have seen a lot of complementary skills sets. As PMs in azure we get to know many of the architecture details for the product we cover. Some senior PMs even understand some of the design patterns being used. I dont think this is necessarily useful or expected, but I hope this gives you some perspective. What I think we lack, that CSAs have, is perhaps the architecture of a solution E2E. I think CSAs can put together great scenarios that reflect real problems. While PMs talk all day about understanding their product I have seen a lack of E2E knowledge when trying to put a demo together to show a proof concept. Sure, we know how to set/disable options to get things to work, but I think many of those scenarios aren't that useful if not presented in bigger context. With that said, I think CSAs and PMs both have complimentary customer perspectives (macro vs micro). If you were a PM for Azure, I think that studying for the AZ-300 exams would give you an idea of the breadth you need to achieve to be a CSA. In my opinion, CSAs wanting to transfer to PMs most likely will need to depend on azure documentation to understand the details behind any service they want to be a PM for.
Wow, thank you so much for this reply. I am indeed referring to PM. I was just a little confused because as I was applying to MSFT, it was a single job posting that said SWE/TPM. (Software Engineer/Technical Program Manager). But it makes sense that they are infact PMs, and the "technical" title is just assumed. I will be starting off as CSA for azure. Because this is my first job out of undergrad, they will be training me for 3-6 months and then i'll be helping our azure clients with their infrastructure/design and implementation using Azure. My main goal at the moment is to become a PM within Microsoft, but i'm not sure how long I should stay in my role before I apply to PM jobs. Any advice?
The sooner you decide to move, the better for you. I'd say after a year or two.
TPM is an internal, project management role afaik. CSA is (often) a customer-facing, post-sales position. It requires a broad understanding of cloud ecosystems and involves designing architectures wuth cloud services. Sometimes requires coding and hands-on tech skills for the purpose of PoCs
do you think it will be easy to switch internally from CSA to TPM if I was in Microsoft?
Not sure. I haven't actually met any TPM here, unless you're referring to a Program Manager role at Msft (sort of equivalent to Product Managers at FB/Google/Amzn)