Twitter APM/ Scale AI/ Microsoft offer selection
New grad PM from Canada here with 3 US offers to choose from and I'd love any advice from experienced PMs or folks in tech, especially those that have worked in these 3 companies. Could you please leave short reasons for your votes? Thank you! 1. Twitter APM Pro: 2 year rotation with mentorship, lots of new features coming out at Twitter, new CEO Con: stock performance TC 182.5 2. Scale AI Product Operations Pro: high likelihood of going IPO, fast pace, smart people, faster promotion Con: burnout, low WLB, uncertainty in J1 visa and may need to move back to Canada TC 182 3. Microsoft Program Manager Pro: established brand, support green card process Con: slow, Windows org, low ball in Canadian offer TC 205 #pm #product #productmanager #offers #startup #advice
Not the OP but do you think twitter has the upside that Scale does? I obviously leaned towards Scale, but I realize something slower paced may be for you.
I definitely agree that Scale has a much higher upside and I will be able to learn a lot faster at Scale. However, my concern for joining Scale is that I'll be focused on executing in the product ops space and not have enough time for learning the foundations, but I guess one can argue you learn by doing too. Also could you please elaborate on your answer for Scale vs Twitter?
Product operations is not the same thing as product. Unless you expect to make enough money at Scale to retire, highly recommend you take one of the product jobs. Suggest not getting too hung up on stock performance, since past performance does not guarantee future performance. If I were in your shoes, I would go with Microsoft because you’ll get to see massive scale early in your career. It’s generally easier to move to a smaller company later.
Yeah that's very true and thank you for your perspectives! Some would argue that Microsoft doesn't give you enough ownership and you can't make much impact. Just curious, why wouldn't you choose Twitter?
100000% go Twitter here
Could you elaborate more on this? Thank you!
I think the simple answer is that it’s the only true Product Management role of the three, and would allow you to be a PM both at startups and big tech in the future. Product Ops is usually very different and more rare of a role, which might hinder future job prospects. Microsoft’s Program Managers are close to actual Product Management, but the PM culture there is borderline toxic depending on the group from those who I know joined right after school (especially a tough place to be a woman in tech).
If you want be a PM, Twitter. If you want to learn ops & leadership & broadly be "entrepreneurial", Scale.
How do you think is the Strategic PM role at Scale
SPM is basically ProdOps but on the most "strategic" projects – huge contract value, piloting a new product, a lot of operational or technical complexity, and/or an S-tier client we really want to deliver quality to and upsell
Product Ops and PM are kinda different roles. IMO Twitter APM lets you keep the most doors open for future career growth
I totally agree that APM will give me more career flexibility in future product roles but I feel like the growth trajectory and financial upsides at Scale is higher. How do you like working at Scale?
I will say though, just searching on LinkedIn that there do seem to be quite a few people at Scale who started off in Product Ops and then moved to a PM role there
Yeah agreed! I saw that too and it seems pretty possible. Given this info, which one would you choose and why?
Honestly, this sounds cheesy but what type of work would you enjoy the most? And during the interviews, how did you feel about your prospective co-workers/was there one company where you felt like you’d enjoy working alongside them more? I’d decide based on that. I will echo what others have said that PM roles do open a lot of doors and are extremely coveted (SWE>PM when it comes to tech). The Prod Ops role at Scale from my interviews there does seem very tactical/the mandate is around ensuring labeling quality, labeler efficiency. So if you want to work on feature development/product strategy, you might find that more in the two other roles
Scale is ate up. Too many egos
Ooooh interesting, do you mean the people working at Scale? Or the leadership?
When did you interview for Twitter APM? Just received interest form from Twitter. Did you have to fill out the form before getting an interview?
You bro how did you get offer from Twitter
Hey there- I was a new grad PM at Microsoft this past year and I would go for either Twitter or scale. Upside is too great, Microsoft will always be there for you moving forward most likely. Not the best place to start a career, especially given you have these offers. Just my 2 cents…. Btw I was in the windows org and could maybe shed some more light on internals if you let me know which org in MSFT the offer is for
Thanks so much for your insights and that's a good point! Which one would you lean towards between Twitter and Scale?
I’d probably go for the Twitter APM role. Gives you a huge stamp of approval moving forward in your PM career and it’s super hard to get offers for the top APM programs. Also not sure on being a product operations manager, seems like it could possibly be less of a product manager role. What do I know tho, just an early in career person who left MSFT to start my own thing.