Product Management Guide 2/3

Types of PM Roles

The "P" of PM may refer to product, project, or program. Make sure to check which type of PM the firm is specifying in the job description!

Product Management

Product managers oversee the entire lifecycle of a product, from introduction to growth to maturity to decline. The product manager is responsible for the success of the product across these phases. The task is never considered complete, since the consumer landscape is always changing.

Project Management

Project managers are in charge of a project with specific start/end dates and defined objectives. The project manager must develop the goals for the project, determine the workflow, and manage those working towards the common goal.

Program Management

Program managers work with multiple different projects that are interconnected in order to achieve bigger picture goals. In contrast with projects, programs do not have a definitive timeframe and are focused on strategy rather than a tangible outcome.

Diversity Programs in Tech

There are many conferences and internship opportunities for students who identify within groups that are historically underrepresented in Tech.

At conferences, students can attend talks by inspiring keynote speakers, hone their skills at workshops, and engage with recruiters at career fairs. Students may even get the chance to interview for summer internships at these conferences. Harvard’s Computer Science division offers students the opportunity to attend the Grace Hopper Celebration, which serves to empower women in computer science, and the ACM Richard Tapia Celebration of Diversity in Computing. If your application is selected, HCS pays for the flight, room, and registration fees. Typically the application deadline is in May, and the link is posted on the Harvard CS Piazza board, which can be found at https://harvardcs.info/.

Due to coronavirus, Grace Hopper and Tapia 2020 will be virtual. If you are unable to get Harvard funding, these conferences also offer outside scholarships and funding.

“I am so grateful to have gotten the opportunity to attend Grace Hopper my sophomore fall, as it was how I eventually got my summer internship. At Grace Hopper’s Career Fair, I connected with a recruiter, who gave me the application for the company’s leadership summit. After attending, I was given the chance to interview for their summer internship. The career fair is huge, populated with huge tech companies as well as smaller startups. It’s a really great place to connect with recruiters and explore options that you might have never known are out there! Beyond the career fair, I really enjoyed getting to attend the conference with fellow Harvard Women in CS who became mentors and friends!”

- Harvard Class of 2022, attended Grace Hopper Celebration

Big tech firms, such as Google, Facebook, and Microsoft, offer unique internship positions for minority students, which you can find online.

“Facebook University (FBU) is an eight-week internship program for students from underrepresented communities. Although I went to the engineering program, there're also programs for analytics, product design, operations, and sales/advertising. Because the program accepts first years, you don't need as much experience with CS as most other internships but you should be able to show a strong interest in it.”

- FBU Intern and returning Software Engineering Intern, Harvard Class of 2022

Tech Recruiting at Harvard

There are many opportunities on campus to engage with campus recruiters! Here is a general overview of how to navigate this process.

Career Fairs

Harvard and MIT’s career fairs are great for gaining exposure to different tech companies. The Business and Technology fair at Harvard occurs early September, so be prepared to start recruiting right when you get back to campus. Bring multiple copies of your resume to hand out to recruiters and company representatives. Come prepared with questions to ask them to learn more about their company, work life, and culture. At the end of the conversation, make sure to get their contact information and follow up with them after the event!

Recruiting Events

Numerous companies will come to Harvard to host information sessions, usually at The Charles Hotel or the Sheraton Commander. You can look at the OCS calendar to see when firms come to campus. Usually it is in the late fall/early spring. This is your chance to learn more about the company, meet some people who work there, and ask any questions you may have about the firm or recruiting process. Make sure to try to have a few conversations with a handful of people so you can follow up as the recruiting process progresses. Most importantly, send thank you emails to people you meet.

Applications

Students can apply for tech roles through Crimson Careers, company websites, and referrals from Harvard students who have worked at particular firms. It is common to get internships outside of Harvard’s network, so don’t think that you are limited to companies that have a booth at career fairs or post on Crimson Careers.

Here are some helpful tips from Harvard students who have been through the process regarding tech recruiting specifically at Harvard. A common theme we found is that the most helpful resources are your upperclassmen friends. Be sure to reach out as they are all super willing to help!

Take advantage of company events

“There are a lot of tech recruiting events at Harvard that are heavily publicized over house / first-year dorm mailing lists, along with club mailing lists. I would say that HCS and WiCS mailing lists provide the most opportunities of tech recruiting events on campus, so I would recommend subscribing to those lists. A tech recruiting event is usually organized by a single company, and can take the form of information sessions, mixers, game nights, etc. Usually these events are a great chance to learn about a company, their internship/full-time positions, and also chat with recruiters. I wouldn't say there's a pressure to go to all of them, and people can definitely get interviews without going to that company's specific event. However, it can be a good chance to learn about a tool or a company's culture, and some companies do keep track of who attends for future reference when their applications open.”

- Software Engineer Intern at Dropbox, Harvard Class of 2021

Utilize Harvard's Career Services

“OCS offers many great resources. For one, their career fairs and OCI (on-campus interview) program present many opportunities to network with representatives from various companies you may be interested in. The OCS staff is also incredibly helpful when it comes to resume reviews, and helping answer your individual questions.

Keith Karasek, the SEAS Director of Experiential and Career Development, sends a weekly newsletter listing endless opportunities in the community; if you aren't subscribed already, definitely reach out to him! He also often has availability for students to sign up to meet with him and seek individual advising in the career search, which can be extremely helpful. Even if he doesn't have the answers, he will definitely be able to put you in touch with someone who does!"

- Software Engineer at Microsoft, Harvard Class of 2020

Explore online and through LinkedIn

“I relied mostly on applying online, although there are definitely information sessions you can go to in order to ask specific questions and to get to know the recruiter. Cold emailing works more than you might expect! I have friends who found jobs by directly contacting recruiters on LinkedIn.”

- Software Development Intern at Amazon, Harvard Class of 2021

“Getting referrals is extremely helpful when it comes to getting your foot in the door! If you don't know anyone who's personally worked at your companies of interest, don't be afraid to reach out to mentors in your communities and leverage LinkedIn to seek them out.”