Breaking into Product Management with Ami Patel – Program Manager at Microsoft HQ

Majoring in computer science and information management, it seemed like everyone around Ami was seeking internships – especially those in software engineering… that is, until she discovered product and program management after meeting a notable recruiter (who later became an informal mentor of hers).

Now, having gone through the challenges many first-gen students face, she actively shares her journey with her 9,000+ followers on LinkedIn. Be sure to follow #AuthenticAmi for more 😊

Ami’s first experience was at her university’s office of information technology where she worked part-time doing software engineering and QA work in her second year. To her, it wasn’t anything big, but that’s when she started applying for more roles and landing interviews… including one for Microsoft’s Explore Program – a cohort for aspiring Software Engineers and Program Managers.

Although she did well throughout her interviews, spots quickly filled up and she was left without an offer. She had missed the luck of the draw this time. Her recruiter did want to make sure she was interviewed earlier for next year though… but by then, she would have to make a choice. Was it going to be Software Engineering or Product Management?

Hey Lizzie Ann: How did you determine product management was your calling?

Ami Patel: I actually shared that I like to organize events and coordinate whole board activities so the Microsoft recruiter thought I might really like product management – especially as I even told her my doubts about software engineering. In retrospect, I wasn’t sure if that was a good call, but I think it helped me the longer that she was honest with me, which I really appreciated.

Once I heard about it, I literally went home that same night to learn more about product management and thought it was something I could do. From then on, I started to apply for jobs and internships but got rejected by everything. I even had another final round for Microsoft’s PM internship but totally blew it. I didn't realize how intense the process was and graduated with my Bachelor’s degree with no job. Nothing.

Hey Lizzie Ann: How did you break into product management?

Ami Patel: I ended up going to grad school so I could find my internship – but this time, prepared! I took an opportunity at Tesla where I wasn't hired as a product intern, but as a project management intern on the demand generation team for energy. Slowly, I started moving on to the data side of things because I had those skills!

From there, I started to get work that was more program-related too, like taking initiatives and working cross-functionally – transferrable skills that are important for a Product Manager to have. After proving my worth in my first two projects, I then convinced my mentor/manager to extend me and asked if I could do other projects for other teams, while still committing to our team’s responsibilities. Luckily, they were super supportive, and my mentor/manager even found a Product Manager at Tesla who was willing to take me under her wing, let me shadow her, and have me work on a small feature.

Hey Lizzie Ann: That’s incredible! What made you stand out as an intern?

Ami Patel: Meeting deadlines and overdelivering on my projects allowed me to earn my team’s trust where they saw me not just as an intern but an integral part of the team. Another thing is that I maximized as much as I can get out from this opportunity. From the projects to the extension to ultimately gaining my desired experience in Product.

“Sometimes I didn’t believe in myself, but this all happened because I was able to first prove myself, put in the work, and build good relationships at work.

Be okay with sticking out of your comfort zone, asking questions, and getting criticism as an intern is also helpful – especially with the huge learning curve at Tesla.”

Hey Lizzie Ann: That’s great advice! What next?

Ami Patel: Leveraging the experiences from Tesla on my resume, I went to Splunk as a Program Manager Intern. This just really validated that Product was where I wanted to go into. It was interesting because they have both Program and Product – which are slightly different, so I just networked with a bunch of product managers every other week, or every week just to learn more and get acquainted. This is how I learned that I wanted to be in a role that is less meeting a checklist but one where I get to discern user needs and be a problem-solver.

Hey Lizzie Ann: When it comes to networking though, as a student, you might feel that you’re always on the receiving end and don’t know how to give back, how do you get over that?

Ami Patel: Talking to people has really helped me with this topic and I realized that it's not about doing the big grand gesture. I think for many of us, that's why we think we can’t do anything, like give them a job. But that's not true. There are many small things you can do. You don't need to give a big grand gesture. You don't need to be that person who gives them that break of their life.

The reality is, we can do things like: send thank you notes, send articles that they might be interested in, comment on their LinkedIn content, promote them to our friends or people who are in that field, and if they are looking to hire people in certain roles, we can send them people we think would be a great fit.

“It’s just small actions, understanding the person and where you can best help them. Or just asking the question, Is there anything I can do to help you?”

Hey Lizzie Ann: We definitely agree! Finally, how did you eventually land your dream role as PM at Microsoft? What did that process look like?

Ami Patel: Aside from staying in touch with my original recruiter and mentors, when it comes to the interview, you want to be very concise and use “The CIRCLES Method” – a common framework for answering product questions. CIRCLES exists because it helps your interview stay on track when you use keywords like, “Hey, I'm going to start with the pain points next. Now, solutions…” – you're essentially giving the interviewer enough feedback so they can just check the box. After all, communication and conveying your thoughts are super critical for a PM to have.

For this past cycle, I had two rounds. The first round was a 30-minute call with a PM where we did a few behavioral questions at the beginning, then we switched to product questions like how would you go about improving this? Or, questions around running a product case. As for the next round, also known as the final round, I had a collection of four interviews. Around 30–50% of it was behavioral questions like tell me about yourself or tell me about a time when you failed while the other part was around your projects, impact, problem-solving skills, favorite product, and more. They also test your technical knowledge by asking you to explain a technical concept in layman's terms. For example, explain machine learning to your grandma.

Hey Lizzie Ann: Well, thank you so much for those amazing insights and tips, Ami!

Friends, be sure to follow Ami on LinkedIn and TikTok to hear more about her journey and how you can break into product management too!