Hema, Senior Product Manager at Amazon: Advize Career Interview

Hema's remarkable career journey, from a chemical engineering degree at IIT Madras to a Senior Product Manager role at Amazon, is a testament to adaptability and strategic career planning.

A pivot from consulting at PwC, fueled by an MBA from Anderson, led to a fulfilling career at a "big tech" company.

The interview reveals the multifaceted nature of a Senior Product Manager's responsibilities, encompassing cross-functional collaboration, data-driven decision-making, and strategic thinking.

Hema's emphasis on continuous learning, effective communication, and mindful problem-solving, alongside navigating challenges like limited technical knowledge in a new domain, offers valuable insights for aspiring product managers.

The discussion further highlights the importance of proactive networking, diverse undergraduate experiences, and the unexpected skills needed, such as robust writing and hands-on data analysis.

Hema's experiences as a first-generation female college student from a conservative Indian village further underscore the importance of mentorship and resourceful self-direction.

This inspiring career path, underscored by passion for solving complex problems at scale within a data-centric environment, will resonate with students seeking a challenging and rewarding career in technology.

Advizer Information

Name

Job Title

Company

Undergrad

Grad Programs

Majors

Industries

Job Functions

Traits

Hema Chalamalasetty

Senior Product Manager

Amazon

Indian Institute of Technology, Madras

UCLA Anderson, MBA

Engineering - Chemical

Technology

Product / Service / Software Development and Management

International Student, Immigrant, Worked 20+ Hours in School, First Generation College Student

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Career Path of a Senior Product Manager at Amazon

Hema's career journey began with a chemical engineering degree from IIT Madras, followed by internships that revealed a dislike for the chemical industry. This led to a pivot into consulting at PwC, where exploration of "technology consulting and digital transformation" ultimately fueled a pursuit of an MBA from Anderson, targeting a move into product management at a "big tech" company like Amazon, before eventually starting their own company.

Career Path of a Senior Product Manager at Amazon

Main Responsibilities of a Senior Product Manager at Amazon

Hema, a Senior Product Manager at Amazon, describes a key internship responsibility as drafting a "prfaq document for a new feature," requiring collaboration with diverse teams ("marketing to customers research to data analysis to product team and engineering team") to assess product feasibility and build a compelling business case. This experience highlights the cross-functional collaboration and strategic thinking central to their product management career.

Main Responsibilities of a Senior Product Manager at Amazon

A Day In The Life Of A Senior Product Manager At Amazon

A senior product manager's day at Amazon involves many meetings with "engineering teams, design teams, data teams, and everybody else," balancing collaborative efforts like gathering market research and assessing feasibility with independent work such as "research about new technology" and documenting findings in "product requirement documents." The role heavily emphasizes both collaboration and individual contribution.

A Day In The Life Of A Senior Product Manager At Amazon

Most Important Skills For A Senior Product Manager At Amazon

Hema, a Senior Product Manager at Amazon, emphasizes the critical need for effective cross-team communication and navigation, noting that "different teams want different styles of communication," as a key skill. Strategic decision-making supported by data and a "mindful problem-solving" approach are equally vital for success in this role, ensuring projects are aligned with Amazon's overall goals and customer impact.

Most Important Skills For A Senior Product Manager At Amazon

Favorite Parts Of Being A Senior Product Manager At Amazon

Hema, a Senior Product Manager at Amazon, enjoys the strategic and analytical aspects of the role, finding "the most fun aspect" in building a case for product decisions using data and collaborating with various teams before presenting to leadership. Amazon's data-centric and frugal approach aligns well with their preference for solving complex problems from a "360 degree lens".

Favorite Parts Of Being A Senior Product Manager At Amazon

Biggest Challenges Faced By a Senior Product Manager at Amazon

Hema's biggest challenge as a Senior Product Manager at Amazon working on a payment risk management product was a lack of "technical knowledge in the payment industry," specifically regarding differences in financial behaviors across demographics. This required significant effort to gain confidence and expertise in a field where, for example, "the financial behavior of a US citizen versus Indian citizen is very different."

Biggest Challenges Faced By a Senior Product Manager at Amazon

Favorite Parts of Working in the Tech Industry as a Senior Product Manager at Amazon

Hema's passion for the tech industry stems from a fascination with "how these companies have a lot of resources to use technology to solve different problem statements," a drive further fueled by working alongside exceptional talent at Amazon and witnessing firsthand the industry's transformative potential. The scale of problem-solving, exemplified by observing the impact of eCommerce during the COVID-19 pandemic and the emergence of technologies like ChatGPT, solidifies their enthusiasm for this field.

Favorite Parts of Working in the Tech Industry as a Senior Product Manager at Amazon

Who Thrives in Product Management, According to a Senior Product Manager at Amazon

Hema, a Senior Product Manager at Amazon, identifies "cross-functional leadership" and "being always on their toes," understanding technology trends and competitor activities, as crucial for success in the product management industry. This necessitates building consensus and navigating situations where "you do not have a lot of power" to achieve product goals.

Who Thrives in Product Management, According to a Senior Product Manager at Amazon

What A Senior Product Manager At Amazon Wishes They Had Known Before Entering Product Management

Hema, a Senior Product Manager at Amazon, wishes they had known the significant amount of writing required, noting that "writing is big for product manager," and the necessity of hands-on data analysis, stating that "you kind of have to get your hands dirty with your own data." This highlights the unexpected technical and communication skills needed for success in the role.

What A Senior Product Manager At Amazon Wishes They Had Known Before Entering Product Management

Entry-level positions for aspiring Product Managers at Amazon

While entry-level associate product manager roles exist, Hema notes that a more common path is starting as a software engineer or business/data analyst before transitioning into product management after "one, two years or three, four years." Some companies, however, do offer undergraduate training programs leading directly into associate product manager roles.

Entry-level positions for aspiring Product Managers at Amazon

Significant Career Lesson From A Senior Product Manager At Amazon

Hema's career journey, spanning chemical engineering, consulting, digital transformation, and product management at Amazon, highlights the importance of "always being open to learning new things," constantly adapting to new industries and technologies. This continuous learning, coupled with proactive networking and relationship-building, has been key to navigating a diverse career path and achieving success.

Significant Career Lesson From A Senior Product Manager At Amazon

College Experiences That Helped A Senior Product Manager At Amazon Succeed

Hema's undergraduate experience involved "trying a lot of things," including club leadership roles and volunteering, which broadened their network and self-understanding. This exploration of diverse interests and industries, exemplified by participation in "robotics competition[s] or…philanthropic activities," laid a strong foundation for a successful career in product management.

College Experiences That Helped A Senior Product Manager At Amazon Succeed

How Identity Has Influenced a Senior Product Manager at Amazon's Career

As a first-generation female college student from a conservative Indian village, the career path was challenging due to a lack of guidance, requiring "spend[ing] a lot of time talk[ing] to a lot of seniors to understand...the best thing to make." This experience, coupled with being the first female in their family to work, highlights the significant impact of identity on career navigation, though access to online tools like LinkedIn proved invaluable.

How Identity Has Influenced a Senior Product Manager at Amazon's Career

Advizer Personal Links

https://www.linkedin.com/in/hemachalamalasetty/