The Siroker Brothers

What would you say you do here?

A couple of people have asked me recently what I'm actually going to be doing when I start full-time work at Google on August 7th. My title is going to be Associate Product Manager (APM), but what does that mean?

The description below was written by a friend of mine who is currently an APM, Avichal Garg. It's a salesman pitch urging you to apply for the job. I don't need any convincing since I've already signed. Nonetheless, I've posted it here because it just sounds plain cool.

What is an APM?
An APM (Associate Product Manager) is the rare person with the raw talent to do anything, and do it well: They are expert product designers, ace engineers and coders, masterful salespeople, business visionaries, and natural leaders. They are the ones who will change the world. Today they join the APM program and start making their mark right out of school.

What is the APM program?
The APM program is designed to allow these exceptional individuals to reach their full potential by giving them the resources to cultivate their unparalleled talent. We invest more into our APMs than any other company has ever invested into young employees, because we don't see the APMs as just another group college grads. We envision a world where everyone is awed by the fact that Google's Executives, the best CEOs in Silicon Valley, and the most well respected leaders of global non-profits all came through the Google APM program.

Each APM receives:

• a management coach (the same ones our executives receive)
• ownership of a strategically critical Google product
• a personal relationship with our senior executives, including Larry, Sergey, and Eric
• individually tailored professional development classes
• a trip around the world to see how global business works
• the freedom to take any idea and run with it
• rotation through Google for a holistic understanding of business, strategy, and product development
• access to the powerful network of past APMs
• much, much more

We do all of this because we see APMs as the next generation of global leaders with the power to change the world today. So, do you want to start making your mark?

Here is a description from the Google jobs website:

Associate Product Manager - Mountain View

Position based in Mountain View, CA.

Do you love Google? Interested in learning more about the business world at one of the most cutting-edge technology companies in Silicon Valley? The product management team is looking for flexible, hard-working people to define and create new products and improve existing features. If you're a creative self-starter with an upbeat, can-do-anything attitude, there are several projects waiting for you! Responsibilities include working with engineers to define products, understanding user needs, researching markets and competitors, and strategizing future product directions. As you gain more experience, there's opportunity to grow within the organization. Requirements:

• BA/BS in a technical or quantitative field.
• Passion for creating and analyzing products.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Strong organizational and analytical skills.
• Demonstrated capacity for developing and understanding strategy.

I won't know what product I'll be working on until I start in August. During the first couple of weeks I'll be rotating through several products to get a feel for the company as a whole.

Any thoughts? Please comment below.