Everything You Need to Know about APM Programs

Carlos Gonzalez de Villaumbrosia
Product Coalition
Published in
6 min readNov 19, 2019

--

APM programs or Associate Product Manager programs are roles designed for graduates, to introduce them to the world of PM.

Their main goal is to provide mentorship for young talent, and for some, it serves as a good alternative to non-existent Product Management bachelor’s degrees.

They are pretty common in Silicon Valley, offered by companies like Facebook, Google, Twitter, PayPal, Salesforce, and many many more.

In this guide, we’ll go through the benefits of joining an APM program, how to work out if a program is for you, and show you where to apply.

The Benefits of Joining an APM Program

World-class mentorship from real Product people

Obviously the main benefit of an APM program is the quality of your ‘teachers.’ You could go to University in the hopes that the skills you’re taught will translate to the skills needed for a job at Facebook, or you could get trained at Facebook.

The people you’ll be meeting have the jobs that you want, and what they’ll be able to tell you will be invaluable.

(We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention here that that’s why we only have real Product Managers to instruct our cohorts!)

Varied experience and on-the-job learning

As the programs are rotational, you’ll be exposed to many different aspects of the Product world.

You might be working on something like updating the company’s privacy policy, or collaborating with a UX team on a new product.

Jian, a Google APM from the 2015 cohort had this to say about the variety of the job:

Some programs also offer experiences like speaker series and world trips!

Networking opportunities

An APM program is like a key to the Product world.

On a daily basis, you’d be surrounded by other Product Managers — people who have walked the path before you and gotten to where you want to be. They’ll be very valuable contacts for you in the future.

You’ll also be meeting people from other disciplines, like Software Development, Product Marketing, Operations, etc.

It’s important not to dismiss others in your APM program. Although they’re on the same step of the ladder as you, they’ll be very useful contacts down the line.

Of course, that’s if you want to look at it with an analytical eye. The main benefit of meeting all of these people is that you get the opportunity to learn something new and gain a new perspective. Getting to know interesting people is never a bad thing!

Figuring Out if an APM Program is Right for You

How big is the company?

Just like any other job, working with a big/small company has its own challenges and rewards.

Naturally, having a big name like Facebook, Google, Twitter etc on your resume will be a bonus. You’ll have access to more resources, and some of the bigger names are setting the bar in terms of tech. It could be excited to be part of something that’s pushing the boundaries of what we’re capable of.

Bigger companies will also be more likely to provide generous compensation and fun perks. They also have more locations to choose from.

However, they do tend to move more slowly and there are more processes in place. Smaller companies can have a more fast-paced environment with fewer silos.

There are certain problems that have already been solved by bigger companies like brand-recognition and Product-Market fit. This can either be a pro or a con depending on the experience you’re looking for. If you’re a brand new PM it’s useful to work on these sorts of challenges.

Check out this video from Google, featuring a 2013 APM cohort alumna

How mature is the program?

Older, bigger companies are more likely to have mature APM programs. But what does this mean?

It means that their processes will be smoother, your pool of APMs to network with will be wider, and they’ll likely have more resources to offer.

However, immature APM programs are not to be sniffed at! Leadership are more likely to take an interest in you personally if you are part of their first-ever APM cohort, which might lead to more one-on-one time.

Being part of a newer program means you’ll be part of building something — which can be more exciting than taking part in a more established program.

There’s no right or wrong answer — it all depends on your personal preferences.

What are the logistical considerations?

Things like location, compensation, benefits, and scheduling are all things you’ll need to consider. These will be entirely dependent on your personal situation and what the program is offering.

If you’d need to relocate for to join the cohort, the compensation needs to match the expenses in your potential new city.

If joining the program means taking a pay-cut, maybe it’ll be better to join a 6 month cohort rather than a 12 month cohort, unless you have enough savings.

Make a list of your bare minimum expectations, and another list describing your ideal situation. You can use these lists to compare what the APM program is offering and see how it would fit into your life.

What is the company culture/mission?

A good Product Manager really cares about the product they’re working on. While you’re in a rotational-style APM program, you won’t always get to choose what you’re working on. It’s better to love the whole company than just one particular side of it.

For example, if you love Google’s mission to empower everyday people with the best tools possible, then you won’t mind working on Maps and Files. If you only wanted to work on the brand new Pixel, you might end up disappointed.

Choose a company whose mission resonates with you as a whole.

Finding an APM Program

Google hire the most APMs every year, and have the most mature and structured program out of the bigger tech brands. You can apply directly via their dedicated APM careers portal.

Facebook’s program is named Rotational Product Manager Program rather than APM, but the core idea is the same. They also hire a large number of RPMs every year and have one of the more generous benefits package.

Other big names offer APM programs, offering places to roughly 10 people per year:

You can find more through apmlist.com, including those who do not have a structured program, but still hire graduate PMs.

Have any more questions about APM programs, or getting your start in the Product world? Join our Slack Community, with over 40,000 PMs from across the world.

I’m Carlos González, CEO at Product School, and I enjoy sharing weekly tips for Product leaders!

Are you interested in Product Management? Check out our certifications here.
Looking for a good read? Because we’ve launched “Ship It” as a free resource.

This article was also published on The Product Management Blog.

--

--