http://www.jobster.com/at/person/show/360898?hbxcmp=feed&hbxsrc=rss_user_answers http://www.jobster.com/at/assets/images/jobster/logos/rss_logo.gif http://www.jobster.com/at/person/show/360898?hbxcmp=feed&hbxsrc=rss_user_answers Thu, 19 Jul 2007 13:04:04 GMT Most recently updated answers by Mike Profit http://www.jobster.com/at/answer/view/244809?answer_class=AnswerBase A contact is always very useful. Employee referrals are treated with much higher priority. Thu, 19 Jul 2007 13:04:04 GMT http://www.jobster.com/at/answer/view/244809?answer_class=AnswerBase http://www.jobster.com/at/answer/view/138223?answer_class=AnswerBase Run the PMO for our Mobile Content Delivery Network (wireless content aggregation) business. My team is responsible for all product development and delivery projects. Role involved creating a PMO and implementing a repeatable and consistent product delivery process across a $70m business line with 60 engineering staff. Tue, 03 Jul 2007 14:17:54 GMT http://www.jobster.com/at/answer/view/138223?answer_class=AnswerBase http://www.jobster.com/at/answer/view/87187?answer_class=AnswerBase Moved through two company acquisitions to end up at JPMorgan Chase. First I worked at Deltac Ltd, a small export controls consultancy in the UK. We were acquired by Vastera Inc in January 1999, at that time, a US based international trade software company. It was in 2000 that Vastera relocated me to HQ to head up a high profile portal project. After a few changes in management, we were bought by JPMorgan Chase in April 2005. During the 6 years worked in many roles relating to product management. Thu, 08 Feb 2007 21:14:50 GMT http://www.jobster.com/at/answer/view/87187?answer_class=AnswerBase http://www.jobster.com/at/answer/view/87186?answer_class=AnswerBase Fairly casual. In Marketing it's the slacks, shirt with a white T underneath for the men. In engineering it's jeans and shirts. Thu, 08 Feb 2007 21:08:24 GMT http://www.jobster.com/at/answer/view/87186?answer_class=AnswerBase http://www.jobster.com/at/answer/view/87180?answer_class=AnswerBase Very thorough, more so than at any other company I've worked for. Interviewed with six separate people from all different aspects of the business. The interviews were relaxed and were intended to provide much discourse between interviewer and interviewee. The whole process from initial interview to offer was nearly 6 weeks, which seemed long at the time. VeriSign also ran comprehensive background checks, similar to JPMorgan Chase, where I worked before. Thu, 08 Feb 2007 21:02:11 GMT http://www.jobster.com/at/answer/view/87180?answer_class=AnswerBase http://www.jobster.com/at/answer/view/87179?answer_class=AnswerBase 1. You are given a lot of lattitude to pursue ideas and put together the business case for further investment. 2. You are trusted to get the job done with minimal supervision. 3. The company has generous benefits! Thu, 08 Feb 2007 20:58:37 GMT http://www.jobster.com/at/answer/view/87179?answer_class=AnswerBase http://www.jobster.com/at/answer/view/170947?answer_class=AnswerBase BSc Biology ->PhD Biology -> Web Design and Project Management -> Software Project Management -> Technical Product Management -> Flexible Product Manager -> Business/Technical Process Fixer Tue, 03 Jul 2007 14:19:44 GMT http://www.jobster.com/at/answer/view/170947?answer_class=AnswerBase http://www.jobster.com/at/answer/view/188332?answer_class=AnswerBase Don't sweat it too much... You're going to have a number of factors that come in to play; 1. You're poor; any job that pays seems attractive 2. You're worried you're not going to find a job 3. You aren't sure whether to try the big fish in a small pond, or a small fish in a big pond routine. 4. You don't know what you want to do and don't want to pigeon hole yourself too early. The good news is 95% of people have felt exactly the same way. Personally I would suggest that working in a field that interests you is better, but if you don't end up there, that is why you have hobbies, so you can enjoy your interests outside of work if necessary. If you know a bit about the company that also helps, but again isn't critical. For the most part the degree you have is less important than the willingness to work hard. Money is important, but less so now than when you have a few years of experience. Then you can really make some coin! You will get a job. Be prepared to think laterally and also maybe move. Other geographic areas or countries can be really interesting. Your family will get over it! The size of company can make a difference. Personally I have had more fun at smaller companies, but the opportunities for advancement are better at larger companies. Right now it probably doesn't matter too much. As for the future career and direction... that should come with time. That is why I enjoyed working at smaller companies because you get to do a bit of everything. Then when you like something (in my case managing products), you focus on that. People do switch careers. It's never too late, so don't worry about going down a path you can't get out of. Sure it takes a bit of work, but if you build a decent professional network you'll be amazed at the help you can get. Oh one last thing... you only ever hear about the really successful 0.01% of people, how they knew what they wanted and were millionaires by the age of 21. I think that is great and I really wish I was one of them, but you know what? Most people go to work, do the best they can and actually do all right! Thu, 29 Mar 2007 13:02:38 GMT http://www.jobster.com/at/answer/view/188332?answer_class=AnswerBase http://www.jobster.com/at/answer/view/173604?answer_class=AnswerBase The customer experience. It's more than just the website or the software product, it's the entire interaction from first hearing about you to becoming a long time customer. Too many companies forget something along the way, it might be the sales process or customer service or how the customer uses the product, or why they use the product. I view it as my job to make sure the customer's needs are met which will drive the bottom line for my employer. Fri, 09 Feb 2007 21:25:54 GMT http://www.jobster.com/at/answer/view/173604?answer_class=AnswerBase http://www.jobster.com/at/answer/view/170943?answer_class=AnswerBase Technically, delivering newspapers at 13 years old in the UK First full-time job was selling Kirby vacuum cleaners door-to-door. Oh yes... every horror story you heard is true. Thu, 08 Feb 2007 21:38:57 GMT http://www.jobster.com/at/answer/view/170943?answer_class=AnswerBase http://www.jobster.com/at/answer/view/170920?answer_class=AnswerBase Thanks to Google Personalized Homepage these are my current active Blogs: http://www.techmeme.com/ http://www.downloadsquad.com/ http://www.37signals.com/svn/posts http://www.techcrunch.com/ http://blog.guykawasaki.com/ http://www.goodproductmanager.com/ http://www.crankypm.com/ http://michael.hightechproductmanagement.com/ Thu, 08 Feb 2007 21:21:24 GMT http://www.jobster.com/at/answer/view/170920?answer_class=AnswerBase