Google PMM vs. Boutique strategy consulting firm
Hi, I have been working with a Boutique strategy consulting firm (100 employees worldwide) for last 3 years. Its not MBB or Big 4 or Accenture or Deloitte. I have got an offer for a Product Marketing Manager ( PMM) from Google. I am confused between the two jobs. Google Job is in marketing while consulting could open up future possibilities in Corporate strategy roles. Please advice.
As someone now in a corp dev/strategy role in the Tech industry, the fact that this is a question seriously blows my fucking mind: you're basically deciding between a very prominent role (with the word PRODUCT in it) at Google and a consulting role at a firm you're basically admitting is weaker than the fucking Big 4.
Even if you want to do Corporate Strategy down the road, being a top performer and eventual thought leader on the product market side, especially at a company like Google, basically lets you write your own ticket in the tech industry. Want to do Corp Dev or Strategy? No problem. Want to co-found a startup and get name-brand funding? Experience is valued. Want to be the guy on the other side of that table (VC)? Sure. Want to eventually transition into a senior leadership role? Go for it.
Take the Google job and don't look back you lucky idiot. Also, congrats!
This is the second thread where someone is considering turning down Google for a dumbass second tier consulting gig. How is this even a question, put Google on your resume.
Does the advice above still apply for firms like Facebook/Twitter/Microsoft/Apple?
In this particular instance, since I interpreted his consulting shop as less-than-stellar (until he states otherwise), I would say yes for PMM at all of these companies. If his consulting firm is/were a bit stronger, then I would tier it as follows:
Apple or Google: Yes, unequivocally. Many people would even argue that PMM at Apple or Google would be considered a strong (though unusual) exit from MBB.
Facebook: Most likely, but would depend on what product team you're with. I think exposure to products like mobile advertising, international growth, Instagram, Oculus, and a few other teams would definitely be considered strong experience. For some products like their native Facebook Messenger (as opposed to the WhatsApp messenger team), the future might be a little less clear. Lifestyle at Facebook is pretty awesome though.
Twitter: Like Facebook, this one also depends on what product team you're working with. I bucket them separately though because I think Twitter doesn't have the same kind of next-gen product categories that even Facebook has 1. Cool products at Twitter would probably revolve around general monetization efforts and the much fabled in-tweet payment platform that people have been speculating about for a while now. A less sexy product would be something like their recent direct message update they rolled-out the other day. In theory, their trying to break into the mobile messenger client space, but it's already super saturated (there's literally been a $19-fucking-billion deal in the space!) and they probably missed the boat in a big way.
Microsoft: ¯_(ツ)_/¯ "...something something cloud and mobile..." -Saturday Nutella
TL;DR: Largely depends on the product team you get to join, not necessarily the company itself.
1 What I mean by cool next-gen product categories is that in theory there's some motherfucking 25 year old PMM at Facebook right now that gets to analyze product market fit for virtual reality as part of Facebook's new Oculus team and that guy's early thoughts about the sector will almost definitely go on to define some of the market paradigms when/if VR grows into a real vertical. This kind of market leadership is even more intense at Google or Apple, where it's not just one or two cool next-gen products like VR, it's literally all of them: driverless cars, wearable computing, biometric scanning, consumer drones, alternative access (Fiber, Project Loon, Skybox), beacon technology, infotainment, gesture control, indoor mapping, natural language processing, etc., etc., etc. Twitter has relevant product categories, but they just don't have the same sex appeal.
@Nouveau Richie I normally don't actually "lol" at comments, but for some reason I got a kick of of this: Take the Google job and don't look back you lucky idiot. Good advice though.
Thanks Nouveau for the advice ! The company that I work for is SDG ( Strategic Decisions Group). I wouldnt say its weaker than big 4, but its a tier 2 consulting firm. I agree that google PMM is a better career shift.
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