TPM Blog

The journey to becoming a proficient Technical Program Manager can be challenging, especially when faced with tough interviews in today's hiring landscape. However, with the right guidance and preparation, you can confidently tackle even the most rigorous TPM interview processes. Consider enrolling in one of the best TPM certification programs to equip yourself with the skills and knowledge needed for success. This guide aims to provide a detailed comparison of various TPM in

In this ever-evolving world of technology, roles and responsibilities are subject to constant change. The Technical Program Manager (TPM) position has been a crucial part of product / software development for many years. However, more recently, I have been getting many questions about the role's relevance and future due to various factors, primary of which is the tech layoffs. What is a Technical Program Manager (TPM)? A Technical Program Manager is a multifaceted role respon

The TPM role is highly people-oriented, relying on strategies such as how to influence without authority to achieve objectives. I talked about overcoming your fear of speaking up in my last post. Voicing your ideas and thoughts is a requirement to succeed in the workplace. It is a key part of building and demonstrating thought leadership which is an essential skill for career growth and building your brand. Thought leadership goes hand in hand with influencing without authori

Job interviews are one of the toughest situations that people face. Interviews are also one of the most feared situations and cause a lot of anxiety and stress - just like public speaking. There is fear of failure, fear of being judged, fear of forgetting everything and so on. The stakes are often high - emotional, financial and professional. No one ever wants to fail interviews but it does happen. With acceptance rates lower than 5%, I am sure each one of us has failed at le

I recently posted about TPM core skills on LinkedIn. I have seen many TPMs who are hyper focused on perfecting their technical skills and learning new domains. TPMs pride themselves on the technical judgment and ability which is the foundation of the role. However, I often find that other aspects of the TPM role are given less importance or not emphasized enough, often disproportionately to the amount of impact it can have on the success of a TPM. Solid program management ski

TPM Myths & Facts - Part 2 It is so disheartening to hear the misconceptions around the Technical Program Manager role. Many TPMs get dejected by the lack of understanding and respect. These TPMs often end up moving to other functions (Engineering or Product) so they can feel a deeper sense of identity and belonging. Every role has its strengths that when leveraged correctly helps elevate the entire organization. I am going to debunk some more common TPM Myths and TPM misconc

A resume is the first impression that a candidate makes on a prospective employer. The value of a resume will never diminish even if we have LinkedIn or apply through our network. It is essentially a 1-page flier to sell yourself - to tell the world about why they should hire you. The effort (or the lack of it) comes across and tells a lot about a potential hire. One doesn’t need to get all fancy; in fact plain old boring is just fine as long as you let the content do the tal

In a previous blog post titled How to scale and find balance as a TPM, I talk about creating repeatable processes and systems to help you move faster and save time. Time is the biggest and most expensive investment, so you want to make sure the return is high. One way to ensure this is to avoid re-inventing the wheel. Three Key Benefits of Using a Ready Framework Throughout my time as a TPM, I kept creating templates, playbooks and checklists that I could reference quickly. I

Interviewing can feel overwhelming and nerve wracking. It can feel difficult especially because the topmost companies have less than five percent acceptance rate. That means less than 5 candidates out of a total of 100 interviewed, get an offer. Getting into a top company of your choice is a high stakes situation for you. It can mean the difference between financial freedom and constant struggle. Let me tell you - Interviewing does not have to be so mind numbing. With the rig

In order to achieve meaningful impact as a TPM and level up your career, it is important to achieve the right balance in your work. TPMs are often juggling with competing priorities and it can become difficult to navigate the ever increasing list of to-dos. As you grow in your role as a TPM, you will be expected to handle bigger programs that are more complex from a technical, program and people perspective. Finding the right balance between breadth and depth coverage becomes

In January, I shared some tips on how to set goals for meaningful impact. In this post, I want to go in depth on the best ways to achieve impact as a TPM - results that count as a win-win for you and the team/org. At Facebook, there is a lot of focus on impact and rightfully so because the results you can achieve are more important than the effort you put in. You can spend hours on some activity, but if the output doesn’t have desired results, your effort is wasted. For exam

TPMs are not always well understood. I have come across countless myths about this role. The TPM role can be broad and fuzzy which often...