Kenny Bourgon: Product management is a really interesting role because it sits at the center of a bunch of different teams and so you get to work with a little bit of everything.
Zach Nerenberg: You have to be fluent in a bunch of different languages: engineering, design, business strategy. It's an exciting space to be in. The number one thing, why Booth is great for PMs is like the freedom to take whatever classes you want.
Kenny Bourgon: Application Development with Professor Betina is a pretty critical class that will make you empathize with the engineers who you're going to work with day to day.
Matheus Vervloet: Platform Competition with Austan Goolsbee, amazing professor and he taught me how to apply microeconomic concepts to business and more particularly platform businesses.
Zach Nerenberg: Like within 12 months of graduating we had like some problem at Amazon that we had to solve and I was like, I know exactly the right way to think about this and it was like concepts directly from that class.
Matheus Vervloet: Then Managerial Decision Making with Anuj Shah, focusing more on behavioral science, how people make decisions. I think that's gonna be very, very useful. I would credit my recruiting success through the Booth Technology Group. They did both panels and one-on-one interview preparation, resume reviews.
Prachi Kulkarni: They also work with the Kilts Center to put together a really popular event called the PM/PMM Workshop, where they get both alumni who are in those roles to come and do case interviews with first year and second year students.
Kenny Bourgon: Actually six months later when I did start interviewing, I relied a lot on the experience that I had in that workshop.
Prachi Kulkarni: I think Kilts is really good about connecting Booth students with a lot of alumni who work in the tech industry. They put together programming that not only helps you develop certain skill sets that are required to be a product manager in the tech space, but they also help you network and build a community with people within the tech industry.
A career in technology can come in many different forms. As a tech product manager, you will find yourself working within a myriad of different technical systems and skillsets. With a Chicago Booth MBA, you'll have the flexibility to craft an education that meets you where you are. Our flexible curriculum offers a space where you can build upon your current abilities and knowledge to push your acumen and career to the next level. A Booth MBA puts you at the forefront of the tech field, whether you are planning to work in healthcare, finance, retail, or beyond.
As a Booth student pursuing Tech, you have access to classes that create a better understanding of how the tech sphere operates on all levels, from product idea to creation and implementation, to marketing and beyond. We asked Booth students to discuss the classes that helped shape their education; these students talked about Application Development and emphasized its importance in understanding how software is built and how to communicate effectively with engineers and developers. Platform Competition was also named, specifically for its comprehensive analysis of platform industry strategy and economics. Another class that students lauded was Managerial Decision Making, for its proficiency in teaching how to approach decisions, and how to use frameworks and tools to ultimately solve problems and make those decisions more effectively.
I think we're one of the best schools for going into Tech Product Management, the pay-it-forward culture here is unmatched among MBA programs. Tech PM is notably hard to break into so having the support from people who've already done it counts more than anything else.
Outside of the classroom, students in Tech benefit from a multitude of resources to sharpen their acumen. The Booth Technology Groups for both the Full-Time and Evening-Weekend Programs are frequented by students who want to collaborate in order to improve their knowledge of tech industry concepts, interviewing skills, resume writing, and more. The Kilts Center for Marketing was also referenced as a prominent resource, providing a plethora of assets to students, including connections with alumni as well as programming and workshops meant to help build an understanding of technological concepts and application. One of these resources from the Kilts Center is the Tech Product Management and Product Marketing Management Workshop (Tech PM/PMM Workshop), which students found to be valuable in building real world skills as they participated in case interviews with alumni.
Having the reach and supportive culture of the Booth network allows students to break into the tech industry and thrive in their careers. And being part of a knowledgeable and skilled community in the tech space, paired with the resources and access to a constructive academic and professional landscape, make for a head start in the competitive technology market.
The Part-Time MBA Program offers a transformative experience to boost your personal and professional growth. Learn more about the unique experiences associated with our program.
Explore how a Part-Time MBA Offers Personal and Professional Growth Opportunities
The time it takes to earn an MBA depends on which program you choose. Here’s a look at the options.
How Long Does an MBA Take?
While he was a student in the Weekend MBA Program, Ernest Kabuye talked to us about his journey from Uganda to Booth, his desire to be part of Africa’s economic recovery, and how he is creating more opportunities for representation at Booth.
How Representation Can Create a New Narrative