<\/p>\n
My journey with PayU began as a Product Management Intern. I moved from research to product, and ever since I got a taste of product management, I knew this was the direction I wanted to pursue. As a result, I continued to pursue product management roles despite offers of consulting positions on campus. One of the biggest challenges I faced when applying for product roles was a lack of practical experience with products. My previous internships had been in R&D, and product management was a completely different challenge for me. However, I was determined and passionate about product management and was willing to start, even if it was a late start.<\/p>\n
I decided to apply for internships to get a deeper understanding of the DNA of the role before applying for a full-time position. In just three months, I was offered two product management internships and a full-time product analyst position.<\/p>\n
The story of how I became an Assistant Product Manager at PayU is worth sharing.PayU was hiring Product Interns for the first time and I was lucky enough to get the opportunity. I knew that the problems and scale that I would have the opportunity to work on at PayU would be huge, and that's how I knew I had to take advantage of this opportunity.<\/p>\n
The recruitment process was very well organised. I came across the PayU internship position through LinkedIn and sent in my CV and profile. Unlike other companies, where you usually need a recommendation to get an interview, PayU's hiring process is very rigorous. I didn't need a recommendation and I heard back from them a few days later. This reflects the fact that they value their employees' work culture and seek to increase accessibility and diversity in the hiring process!<\/p>\n
After an initial screening based on profiles, I went through four rounds of interviews:<\/p>\n
First round: general introductions<\/p>\n
This was a great conversation with Naveen Athresh, Senior Director of Product, IXD, Process Design at PayU. We had a 30-minute dialogue about my past experiences, my inclination towards product, PayU's product vision, and internship expectations. The thought that I would have the opportunity to be mentored by some of the most experienced leaders in the product ecosystem kept me motivated.<\/p>\n
Round 2: Mission Sessions<\/p>\n
I was told there would be a mission to fulfil. What I didn't anticipate was that the tasks would be so diverse. The questions dealt with product thinking and design thinking, guesswork, metrics, and the everyday life of a product manager. In total, there were 12 questions and I had about 6-7 hours to submit the assignment.<\/p>\n
These questions tested both the breadth and depth of product knowledge, and I really enjoyed the process.<\/p>\n
Round 3: Product Thinking Session<\/p>\n
This round was very interesting! I had an interview with Saurabh Kumar, Senior Manager of Merchant Experience at PayU. He asked about my favourite products, my thoughts on metrics and my understanding of user personas. I was asked to redesign Instagram for an older demographic.<\/p>\n
It was an exciting dialogue and we ended up discussing the merchant experience and PayU's new product plans.<\/p>\n
Round 4: Human resources session<\/p>\n
The last round was with the HR department. It was mainly to assess my suitability for PayU. it was more about my interests, my personality and hobbies outside of work.<\/p>\n
The whole process lasted about a month, and finally, one fine afternoon, an email popped up in my inbox with good news. I had received an offer for an internship position at PayU. I was very excited to begin this journey.<\/p>\n
Transitioning from intern to full-time product manager<\/p>\n
But the story is just beginning. My internship experience at PayU was great. Most companies don't give interns much autonomy; they are usually just hired to help the company with day-to-day tasks. Luckily, at PayU, I was given the opportunity to work on an innovation track project. And, guess what? I was in charge of the entire project, building it from scratch and scaling it from 0 to 1. One of the things I love about product management is that it gives complete ownership of the problem one is trying to solve. At PayU, I was able to exercise that full autonomy. The enthusiasm was very high.<\/p>\n
It was a 6-month internship and luckily I was offered a full-time position as an Assistant Product Manager after 3 months. I chose PayU for two main reasons:<\/p>\n
I love working at PayU.<\/p>\n
More importantly, I really like the work culture and the people I work with. My mentor has always been supportive and it feels like I'm in the right place.<\/p>\n
What I've been looking for is to kick-start my career in the product space. I was lucky enough to get my break at PayU, my job search had a happy ending and a new chapter in my career began.<\/p>\n
Before I know it, it has been over two months since I joined PayU. Every day a new challenge awaits me, and I couldn't ask for a better learning experience.<\/p>\n
So what's the biggest takeaway? Be patient and persistent. Sooner or later, you'll finish your puzzle.<\/p>\n
Thanks for reading! I wish you all the best on your product journey!<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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