Do I need an MBA to be a Product Manager, Part II

Meet Sung Hu Kim, a 2006 graduate of the Berkeley Haas Full-time MBA Program who worked at Twitter in product management. Prior to that, he was at Google as a lead on the Android team for consumer and developer marketing. He talked with us about his career in product management:

What did you do prior to pursuing your MBA?

I was a management consultant and then worked at a startup. 

What interested you about product management?

I wanted to work with great people building products that I loved that would have a positive impact on people's lives. 

What responsibilities have you had as a product manager?

I recently left Twitter to take some time off and recharge after working there for 4 1/2 years.

At Twitter, I launched the first version of the company's Logged Out experience. Prior to that, I drove the strategy, roadmap, and execution around the company's mobile products.

Before Twitter, I spent four years at Google, which I joined after graduating from Haas. As one of the first 75 members of the Android team at Google, I launched the original Android SDK and the G1 (the world's first Android phone), and helped grow the developer ecosystem.

How has earning your business degree helped?

As someone who had moved from the East Coast with no previous ties to Silicon Valley, I found my experience at Haas to be incredibly valuable.

Classes such as New Product Development gave me exposure to fundamental problem solving strategies and techniques in product management. Several of us from the Class of 2005 and 2006 founded the Digital Media and Entertainment Club, and it turned out to be a great way to meet industry leaders, learn about key companies and trends, and build enduring relationships with classmates who shared a passion for the digital space.

And of course, there's the Haas alumni network. I have friendships and professional relationships through Haas that will last a lifetime. 

Do I need an MBA to be a product manager?

An MBA can be a valuable means of getting into product management. Although Haas (as with most business schools) does not offer a product management focus area per se, it provides classes, activities and clubs, networking, and on-campus recruiting that collectively offer incredible opportunities around product management as a career.

Want more? Read more blog posts about product managers, or download our free ebook on breaking into product management.