Meet Purav Shah, MTM Class of 2018

Purav is currently a Product Manager at Teladoc Health.

Q: What attracted you to the MTM graduate program before you enrolled?

A: I had an engineering background and I was working in a company as a mechanical engineer. I was looking for something that would help give me perspective about how products are built and how they are taken to the market. So the business side of the product was more enticing for me, and I was looking for courses that would help me to explore that part of business and getting product out into the market. I was also looking for courses that would help me to not just understand but to be able to do that. I was still not sure if product manager was the role that I was looking for, but I was looking for programs that would give me that exposure. Having now completed the MTM program, I can say that MTM is the perfect curriculum that can help anyone who has a business or engineering background get into a product management role.

Q: What are a few of the key features of the MTM program?

A: As an engineer, I was looking into what it takes to get into a product management role, and one big thing that helps a lot is experience. So having the field projects was really great because they gave us exposure not only to the industry, but also to the corporate lifestyle, to working with different team members within different verticals within the companies and also working within our own project team. The field project was pretty much one of the key reasons why I chose the MTM program, because it gave us exposure and experience, which is very crucial to get a job interview. And secondly, as I had talked with other alumni prior to my time in MTM, I realized that the cohort was quite diverse. That is another key thing I was looking for, because I wanted to be exposed to different types of people from other backgrounds, to learn about their cultures and how they think about things. So having a diverse cohort was another key factor for me.

Q:  How did the program prepare you for your current role?

A: The product management role varies a lot from company to company. MTM gives a complete lifecycle of how an idea is matured over time, how you talk with customers, and how you understand the requirements. The basic three ingredients that are required for the product management role are covered as part of different courses throughout MTM. Even though we do not need to have knowledge in each of those fields, knowing what is necessary to launch a product is critical, such as marketing, branding, and strategy. Knowing that I have those tools with me is super helpful. 

Q: Did you use the MTM Career Services to help you secure a job?

A: Yes. Without that it's very difficult, especially for international students, because you are completely blind on what you're going to do. You don't have much strategy. The way you apply for companies in your home country is completely different. Over here, the culture is different. So there were multiple things that were new, and without that guidance it would've been really impossible. The Career Services team also gives you not just professional support, but also emotional support when needed, such as when there are challenging moments in the job search process. So having that service and using all the resources that were provided by Career Services was really helpful. I remember talking to the Career Services team, going to their office multiple times, and they were very helpful. They also gave tips on how to have a conversation during an interview and how to lead to certain discussions. In addition, we also have a big MTM alumni group now, which I also reached out to. Career Services helped me with knowing what positions I was looking for and in which industry I was looking for them. They were helpful in connecting me to those companies so that I could have conversations with them.

Q:  What were other graduate programs that you were considering?

A: I was looking into some other engineering management programs, and a few of them were IT management. I think the difference between those programs and MTM is that those programs were not quite focused on the product management role. In those programs you also had to do some engineering courses, and I had already done a master's in engineering, so I didn't think those courses would have been helpful for me. So I was looking for a program that was more focused for product management, and MTM stood out because the curriculum was designed specifically for that. 

Q: Is there anything else you think people should know about MTM?

A: A few things stood out for me, and one was the predefined curriculum, because I knew what I needed to do for each quarter, and I was well prepared getting into each quarter. I think the good part throughout all of the courses was that we had a lot of group projects and group homework, which helped a lot in building relationships among our cohort. This provides everyone with a good network when you graduate, making it easier to switch companies or even learn from each other, from different people in the same role from different companies. Having that network is really helpful. Also, our professors were very helpful and encouraging. They knew what was challenging for international students and they were helpful and generous with their time and connections, and they make sure that the students are successful in their endeavors. Being in contact with the professors and building relationships with them is another good thing about MTM. Also having a campus on a beach in a town like Santa Barbara, it’s one of the most beautiful colleges that I've been to. I will always cherish my time there throughout my life. 

Connect with Purav on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/puravshah1023/

Learn more about the Master of Technology Management graduate program here: tmp.ucsb.edu/mtm