Nitin Nair

As product manager roles are transmutating from a pure manager type role to a PM engineer type role, here's the checklist for you - 1. Everyday play and experiment with different AI tools, internally make a list on which model to use for what purpose (this step is critical, as this compounds). 2. Never use AI for the initial draft when you are writing something. Writing brings you detailed clarity and in this AI age, clarity is king. Finish up your draft with AI, but start manually. 3. Always pay and use the frontier model. Don't cut corners here. The output of an Opus 4.6 is drastically different from sonnet when it comes to complex tasks. Having said that, develop a mental map on which model to use for what complexity of tasks. Otherwise you will just burn tokens for simple tasks. 4. When learning or understanding a concept, be deliberate and progressive when using the AI tools as well. For example, start with ChatGPT, take that output, understand it, add your own thoughts and then go to claude. Again point number 3, do apples to apples. If you are using the free tiers, treat all the free tiers as equals. 5. Learn to write agent native specs. Agent native specs are living docs which live in the repo, which the agent has direct access to. Take care of the smaller nuances. For example - If your team is using a context window of 100k models, then don't write specs which are too large. Eventually the agent will run out of context and start hallucinating. 6. When you have developed a strong intuition about points 1-5, then and only then build. The world is moving away from a PRD driven build environment to an agent spec driven build environment. Internalise that change. Change your workflow to adapt to it. 7. Build prototypes with the speed of thought, but remember these are prototypes and not actual production code. The prototype to production code journey is a bit far along. But that doesn't mean, you don't build, build your ideas quickly. Again the idea here is for you to develop enough intuition and judgement so that you can keep up with the agent. 8. As we are shifting from "vibe coding" to "agentic engineering", please remember this shift is going to be chaotic. Remember the world required 1-2 yrs to fully understand what actually is an "agent". So don't get overwhelmed, don't get any FOMO. Remember there's still a lot of time for the world to make this transition. All you can do is prepare better. Finally, anyone who is transitioning from a traditional PM to an AI native PM builder, remember, "chaos is a ladder". Be curious, be eager to learn, be adaptable, be flexible. Spend a lot of your time with the AI tools, stress test them, understand their limits, understand their context window and memory. This is in no way any exhaustive list (in fact I would argue this is a beginners list). But as you climb each stair in this ladder, you will develop enough intuition to move even further.

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There is a quiet habit in many organizations that I believe we should rethink. Calling engineers "resources". At first glance, it may sound harmless. But words shape culture, and the difference between an engineer and a resource is deeper than terminology. A resource is something you allocate. A resource is interchangeable. A resource is planned in spreadsheets and capacity charts. But an engineer is something entirely different. An engineer is a problem solver. An engineer designs systems that didn’t exist before. An engineer takes ambiguity, constraints, and trade-offs and turns them into working reality. You cannot allocate creativity. You cannot schedule curiosity. You cannot spreadsheet innovation. When we call people "resources", we unintentionally reduce them to units of output. When we call them engineers, we acknowledge their judgment, craft, and ownership. The difference shows up in how teams behave. When people are treated like resources: • Work is assigned. • Thinking is minimised. • Ownership is diluted. When people are treated like engineers: • Problems are shared. • Ideas are encouraged. • Systems improve. Great companies are not built by managing resources efficiently. They are built by empowering engineers to think, question, and create. Language matters because culture follows language. Maybe the shift is simple: Instead of asking, "Do we have enough resources?" Ask, "Do we have the right engineers solving the right problems?" Small change in words. Massive change in mindset. #eBay #EngineeringCulture #Leadership #TechLeadership #SoftwareEngineering

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🍁 Top Tech Openings for Early and Mid Career Professionals in the US 💡 Quick Tips to Break into Program & Product Management - 1️⃣ Understand the Roles: PM vs Program Manager: focus on product vision, strategy, and execution vs project coordination and cross-team delivery. 2️⃣ Build a Portfolio: Share case studies, side projects, or product experiments showing problem solving and impact. 3️⃣ Learn Key Frameworks: Agile, Scrum, roadmap planning, KPIs, and user centered design basics. 4️⃣ Highlight Transferable Skills: Leadership, communication, analytics, stakeholder management, and problem solving. 5️⃣ Network Smartly: Connect with current PMs and Program Managers, attend meetups, and ask for informational interviews. 6️⃣ Leverage Micro Credentials: Certifications or courses from Google, PMHQ, or Coursera can boost credibility. 7️⃣ Show Business & Tech Awareness: Understand market trends, company products, and relevant technology. 8️⃣ Tailor Your Resume: Quantify achievements, focus on impact, and align experience with job requirements. #TopTech Roles 👉 Software Engineer I - Markem-Imaje 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gQrZ5Jkd 👉 Full-Stack Engineer - BNY 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gXhBcRmS 👉 Sr Associate, Full-Stack Engineer - BNY 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gZ-B9GhC 👉 Sr Associate, Business Process Management Analyst - BNY 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gzkJure8 👉 Full-Stack Software Developer - Greenpixie 🔗 https//lnkd.in/gGV35nq5 👉 IT Intern - HHR 🔗 https//dsp.prng.co/mB0LxAb 👉 Sr Solutions Engineer - NetApp 🔗 https//dsp.prng.co/ZG2c8ab 👉 Sr. React Developer - Charles Schwab 🔗 https//dsp.prng.co/WSmVxNb 👉 Senior IT Business Analyst - PG&E Corporation 🔗 https//dsp.prng.co/h6bzTRb 👉 Lead Analyst - OneMain Financial 🔗 https//dsp.prng.co/LoesaWb 👉 Project Management Analyst - Guidehouse 🔗 https//dsp.prng.co/vh4ueOb 👉 Business Process Analyst - Guidehouse 🔗 https//dsp.prng.co/nxTjc-b #ProgramManager 👉 Program Manager I - Google 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dYXaTkRe 👉 Sustainability Program Manager - Microsoft Corporation 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dqvMkx6M 👉 Technical Program Manager - Apple 🔗 https://lnkd.in/d4yYzqKu 👉 Associate Product Manager - Zinnia 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dVaB4pFq 👉 Product Manager I - tastylive 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dmzMz2Sw 👉 Technical Product Manager - Telnyx 🔗 https://lnkd.in/d9KdGKVT 👉 Associate Product Manager - Modern Health 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dtA4knZK 👉 Product Manager - Lucid Motors 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dRdKD-M8 👉 Product Manager - Robinhood 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dHDpF_h2 👉 Product Marketing Manager I - Uber 🔗 https://lnkd.in/d7rSuQGY 𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲'𝐬 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭. 📌 Want early access to tech openings like this before they go viral? Drop your email below 💬 or DM me for exclusive early access. 👀 Follow Arpita Rawal for daily US tech opportunities, plus updates in Data Science and AI.

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The PRD (product requirements document) is not dead. It may be back, and it may need to be better than ever.

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Enterprises like Apple built their brands on deterministic, pixel‑perfect products. GenAI breaks that model. Experience scope no longer fits inside a classic PRD; it's probabilistic. One tap can now trigger a trillion‑parameter model and a range of outcomes. Users' expectations have shifted - they want a conversation, not a canned path. The old playbook - static specs, pass/fail QA, A/B tests - can't keep up. What replaces it? - Build while you write - PMs and engineers should spin up prototypes as quickly as they draft specs. In the enterprise, permissions, API wiring, and infrastructure is gating vibe-coding, so invest in a "vibe‑coding" devX that removes friction. - Dynamic UX design - craft guardrails, not linear flows. - Continuous eval loops - synthetic data, red‑team stress tests, human‑in‑the‑loop feedback, real‑time metrics. - Dev Ops + AI Ops - ship model + data + prompts + eval harness, not just code. - Quality: shift from testing responses to testing experiences - It's not about rigid input-output anymore. It's about guardrails and transparency, testing that dialog-level trust and coherence, not static responses.  - Generalists over Specialists - we will see roles boundaries continue to blur. Those that cling to deterministic comfort and old model (PRD → design specs → release) will drift behind and watch relevance erode - while they add one feature, more GenAI native competitors add entire experiences.

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✈️ US H-1B Visa Update: The $100,000 Sponsorship Fee 💰 There’s a major update to the H-1B program that could impact many professionals and employers. Starting September 21, 2025, companies that want to sponsor new H-1B workers from abroad will need to pay a $100,000 fee per petition. 📅 This change will be in place for 12 months (until September 20, 2026) unless extended. ✅ It applies only to new petitions filed after the effective date. ❌ It does not apply to current H-1B holders already in the U.S., to renewals or extensions, or to petitions filed before September 21. What does this mean in practice? 🤔 Employers may become more selective in offering sponsorships, especially smaller companies that may find the cost challenging. Candidates outside the U.S. who are waiting for H-1B approval or consular processing could be directly affected. This rule may increase the focus on highly skilled and highly paid positions, as organizations weigh the value of sponsorship. For professionals, the key steps are: 👉 Confirm with your employer whether your petition is being filed before the deadline. 👉 Clarify who will cover the cost if it applies. 👉 Stay updated through official USCIS and DHS announcements. 👉 Always keep backup options in mind. 🌍 Visa journeys are never simple. They test resilience, patience, and adaptability. But staying informed gives you the power to plan better and make smarter decisions. If you or someone you know is impacted by this change, share your thoughts below. Let’s support each other through these updates. 💬 #H1B #Immigration #VisaUpdates #CareerPlanning #Resilience

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Initially, the H-1B proclamation came as a shocker. Now it’s an advantage for existing H-1B holders, particularly for product managers and director-level candidates. The U.S. will now charge $100k per new H-1B visa, and the supply of international talent is expected to drop. But the demand for experienced product managers will not. Companies still need leaders who can drive strategy, scale products, and align teams. And when they look around, the most “ready-to-hire” candidates are the ones already here on valid H-1Bs. (That's you) That scarcity is shifting the market. I’ve seen my product manager-level clients: - Command 30–40% higher compensation packages - Land interviews at companies that previously passed on them - Get promoted or hired directly into leadership tracks (even skipping levels) But none of this happens automatically. Just because the market is tilted in your favor doesn’t mean a company will hand you the role or the raise. You have to show them you’re worth the premium. And that requires a shift in how you operate. You need to: - Position yourself as the person who sets strategy, not just executes it - Step out of your immediate team and make your impact visible across the org - Walk into interviews already acting like the leader they want to hire For many of my clients, these shifts have been the difference between plateauing at “senior Product Manager” and landing $300K–$900K+ leadership roles, even in a so-called bad market. If you’re a product manager on an H-1B, this is your window to land your next-level role with a raise. -> Share this with someone who's an H-1B and feeling stuck. -> Follow me for actionable advice and take your career to the next level with $300k-$900k+ leadership roles.

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Does the IIT/IIM tag really matter? #Day61 of #HelpingAspiringPMs100Days I’ve spoken to and worked with Senior PMs and HR professionals involved in hiring for APM and PM roles. The answer is no — once you’re out of college and have 2.5 to 5 years of experience, what really matters is what you’ve done after college, not where you studied. That said, many folks from IITs/NITs are incredibly smart and hardworking — and that’s often why they go on to do great things in life. Yes, having an IIT/IIM/NIT tag might give you an edge in the first 0–2 years, but beyond that, it’s your skills, outcomes, and impact that make the difference.

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Old school product management was writing-first. Think of the classic PRD: long docs, carefully reviewed, because engineering cycles were slow and resources scarce. You had to get it right before you built… But as Google’s Madhu Guru pointed out recently, the shift is happening: 👉 Writing-first → Building-first 👉 “Tell me” → “Show me” 👉 Role silos → Blurred lines And tools like Lovable are accelerating this shift. Today, the time to write a PRD ≈ the time to spin up a vibe-coded MVP or POC. You don’t just explain the idea, you put it in people’s hands. That’s where clarity comes faster. That’s where momentum sticks. That’s where feedback is real. The PRD still matters, it’s the scaffolding for alignment. But pair it with a fast MVP, and you unlock something bigger: speed, creativity, conviction. The future of product isn’t just writing what you’ll build. It’s building while you’re writing. #ProductManagement #MVP #Innovation #Leadership #AI #BuildingFirst

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