Career Journey of a .NET Program Management Director - Lessons from Scott Hunter

Overview

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Dive into a 47-minute video interview with Scott Hunter, Director of Program Management for .NET at Microsoft. Explore the challenges of expanding professional scope, applying startup and consulting lessons to large corporations, and how early experiences with bulletin board systems shaped a successful career path. Learn about the day-to-day responsibilities of a program management director, strategies for managing team transitions, and the importance of diverse perspectives in team building. Discover insights on career growth, including the transition from development to program management, intentional skill development, and the value of seizing opportunities. Gain inspiration from Scott's journey, from his early passion for computers to his current leadership role at Microsoft, and understand the importance of trusting your instincts in making career decisions.

Syllabus

- Meet Scott Hunter, Director of Program Management for .NET.
– What does a director of program management do day to day? .
– How did Scott managed his transition to director of all of .NET from his previous role?.
– How did Scott get the role? Taking initiative to find the right place..
– Growing scope and managing perceived identities, from ASP.NET to just .NET.
– Why team cultures differ and don’t align even when they ship in the same product.
– How did Scott learn and build the skills to make these transitions? Practicing integration in early startup days, consulting..
– Most important lesson from previous managers: Don’t surround yourself with people like yourself and building a team with diverse opinions.
– Deciding between going with a new project or continuing along on a journey not complete. .
– Accidentally attending Microsoft’s conference and joining Microsoft.
– Moving from dev to PM and learning communication skills.
– Becoming a manager and intentionally stopping himself from coding.
– How did Scott into computers? Typing programs into the Commodore PET he stole from his dad..
– Scott’s history of working on Wildcat BBS to avoid forklift driving .
– Turbo Pascal and hanging at Anders Hejlsberg’s house and serendipity.
– Failing his first Microsoft interview, knowing what you want..
– Trust your internal sense of when to act fast.