Merlyn Deng/Facebook
This product manager didn't have a tech background before joining Facebook - but she doesn't let that hold her back at work.
- Facebook jobs can sometimes seem out of reach to people without a tech background.
- But that didn't stop Merlyn Deng from joining the company and becoming a product manager.
- Business Insider interviewed Deng about what it's like to work at Facebook.
- She broke down her entire daily routine, from her early-morning commute to her penchant for cooking in the evening.
- Deng also discussed Facebook's culture, as well as the strategies she uses to lead her team and tackle the field of AI.
Landing a job at Facebook seemed like an impossible dream to Merlyn Deng, at first. She didn't have any experience in tech when she applied to the company.
"I didn't think I could get into the tech sector," she told Business Insider.
Transform talent with learning that worksCapability development is critical for businesses who want to push the envelope of innovation.Discover how business leaders are strategizing around building talent capabilities and empowering employee transformation.Know More But that didn't stop Deng. She prepared for her interview, compiling a detailed list of features she wanted to help build and skills she could bring to the table. In 2013, Deng landed a job at the tech giant as a media partnerships analyst.
"Having a strong clarity and intent about what you hope to do - particularly at a company like Facebook - helps drive a lot of the conversation," Deng said.
She's shifted gears since then and now works as a product manager. Deng spoke with Business Insider about her daily routine, described Facebook's work culture, and discussed her own strategies for staying on task, working with her team, and leading a balanced life.
"As a product manager, you're really responsible for working with a lot of other people and thinking about the best thing we can do for the company today, in six months, or in a year," Deng said.
That means bouncing around ideas for new features, dealing with the day-to-day execution of different projects, and "making sure that your team feels like they're delivering the best state-of-the-art AI," according to Deng.
"We're all here to deliver AI that can really help connect the world and help connect people through Facebook," Deng added.
Here's what a day in the life of a Facebook product manager looks like: