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.
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: