Product Management is an incredibly competitive field to get into. For those attempting to transition into the field, it can seem almost impossible to land their first Product Management job. This is where the right Product Management course comes in. General Assembly is one of the biggest product management training organizations out there, but how does it compare to the Product Gym program? Product Gym vs General Assembly: which program is best suited to getting you the PM job of your dreams?
Product Gym vs General assembly is just one consideration to make: with multiple companies offering product management training, trying to find what separates one from the other can be a difficult task. While we’re of course slightly biased, we think we come out on top in the whole Product Gym vs General assembly debate. Our program offers many services and benefits that our competitors do not.
Product Gym vs General Assembly: Career Coaching
Career Coaching |
Product Gym |
General Assembly |
Career Coaches |
Yes |
Yes |
The Product Gym Membership Network |
Yes |
No |
On-Campus Recruiting |
Yes |
No |
Web-Based Resources |
Yes |
No |
When considering which Product Management course is the right choice for you, one should consider the level of Career Support they will have during their time in the course. Product Management is a highly competitive field to get into, and this is why you need a supportive community in place that will keep you accountable.
Career Coaches
At Product Gym, our Career Coaches have former Technical Recruiting backgrounds (they understand hiring intimately) and are here to help you every step of the way. You will always have the support you need to become a successful Product Manager, from a personalized game plan to never-ending motivation.
Product Gym In-Residence Career Coaches help you reach your Career Goals faster by:
- Customizing an effective career-management strategy.
- Assisting with self-assessment exercises.
- Providing a suite of tools to research industries and job functions.
- Developing necessary career skills (e.g., resume writing, networking).
- Teaching interpersonal presentation strategies through mock interviews.
- Evaluating job offers and teaching negotiation techniques.
- Providing strategies to leverage your strengths and industry experience for you to transition into the best Product Manager role for you.
But don’t take our word for it, visit our SwitchUp Review Page to see what our members have to say.
The Product Gym Lifetime Membership Network
Product Gym members enjoy full access to a network of members for life, great for both job searches and for connecting with local product managers.
On-Campus Recruiting
Product Gym’s on-campus recruiting services are available to all Product Gym members and alumni. Since Product Gym specializes in training Product Managers, companies reach out to us all the time to help fill their vacancies.
Member Portal and Web-Based Resources
Product Gym members have full access to Product Gym’s proprietary web-based career-management resources. Our online repositories provide a wealth of content specifically targeted to the needs of Product Gym members, including:
- Articles
- Archive of interview questions and classes
- Online Guides
- Relevant Links
Product Gym vs General Assembly: Branding
Branding |
Product Gym |
General Assembly |
Resume Revamp |
Yes |
No |
LinkedIn Profile Optimization |
Yes |
No |
Cover Letter Revamp |
Yes |
No |
Pitch Refinement |
Yes |
No |
We will show you how to revamp your resume, LinkedIn, cover letter and Backstory for the ATS aks (recruiting software or resume bots) within 7 to 10 days after you enroll with Product Gym. You will create your rough draft as part of our course offerings and we will help you with the final draft. To ensure quality control you will not be allowed to apply unless your resume is approved.
Resume Revamp
At Product Gym, we understand how recruiting works, as well as how Product Management hiring teams sift and sort through resumes. You will learn how to brand and optimize your resume so that your applications can pass through the resume bots that serve as the gatekeepers between you and the Product Manager job of your dreams. Your newly revamped resume will be designed for every position posted on the job boards. That way you do not have to waste your time spending hours on end customizing your resume for positions that you may never hear back from.
Upon your enrollment at Product Gym, our Member Success Agent will walk you through the Member Portal. There you will be provided detailed instructions on how to craft your resume. This process should take you no more than a few hours, and the branding will be approved in 5 days or less. Our Member Success Agent will proofread your resume and give you the green light before you apply. Learn How to Write the Best Product Manager Resume with this free training.
LinkedIn Profile Optimization
Did you know that 80% of the Product Manager positions out in the market are not even posted on job boards? These positions are exclusive roles in that companies use specialized technical recruiters and headhunters to help scout out. Your LinkedIn profile only has one purpose, and that is to help generate more interviews that you actually care about. For those of you coming from Accounting, Banking, Consulting, Finance, Sales, Marketing, and a few other niche roles, you are probably already receiving LinkedIn Inmail Messages about roles that you do not care about.
Product Gym will help optimize your LinkedIn profile for the roles that you actually do care about. Think of this process as “Search Engine Optimization” or “SEO” for your LinkedIn profile.
Cover Letter Revamp
Cover letters still matter, and that is why Product Gym will help you write one. The importance of cover letters is high; most Product Managers we talk to will not consider a Product Manager for a hireable position unless they have a well-constructed cover letter.
Refined Pitch
We will also help you create your perfect personal pitch that will help sell your background and strengths. This way, you have a tailored pitch to go into every interview. A personal pitch that highlights your strengths rather than your weaknesses will dramatically differentiate you from your competition.
Product Gym vs General Assembly: Application Training
Application Training | Product Gym | General Assembly |
Scalable Application Methodology | Yes | No |
Introduction to Technical Recruiters | Yes | No |
Application Assistant | Yes | No |
You will start applying 10 to 14 days after you enroll with us. Our competitors will encourage you to apply to positions towards the end of your course or even after your course has ended.
How in the world does that even make sense? The only leverage your Product Management Instructor offers you is the insight they can provide for you during actual Product Management interviews. We have our members apply within 10 to 14 days because we understand that it takes time for hiring teams to get back to your application.
Scalable Application Methodology
Our proven Application Methodology allows for you to apply to 60 to 100 applications in less than 1 hour. You are busy and we appreciate that. Spending hours on end applying to positions is not scalable, which is why we created a process where you can achieve scale with your applications.
Introduction to Technical Recruiters
Product Gym’s network includes recruiters who often seek out talent from the ranks of our members. We’re happy to make the introduction and connect you. This way, you do not have to worry if the recruiter you are working with has your best interests at heart. Technical Recruiters work with companies of every size to ensure they onboard only the best Product Managers each local market has to offer.
Product Gym vs General Assembly: Interview Support
Interview Support |
Product Gym |
General Assembly |
Start Interviewing |
From day one of the course |
After Course Ends |
Interview Feedback |
Yes |
No |
Office Hours |
Yes |
No |
Case Study and Interview Assignment Support |
Yes |
No |
Real-Time Coaching Feedback |
Yes |
No |
Start Interviewing Now
In addition to teaching the essential skills required to become a successful Product Manager, Product Gym places an emphasis on helping you secure your own interviews so you can land the right Product Manager job faster. The application, as well as hearing back from the company you applied to, takes time. It can take as long as 4 to 6 weeks. It is imperative that you apply to as many jobs as possible, so you can start interviewing immediately. Anybody that has aggressively job hunted before understands that if you apply for a job today, that does not mean that you will hear back tomorrow or even this week.
You will be able to start generating interviews within 21 days after you enroll with us, while at General Assembly, you won’t begin interviewing until after the session ends.
Interview Feedback
Since our inception, we have been able to develop a strong vault of Product Management Interview questions. We have provided feedback to all the interviews our members do, so they can understand what they did well, what they need to improve, and how.
Office Hours
Our Office Hours support is designed to address and archive interview questions submitted by members — these questions are answered daily by our coaches. Within Office Hours, our coaches have adressed over 3,000 product management interview questions. The answers and explanations are available to you at any time.
Product Gym vs General Assembly: Case Study Support
Case Study Support |
Product Gym |
General Assembly |
Case Study and Interview Assignment Support |
Yes |
No |
Senior Member Support (support from senior members who have done a similar if not the same case study) |
Yes |
No |
Case Study and Interview Assignment Support
There are four rounds to every Product Management interview. Case Studies and Interview Assignments have become more prevalent between the 2nd Round Phone Call Interview and the 3rd Round Onsite Interview. General Assembly doesn’t provide its students with any support in this area. This is absolutely crucial to the success of every Product Manager candidate in the market.
Product Gym vs General Assembly: Course Content
Course Content |
Product Gym |
General Assembly |
5-Hour Technical Engineering Fundamentals and Interview Workshop |
Yes |
No |
5-Hour Product Design Fundamentals and Interview Workshop |
Yes |
No |
5-Hour Data Analytics Fundamentals and Interview Workshop |
Yes |
No |
5-Hour Product Marketing Fundamentals and Interview Workshop |
Yes |
No |
5-Hour Product Strategy Fundamentals and Interview Workshop |
Yes |
No |
5-Hour Culture Fit and Behavior Fundamentals and Interview Workshop |
Yes |
No |
Subject Matter Experts as Instructors |
Yes |
No |
Course Duration |
6 Weeks |
10 Weeks |
Course Material Access |
Lifetime Membership |
Course Duration |
Enrollment |
Anytime |
Scheduled |
What you’ll learn during a Product Management course is important when making a decision. All three courses will offer education in essential Product Management skills, so how are they any different from each other?
Our Course Content is 100% dedicated to helping you ace the interview and crush it on the job. Our vault of Product Management Interview Questions has given us very actionable insight that the questions you are asked pertain to the job you will be hired to do. In addition, we also have materials on all the necessary skills you need to do the job with more being added based on market demands.
Product Gym Course Content
At Product Gym, we understand the importance of interviewing, and teaching you how to prepare for it is one of the things we focus on. You will learn what will typically be needed from you in an interview, and also receive feedback on your interviews.
We also offer several different interview workshops to get you ready for the real thing. Our weekly 5-hour workshops allow you to understand how these fundamentals relate to the interviews covering topics such as technical engineering, product design, data analysis, product marketing, product strategy, and culture fit and behavior.
General Assembly Course Content
At General Assembly, the essential skills are all that you will learn. Their last week of the course does touch on the realities of the job market, but there is nothing to help you actually land a Product Management job.
Product Gym Instructors
Another area you should focus on when choosing the right Product Management course for you is the amount of support you will receive. The instructors themselves are key to your success during a Product Management course, so having multiple instructors or coaches to go to for help is extremely important. It wouldn’t be fair to assess the quality of the instructors themselves, as all of them have experience with Product Management. However, Product Gym does provide a certain advantage when it comes to its instructors.
General Assembly Instructors
Courses at General Assembly, being the bigger company out of the two, means that the instructor is handling even more students than at Product Gym, making it even harder for you to receive advice and help on a one-on-one basis.
One thing missing in General Assembly, in regards to instructors, is variety. Product Management requires you to be proficient or at least knowledgeable in multiple areas of expertise, and no one Product Manager is perfect. Some Product Managers will be better suited to teach you certain aspects of the job than others. With only one lead instructor, there is no way to be sure that you are getting the best possible instruction for every aspect of Product Management.
At Product Gym, you are taught by subject matter experts, including:
- Technical and Software Engineering Leads
- Product Designers, UX Designers/Researchers
- Data Scientists
- Product Marketing Managers
- Product Strategists
They will co-teach the course with the lead Product Management instructor by focusing each of their respective 2.5-hour sessions on the subject they are professionally skilled in, allowing you to get the most out of each meeting. We wanted to give you this advantage because the most challenging part of the job-hunting process is the onsite interviews. We take your time seriously when it comes to interviewing. Product Management onsite interviews can last anywhere from 2 to 5 hours. How much time can you take off your day job before it becomes blatantly obvious you are looking for another job? We figured that the best possible advantage we can offer your job search and career development is to invite all the different kinds of stakeholders you will have to interface with on a daily basis as a Product Manager. The better you can understand how these stakeholders think, no matter what questions you are asked during the onsite interview (because it’s impossible to know the answer to every question), you can always answer the questions with clarity.
Course Duration
Close to 43% of our membership comprises of General Assembly graduates that were unable to land Product Manager positions after they graduated.
All of our members are able to access our course materials for as long as they need after their course has ended. The reason for this is that we understand that your transition may last a while depending on the amount of time you have to interview. Members also have the option to return to the program whenever they need. With lifetime access to the community, courses, and coaching, members benefit from Product Gym’s support at any and all stages of their career.
Upon your enrollment, we put you directly into a pre-course session so you are not waiting for your course to start. product management is not about staying still, so why should you?
With a full-time job as well as other responsibilities, it can be hard to find time to take a full-time product management course. For this reason, our course is part-time, meeting after your day job twice a week. While this is also the case for General Assembly’s course, the length of the course itself is what separates us. The courses at General Assembly last ten weeks while Product Gym’s program only lasts 6 weeks, which makes it the shortest and most flexible course available to you. We waste no time teaching you the ins and outs of product management and will help you get your resume ready for applying as soon as possible.
Course Material Access
Being the shortest course between the three companies, Product Gym focuses on more robust topics that matter in the transition to Product Management while cutting out the unnecessary such as 2 weeks of Public Speaking training. As a bonus, Product Gym is the only one that will give you course material access after the course has ended.
It would be unrealistic to say that every person who enrolls in a Product Management training program will land a job within the course duration, regardless of which one you choose. We are aware that some people might take more time to find a job than others, so we give our members access to our course materials for life. At General Assembly, your course material access ends when the course does, which means when your 10 weeks are up, you will not receive any more help, whether you found a position or not.
Fun fact: we’re proud to say that during the COVID-19 pandemic, Product Gym helped over 350 returning members land a new Product Manager job after being laid off, at no extra cost to them.
Enrollment
At General Assembly, the courses have scheduled start and end dates, so if the dates they provide don’t work for you, you’re out of luck.
With Product Gym, the course starts when you want it to. You can enroll anytime that works best for you and still receive the full six weeks of instruction.
Product Gym vs General assembly: Full Breakdown
Career Coaching |
Product Gym |
General Assembly |
Career Coaches |
Yes |
Yes |
The Product Gym Alumni Network |
Yes |
No |
On-Campus Recruiting |
Yes |
No |
Web-Based Resources |
Yes |
No |
Branding |
Product Gym |
General Assembly |
Resume Revamp |
Yes |
No |
LinkedIn Profile Optimization |
Yes |
No |
Cover Letter Revamp |
Yes |
No |
Pitch Refinement |
Yes |
No |
Application Training |
Product Gym |
General Assembly |
Scalable Application Methodology |
Yes |
No |
Introduction to Technical Recruiters |
Yes |
No |
Application Assistant |
Yes |
No |
Interview Support |
Product Gym |
General Assembly |
Start Interviewing Now |
Before Course Starts |
After Course Ends |
Interview Feedback |
Yes |
No |
Office Hours |
Yes |
No |
Case Study and Interview Assignment Support |
Yes |
No |
Case Study Support |
Product Gym |
General Assembly |
Case Study and Interview Assignment Support |
Yes |
No |
Senior Member Support |
Yes |
No |
Course Content |
Product Gym |
General Assembly |
5-Hour Technical Engineering Fundamentals and Interview Workshop |
Yes |
No |
5-Hour Product Design Fundamentals and Interview Workshop |
Yes |
No |
5-Hour Data Analytics Fundamentals and Interview Workshop |
Yes |
No |
5-Hour Product Marketing Fundamentals and Interview Workshop |
Yes |
No |
5-Hour Product Strategy Fundamentals and Interview Workshop |
Yes |
No |
5-Hour Culture Fit and Behavior Fundamentals and Interview Workshop |
Yes |
No |
Subject Matter Experts as Instructors |
Yes |
No |
Course Duration |
6 Weeks |
10 Weeks |
Course Material Access |
Lifetime Membership |
Course Duration |
Enrollment |
Anytime |
Scheduled |
Big Obvious Disclaimer
This content was written by the Product Gym team. The fun fact is that this course was built by our Founder, Richard Chen, after his experience as the Campus Director for Product School’s New York Campus. It was not created to compete, but to serve the needs of a more specific target. Product Gym’s objective is to “make sure you learn in a very practical way how to land a Product Manager job.”