Edition #8: Kristina Hua
From University to Product Management
Kristina’s path began with a degree in Information Systems. What pulled her in wasn’t just “tech” - it was ownership: building something tangible and seeing it used.
“I knew I wanted real ownership to build something tangible and see its impact. Product management offered that. You decide what gets built, you listen to users, and you can see your work come to life almost instantly.”
She’s also direct about timing: you don’t need to wait until you feel “ready.” Applying for full-time roles while still a student isn’t common, but it can accelerate learning.
“I applied for my role just because I was curious, and got it! Don’t underestimate yourself because you’re still a student. Hands-on experience teaches you more than you’d expect.”
As to what exactly she applied for…
What Exactly Is a Product Manager?
Kristina frames product management less as a job title and more as a function: aligning a company’s direction with what users need, then translating that into something a team can ship. As she puts it:
“To me, a product manager is the voice of the customer. Your role is to listen to and understand what users need, and then build solutions that bring that vision to life. You’re a builder, but also a bridge who connects the customer’s goals with the business’s goals.”
That “bridge” sits at the centre of the job: translating between technical and commercial language, aligning stakeholders, and shaping the end-to-end experience - while keeping the customer heartbeat in view. So how does someone step into that responsibility?
The Skills That Matter Most
Kristina’s answer is simple, but not easy: action orientation, ownership and prioritisation. In her words:
“You need to be proactive. Don’t wait for someone to tell you what to do, you need to act on what needs doing. Then, take full ownership. See every task through from start to finish. And finally, be ruthless about priorities. Every sprint, every feature has a cost, so focus only on what truly moves the needle.”
If those sound like “big” skills, they’re also the ones the job forces you to practise every day - which makes the day-to-day a useful lens for understanding the role.
A Day In The Life
Kristina describes her days as fast-paced and unpredictable.
“I always start by jotting down the top three things I need to get done. The role is quick paced and it’s too easy to get pulled in every direction,” she laughs. “Between Slack threads from engineers in different time zones, customer feedback, and stakeholder requests, you need to constantly prioritise.”
Mornings were often triage, consisting of going over overnight updates, urgent issues and bugs. Contrarily, midday focused on product and business reviews, following metrics and customer insights closely. Finally, afternoons were deeper collaboration with engineers and staying close to customer calls. “That’s how you stay close to what really matters - understanding the customer heartbeat,” she explains.
With that pace comes a trade-off: the work is rewarding, but it isn’t always comfortable.
The Best (And Hardest) Parts of the Role
For Kristina, the highlight is impact: “The fast pace, the autonomy, and the tangible impact. You build something and see customers using it within weeks, it is incredibly rewarding.”
The difficulty mirrors the same traits - speed can mean bugs, and autonomy can mean you’re the decision-maker when everyone has a different goal. That’s why the entry path you choose matters.
Breaking Into The Field and Standing Out
Kristina notes that many large companies offer Associate Product Manager or graduate pathways, but she also makes the case for going smaller early: “Smaller companies can give you more ownership early on. Luxury Escapes was fast-paced - I had real decision-making power right from the start.” She adds that Business Analyst roles can be a practical gateway when they sit close to product teams.
When it comes to applications, her message is blunt: show impact, not labels. “Don’t just list titles. Show outcomes. Did you lead an initiative? Build something? Improve a process? Quantify it.”
Finally, she flags AI literacy as a differentiator: “Even basic experience using AI tools to prototype ideas or generate mock-ups can set you apart… showing you can use tech to solve problems is increasingly valuable.”
Final Thoughts
A few words of encouragement from Kristina:
"It is a hard field to get into, but don't be let down just because you've received a couple rejections. You should submit 50 applications at least before even thinking that you'll make it to the second round. In the current market, it's already rough as it is. So sometimes focusing on quantity over quality of your application is ideal if your goal is to get into product. And aiming for smaller companies gives you much higher chances."
Kristina’s view of product management is grounded: it’s decision-heavy work, often under uncertainty. But for people who love building, it offers autonomy, a steep learning curve, and the satisfaction of seeing your decisions show up in something customers actually use.
This article was written by Siddharth Ramachandran and Jessica McKenzie, and edited by Varenya Taneja. All experiences and opinions are their own unless otherwise specified, and do not represent the views of the UNSW Consulting Club or any affiliated organisations and sponsors.
