How to Land a PM Interview: A Step-by-Step Guide. Product Manager Resume Template.

In just a week: 9 interviews from job postings (no networking). ATS-verified and A/B-optimized resume template.

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Getting a job as a Product Manager might seem extremely difficult.

In recent weeks, I've been browsing job postings. It's now common to see 100+ candidates applying for a single position, even at an average company:

According to Glassdoor, on average:

• Each corporate job opening attracts 250 resumes.

• Of these candidates, four to six will be called for an interview.

• Only one will be offered a job.

Many Product Managers I spoke with in 2023 shared similar experiences. The most painful part is often the lack of meaningful feedback.

The situation might look hopeless.

The traditional wisdom is that you need to follow the rules:

• Step 1: Prepare a resume

• Step 2: Find 50-100 or more job offers

• Step 3: Adjust your resume to each job offer

• Step 4: Send all the resumes

• Step 5: Wait for the response

Unfortunately, it’s the most ineffective way of landing a Product Manager interview.

Recently, I’ve been considering different career paths. And this is what my second week of Product Manager interviews looked like (13 interviews, 9 from job postings, 4 from my network):

I got so many invitations that after 3 weeks, I:

• Stopped looking for a job.

• Canceled all processes from other countries as I didn’t want to relocate.

• Declined offers from Polish companies as I wanted to work in English.

• Rejected any offers that weren't fully remote to save on commuting time.

A week ago, I accepted a job as a Senior Product Manager at Ideals because I loved the company, and I realized I couldn’t write about product without working in the field.

But it involved breaking a few traditional rules and acting differently.

Let’s dive into those techniques.

1. Network to explore the hidden job market

While platforms like LinkedIn, Glassdoor, or Otta might be helpful, most job postings are unavailable online, with 60 percent of jobs found through networking.

If you don't want to post on social media, try this:

• Do research and follow product companies you might consider in the future.

• Follow people from those companies (PMs and HR). You can easily find them on LinkedIn:

  

• Engage with their content by reacting to their posts and comments or, better, providing valuable comments.

• Once you've established a rapport, invite them to connect.

The best time to start building your network was yesterday. The next best time to start is now.