What if I told you it took me 25+ failed interviews and 2+ stressful months to secure my first product management job?
Would you believe that behind the facade of success lies a journey filled with ups and downs, self-doubt, and invaluable lessons?
Today, I will share my story of the challenging path with aspiring product managers. I will also share how I got a product management job, how to get a product management job, and critical insights on whether a product manager is a stressful job.
Before jumping into my story, here’s a snapshot of how to become a product manager:
- Build Knowledge: Read blogs and books on product management—key topics: product life cycle, development process, roadmaps.
- Develop Skills: Identify skill gaps and take free courses online to learn essential skills.
- Get Certified: Earn a certification to show you have practical skills and knowledge.
- Create a Portfolio: Showcase your projects as a product manager to demonstrate your skills.
- Network: Connect with product managers through online groups and events for advice and opportunities.
- Apply for Jobs: Tailor your resume for product management roles and apply or seek internal transfers.
These steps will help you get a job in product management and succeed in your career.
Let me share my story to give you a sense of my personal experience and how it can help you advance in your career.
Some Context
Most Indian B-schools do interviews in phases (or something more commonly known as "Days.")
We had the Tier 1 companies coming to campus on Day 1, Tier 2 on Day 2, etc. Each day is not really a day but a period of 1-2 weeks.
The application process starts 2ish months before Day 1 starts.
The Preparation
I used those two months to do two things primarily:
- Refine my resume and apply to relevant roles
- Do mock interviews with batchmates and friends on campus
I was thrilled once the shortlist results started coming out because the top product companies shortlisted me for interviews.
I worked hard and prepared well for each interview. I read about the company, recent news, new products, and anything else I could find online. I also continued doing mock interviews with peers.
The Results:
I couldn't clear even one of the interviews on Day 1.
The weight of each rejection letter, the self-doubt that crept in with every missed opportunity, and the emotional roller coaster of hope and disappointment was a journey that tested my resilience to the core. I started questioning my abilities, battling impostor syndrome, and felt trapped in a cycle of self-doubt. It took a few days to break free from feeling like a failure and summon the strength to understand what went wrong.
But it was precisely in those moments of setback that I discovered their actual impact on me. They ignited a desire to understand my mistakes, learn from them, and improve my approach. As an aspiring product manager, I knew this was part of the journey on how to get a job in product management.
Despite the setbacks, I reminded myself that product management is a good career—full of challenges, but rewarding if approached with resilience and growth. Learning from my mistakes, I focused on how to get a product manager job, refined my interview skills, and began better preparing for the questions that were asked. Each interview was no longer just about landing a product manager job; it became about learning and growing.
Becoming a product manager can be stressful, but the journey of self-discovery and the determination to keep going despite rejections made it worthwhile.
The Mistakes:
Through this process of introspection, I learned what I did wrong:
Mocking with peers is not good enough.
Mocking with peers is simple. You're talking to "friends" and "equals." There is no stress.
On the other hand, interviewers are not friends. They are also not equals. They are experienced and know a lot more than you. Most importantly, they make the decision that decides your fate. In other words, real-world interviews are way more stressful than mock interviews.
Force fitting frameworks:
During my preparation, I learned how to solve product-sense problems (as that was the most common question we were asked in PM interviews). However, my learning process could have been better.
I focused only on "frameworks" and not on understanding the essence. As a result, my answers were shallow, a lousy attempt to force fit a "framework" for all my answers.
In my first interview, I was supposed to "Make Dropbox better." The interviewer saw I was struggling and subtly hinted at the user persona she wanted me to focus on. Instead of identifying problems for the persona and innovating solutions, I spent about 15 minutes setting up the framework as I had learned and and wasted time overthinking how to create the universe of user personas.
Lack of understanding.
While I learned frameworks and hacks to solve product questions, I needed to take the time to understand the real essence of product sense questions. For that matter, I needed to understand what product management meant and what real PMs do.
For example, in the Dropbox example -- one of the mistakes (that I now know) I made was completely ignoring the business goal for Dropbox at the time.
I didn't spend any time discussing the goals, so my solutions were all over the place. It was impossible to know which one would create the highest impact.
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The Turn Around:
That was it. I knew what I did wrong.
And then, I was determined to turn my setbacks into stepping stones.
This is what I did. This is also what I recommend all product managers to do when applying for their first PM job:
Step 1: Focus on understanding product management
Aspiring product managers note one thing: Understand what it truly means. Then, read about frameworks and use them only if/when required.
Talk to experienced product managers who have done what you want to do.
In my case, I spoke to many alumni who were in the companies I was applying for. I got into the details of what the company does, what product management means for them, and what a successful interview candidate looks like.
In my conversations, I was not focusing on "how to crack PM interviews" but on "what product management means and how you do it."
I also started reading voraciously about product management. Unfortunately, there was not too much content available. (This is in 2013) But I was lucky to come across Marty Cagan's book - Inspired. That helped tremendously. It enabled me to decode product management as a function holistically and understand the role of a product manager.
Step 2: Mocks
Once I had stronger relations with alums, I started requesting that they help me with mock interviews. It took a lot of work to get their time, but the few who did help made a world of difference.
Their feedback was pointed and actionable (compared to zero input from peers.)
After one mock interview with a pretty senior alumnus, the feedback helped me understand that while my ideas were promising, my communication could have been clearer and more structured.
I took the feedback to heart and worked on improving my structure. The goal was to present my thoughts clearly and briefly. I would practice this by picking a complex technical concept and trying to explain it to my mother. If she understood, I did a good job.
Finally, I also worked on my overall communication. I realized I was taking too long to answer basic questions like "Tell me about yourself" or "Why do you want to join our company?" I started recording myself and identifying redundancies, and then I worked on making the answers crisper.
Step 3: Use frameworks as a starting point (or ignore them altogether)
I had taken frameworks to heart and focused on using only them to answer every question. That did not work.
Frameworks could be helpful for understanding the basics, but I know today that they are rarely helpful in real-world scenarios.
The New Me:
Once I understood product management better, my thinking evolved. When I answered questions, I focused only on the following:
- Always think about the user.
- Create solutions that help the user but also positively impact business goals.
- Be explicit about "why" you choose to do A or B.
- Be clear and structured in your approach. Instead of only sharing the end state, help the interviewers see "how" you're thinking.
- Check with them if they agree, like, or dislike your direction.
- Iterate along the way.
The Success:
As the Day 2 interviews approached, I gained enhanced knowledge about product management, better interview strategies, and increased self-confidence.
In fact, after one of my interviews, the interviewer commended me on my user-centric thinking. He was pleasantly surprised with the detailed ideas I shared on the users' pain points.
The noticeable transformation resulted in a higher interview conversion rate, eventually leading to my first job as a product manager. And this is how I became a product manager.
With all the real industry knowledge and experience, JAPM shares Fundamentals of Product Management; check it out!
TLDR:
- Invest in understanding the role first and the interview process second. (resources below)
- Try doing mocks that replicate the real-world situation (and stress)
- Frameworks can be a useful tool. But only sometimes. Use them sparingly.
- Build your network and learn from real product managers
- Build product sense: remember to focus on users first and business second. Ignore all else.
Resources:
If you're an aspiring product manager, focus on a few high-quality content sources only
- Inspired by Marty Cagan (book)
- SVPG Blog by Marty Cagan
- JustAnotherPM (Twitter, LinkedIn, Blog, Newsletter)
- Lenny's Newsletter
- Read 2 articles on tech news every day (this is why reading tech news is important)
Summing Up!
Getting my first product management job took a lot of work, with many rejections. I learned to understand product management better, improve my skills, and focus on user needs. Seeking feedback from experienced people helped me a lot.
Ultimately, hard work paid off, and I landed the job. This journey showed me that learning and staying strong is key to success in this field.
FAQs: How to Get A Product Management Job
- How can I get a job as a product manager?
To get a job, learn about product management, develop your skills, network with people in the field, and apply for relevant roles.
- Is it hard to get a product manager role?
It can be challenging due to competition and the need for specific skills and knowledge. But if you are determined and honing your skills, nothing can beat you.
- Can I be a product manager with no experience?
Yes, you can start without experience. Focus on learning and building a strong understanding of the role.
- How to land a first PM job?
Build your knowledge, practice interviews, network with experienced product managers, and showcase any projects you’ve done.
- Who is the ideal candidate for a product manager?
The ideal candidate is someone who understands user needs, communicates well, and can think strategically about products.
- What inspires you to be a product manager?
Many are inspired by the chance to create products that help users and solve real problems.
- Can I start my career as a product manager?
Yes, you can start your career in product management by gaining relevant knowledge and experience.
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