This is Why it's Hard to Crack Product Management Jobs!

Getting shortlists for and cracking PM interviews is not easy. But these simple and quick tricks will increase your chances by at least 10X

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I've interviewed 600+ candidates.

I absolutely loved some of them.

But I hated most of them.

Here is why!

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What I learned or found interesting this week:

1. What is Big Tech's rush to nuclear power telling us?: Big tech is spending a lot of time, money, and effort to build/leverage nuclear power. AI is driving most of it.

2. Customization Debt: Every time you build a custom feature for a “high-paying” enterprise customer, you’re taking on debt. The question is—is that debt worth taking?

3. Egypt declared malaria-free after 100-year effort: It is interesting to know how countries and large bureaucratic organisations set success metrics for ambitious goals like being malaria-free.

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Throughout my experience as an interviewer and hiring manager, I’ve noticed a few things that make the candidate stand out, personable, and likable.

And these qualities increase the chances of their success.

Today, I’m sharing a list of all the things that make me like or dislike candidates from the time they start applying till the time they convert the offer.

Caveat: All tricks and tips are anecdotal. They are based on what I like. This might be different for other hiring managers. And, I’ve only hired for IC roles.

Reaching out / Cold DMs

• I don’t mind people reaching out to me on LinkedIn. But I hate “I am looking for a job” messages.

• I appreciate specific questions that show the person has put in some work.

• I am happy to refer for openings, if you show me how you’re a good fit.

• I will not share the hiring manager’s or the recruiter’s details.

• I am also okay setting up a call to generally talk about what my company does, the interview process, the values. But I need a good reason to get on that call.

• I will not get on calls if I am the hiring manager for the role you’re applying/interviewing for.

Actions you can take

1. Be intentional when you reach out to people on LinkedIn. Most people are willing to help only if they specifically know what it is you’re asking for. “I’m looking for a job” is too vague for anyone to help you or even respond.

2. If you have an ask, present it like an ask. Don’t beat around the bush. But also let them know, why they should help you.

3. Put in the work before reaching out. See their profile, their posts, if they’re specifically hiring for a role. And when you reach out to them use those specifics to strike an engaging conversation!

Resumes

• I like one pagers. I don’t read longer resumes. Only exception: if the candidate has 10+ years experience.

• I prefer simple formats.

• I like chronological information: education, work experience, all else.

• I read resumes digitally. I like to have one-click access to LinkedIn profiles.

• I glance through a resume (5-10 seconds max) to decide if it’s worth reading in more detail. I am looking for education institution names and past experience company names. That helps me decide if the person has relevant experience/knowledge.

• When I read the details, I don’t care about your responsibilities. (I already know what a PM does.) I want to know the specifics of what you do/own, what you achieved, how you achieved it, and why you think the achievement is important.

• I don’t care much for “skills” or “certifications.” Your work experience should speak for what you’re good at.

• I do care about side projects (maybe a personal bias) because that shows true initiative and dedication.

• Some resume’s have a 1-2 line summary. I don’t care much about them too (unless it is super unique.)

Actions you can take

1. Rule of thumb: use 1 page per 10 years of experience.

2. Keep the format simple and traditional, so everyone knows how to read it (top to bottom.) I hate figuring out “how to read this resume” when someone uses a non traditional format.

3. Keep the main information (college name, degree, company name, job titles) very legible and clear. That is the only thing I scan for in the first 5-10 seconds.

4. Focus on showing your work and achievements. Not just responsibilities. “Owning the roadmap” is a responsibility. That doesn’t tell me anything about you as a PM or a professional. The goal of the resume is to present you in a way I can understand and appreciate.

5. If you have a side project that has real users (even if they don’t pay) add it to your resume. Share details on what problem you’re solving, what is the solution, and what is the scale. That tells me a lot about you as a person, professional, and PM.

(Want to translate this theoretical advice into practical learnings? Check out my new course—Product Management Interview Toolkit—that shows you exactly how you implement all these tricks with ease. Use code: Newsletter20 for 20% OFF

Cover letter

• In general, I like cover letters. Unless they’re just a replica of the resume. Or written just for the sake of it.

• I prefer shorter ones than longer ones.

• I love them when they tell me something unique about you, that I didn’t find in the resume.

• I prefer if they are well written, free of grammatical mistakes, simple, and easy to read.

• I don’t like them if they only focus on the company, values, role, requirements. It has to be about you. It has to tell me more about YOU.

Actions you can take

1. Stick to one page at the most.

2. Focus on telling a story, where you are the hero. Share why you want this role, why you want to be a PM, or why you’re such a good fit. Don’t make it another version of your resume.

3. If you feel there are skills or experience that your resume doesn’t show, but the job demands it, use the cover letter to help the recruiter know why they should still consider you.

4. Format it well. Make it easy to read. Use short sentences. Short paragraphs.

5. Bolding every second word is not formatting.

   Interviews

• I am as happy, excited, and interested in the interview as you are.

• The first 2-3 minutes are critical. I usually form a positive / negative image of the interviewee based on how it starts.

• Good communication is table stakes. If I can’t follow what you say, there is a high chance I’ll reject you.

• The more confident you are, the higher are your chances of winning.

• But, if you’re over confident, you will not go to the next stage.

• Be sure to answer the question I’m asking.

• Active listening is very important. For you!

• I don’t mind if you pause or take time to think. I actually prefer it.

• I absolutely LOVE when answers are structured, logical, and easy to follow.

• If I don’t ask questions, doesn’t mean you’re doing poorly. And vice versa.

• I don’t mind if you ask me questions (or even ask for guidance.)

• I like it when it feels like a conversation instead of a formal meeting.

• I appreciate good, thoughtful, questions. It makes me engage (and enjoy the conversation.)

Actions you can take

1. Be genuinely excited, interested, and happy to have the conversation. Show them you value their time. You will get the same respect in return.

2. Be candid. Be casual. Be genuine. If you’re having a tough day, tell them. Interviewers are human. They understand—life happens.

3. ASK FOR HELP! It is always in the interviewer’s interest to see you succeed. That is why they will help you. But only if you ask.

4. Listen. Listen. Listen. It’s required to answer the question you’re asked. Take a few seconds. Process. Then answer.

5. Prepare. Practice. Practice again. Always have a great answer for the commonly asked questions (like tell me about yourself, biggest achievement, etc.) Focus on structure. How you say it is more important than what you say.

6. Be confident. Don’t let counter questions throw you off.

7. Making mistakes is fine. Learn. Iterate. Recover. Move on. No one remembers minor mistakes as long as the overall conversation was good.

8. Ask specific, thoughtful questions. It shows you’re excited, interested, and have put in the work.

9. Stay calm. It’s not easy. But it’s doable.

Don’t worry.

In the beginning, even I sucked at interviews.

I would put in the hard work, I would prepare and practice. But, I still failed. Many many times.

But then things changed!

Everything that helped me change is part of my recently launched course (Product Management Interview Toolkit.) I share behind-the-scene secrets that hiring managers don’t want you to know.

Once you learn these secrets, you will know how easy it is to ace the PM interviews.

In the course, I will show you step-by-step:

1. How to build the perfect application: how to write the best cover letter (using AI)

2. How to craft a resume that makes your application stand out.

3. How to prepare for all types of PM interviews.

4. What to say and how to say it.

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