I'm super frustrated and need some advice.

Jessica King

April 29,2022 at 12:43PM UTC

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I'm super frustrated and need some advice. I have been trying to pivot from front-end development to product management. I have about a decade of experience, including many projects for which I've straddled the roles of engineer and PM. I have a great resume that gets my foot in the door and I've made it to several final rounds of interviews. In the end... the result is always the exact same feedback. I seem like I'd be a great fit with the team, had great interview performance, but it just comes down to me and someone else who has more experience.

I have so many transferrable skills and loads of project examples that I can pull from to answer PM-specific questions. What else is it that I need to be doing? I feel like maybe if I cast a wider net, I could land something. However, I want to feel truly passionate about the product I'm building. Building software for nonprofits is exactly what I want to be doing, but I'm also open to something super cool that excites me.

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AnonymousApril 29,2022 at 1:26PM UTC
It sounds like maybe you’re not articulating your unique experiences well.
Have you tried calling out during the interview process:
1.) that you acknowledge you don’t have this title yet, but you have experience.
2.) the specific strengths you bring because of your experience as a developer that PMs who are not also developers can’t bring to the table.
If you’re making it to the final rounds the teams like you and would likely want to work with you. Work on creating and delivering an elevator pitch on your unique differentiators to really sell them on your unique experiences over someone else’s more traditional experience.
Jessica KingApril 29,2022 at 4:49PM UTC
Thank you! I think you've really put into words the thing I couldn't quite put my finger on. This is a great place for me to start!
Barb HansenApril 29,2022 at 4:59PM UTC
Speaking from the point of view of a long-time product person and now CPO...
Cast a wider net.
I understand your desire to work on products in the non-profit sector, which you are passionate about, but perhaps you're not at that point in your career to remove all other sectors.
I started my product career in the digital health vertical. My educational background and previous career were in the medical field, and I'm very passionate about how the internet can democratize access to medical information.
Yet I have spent most of my product career in fields other than healthcare. Why? A better job opportunity appeared, or there was no healthcare product job to be had, and I needed a paycheck, or probably other reasons that I can't remember right now.
I struggled for a while about the fact that I was pouring my experience and product brain into a product that helped Oil & Gas companies make better drilling decisions or help manufacturers solve supply chain issues. Still, I realized that I was becoming a better product person through working on a diverse product set, and I was learning so much about each industry that I worked for.
It's okay to investigate other industries. There are for-profit companies in other industries that make great products (if you want to stay in the "helping others" product world), and if you end up in an industry that doesn't speak to you, you'll learn a lot, and you can always move back into the non-profit world.
Jessica KingApril 29,2022 at 6:15PM UTC
I've had the feeling for awhile that I've been too closed-minded in my search. This is a really great perspective. Thank you.
AnonymousApril 29,2022 at 6:18PM UTC
Julie Perrine is a firm believer in having a portfolio to showcase your talents in at least 1 of 3 ways 9all 3 is best): physical copy, digital copy, social media (LinkedIn account is the typical example).
Could you pull some information/samples on your last several, or most impressive, projects you've helped manage, along with some context for them into a display for the next interview you have?
AnonymousApril 30,2022 at 9:33PM UTC
If the feedback does not give you any tips to improve on the interview, I think it is a sign to expand your mix of where you apply to (industry wise).
For example, fields like Aerospace, Manufacturing always need PMs especially ones from various backgrounds who can problem solve and think outside the box. Sometimes its a numbers game too. You would put yourself in a better position applying for 50 jobs, getting 3 offers, where only 2 really interest you versus applying to 10 with no offers. Keep hunting and the fact that no one has criticized your interviewing skills is a positive trait and half the battle.
If the company is not a nonprofit, you always have the option to volunteer in your freetime.