Okay, so I’ve been quiet for the past 12 days. Sue me. But, more importantly is why I’ve been quiet. Just like any product management practice, sometimes you need to step back and take a look at what you’ve done, where you thought you were headed and what your priorities should be. (Execs get to do this all the time; underlings? Not so much, though they should.)
So, on the quest of the next great product management opportunity, I’ve retooled my resume once more. While it has been quite successful in the past, yielding calls and interest, this market is different. I was fortunate enough to actually have a recruiter provide the feedback from the recruiting team and tell me why they thought I wasn’t qualified. Great lesson if you can get it. I highly encourage everyone to befriend a recruiter for this experience. Humbling? Yes. Important? YES!
The other thing I learned from stepping back is that product management and marketing postings have shifted. The technology markets have embraced social media. Well, for those of us over 27, this means shifting and responding. It’s the same as we do in understanding our markets – we have to shift to dive into their problems reaching out to the market in the methods they prefer. Jobs are out there I’ve learned; but, I wasn’t looking in the right place.
I also took a few days r&r. I probably shouldn’t have and I’m sure every job coach in the market would yell at me for taking a break. But, you can’t look at your priorities and align them if you don’t. The same goes for when you stop and look at your feature list – you need to pause and re-evaluate before moving on.
With a renewed energy and focus, I’m back at. I’ve learned that for product managers and marketers, LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter are the right tools. Companies hiring for technology products expect you to know these tools. Failure to not be where they are looking tends to lead nowhere.
From the outside looking in = if you’re working in the role, go where the market is; if you’re looking, go where the market is posting. It’s not too late.
