AFTER THE CERT: Helping Product Managers Get Unstuck

If your PM job search feels stuck… this episode is for you. 🫶 Most PM job searches don’t fail from lack of effort. Usually, they're stuck because of a few well-intentioned mistakes that are sabotaging their traction. In this episode, I share the 5 PM job search mistakes I’m seeing everywhere right now (and, of course, what to do instead): Being “open to anything” is undermining your credibil...

How long does it actually take to land a PM offer right now? What interview conversion rates are realistic? And where are offers really coming from?  In this episode, I’m sharing real 2025 job search data from inside the SPRINT program, including: time to offer, salary offers, and whether referrals actually led to jobs (hint: not as often as you probably think!) . If you’re a data-driven PM, this...

If you’re updating your resume for every single job and still not getting interviews, this episode is for you. I talk about why more tweaks, different keywords, and endless customization using resume-scoring tools usually doesn't help - it just leads to frustration and burnout. And, of course, I share what to do instead to get more, and better, interviews.  Spoiler alert: you need to craft a...

Hear me when I say: you absolutely, positively DO NOT need another PM course or certification to get hired. In this episode, I break down why certifications feel productive during a job search, but often act as expensive and time-consuming procrastination. I explain what hiring managers actually care about, why experience beats credentials every single time, and how focusing on the wrong gap can w...

Most PM job searches take longer than they should. Not because of the "bad" market, or because you're unqualified... but because you're not clearly articulating your value. In this episode, I share the top way you can set yourself up to shorten your PM job search by getting clear early: on your positioning, your unique value, and the story you’re telling recruiters and hiring m...

If you want a new product job but you’re already busy with a full-time role, this episode is for you. The idea of starting a job search can feel, well, overwhelming. Having a simple, structured plan can turn a chaotic, stop-and-start job search into consistent momentum that *actually* gets you an offer.  Plus, you'll get to hear about Brendan: a SPRINT alum who was employed full-time during h...

If you’re about to kick off a job search and your first instinct is to update your resume, this episode is for you. Hear me when I say: starting with your resume is the trap that keeps so many smart and talented Product Managers stuck.  In this episode, I walk you through why the resume comes later and what actually needs to happen first if you want real traction. I also share a real SPRINT client...

You want a new job in the New Year? Cool. Then you need to kickoff your job search, like, yesterday. The PMs who will be landing job offers in January are already interviewing. In this episode, I share the top 3 reasons why November and December are the best time to kickoff your job search. Plus, I give you specific tactics that I use with clients on how to build the kind of momentum that gets you...

Product Delight is no longer optional - it's a key competitive advantage that has led to massive growth in revenue, retention, and referrals for so many of the products we know and love. If you assume delight is nothing more than confetti and sleek animations, think again, this episode will inspire you to infuse delight and emotional connection into your product starting today.  In this episo...

Product portfolios? Career breaks? Resume length? Cover letters? Thank-you notes?  I chatted with recruiters from Intuit, LinkedIn, eBay, Atlassian, and Cisco and asked them for their hot takes on your burning PM job search questions. Listen in to learn what Big Tech recruiters really care about when hiring Product Managers.  Stick around to the end - I share my top 5 tips so you can take action o...

In this episode I compare the Never Search Alone process, including job search councils, to the SPRINT Product Management Job Search Program so you can make an informed decision on which one is right for you.  (Hint: SPRINT is probably a better fit if you're looking for your first, or next, PM role.) Key takeaways: SPRINT is designed specifically for the unique aspects of a Product Management...

Meet Anand - He's a SHINE alum who successfully made the jump from Engineer to Sr. PM but felt like he needed a boost from a coach to deliver on his newly earned title. He's such a fun and smart guy, loved catching up to hear how things have been going in his career. We talk about:  What it *really* took to shift to his first PM role (hint: 18 months and a boatload of persistence and  co...

I get it - not all Product job descriptions are created equal. It can be super tough to figure out which job is likely to accelerate your career  growth 🚀 and which job is setting you up for failure and burnout. 🫠 In this episode, I run through the top 5 things I look for to spot a good PM job description so you can find the best of the best on your job hunt! Plus, I include a bonus tip most PM&...

Meet Amanda - She's a SHINE alum who felt lost in her Product career but found the courage to test out a stint as an entrepreneur, then take an unexpected (but perfect!) role once she got clear on her unique career vision. She's an absolute star and it was so fun to catch up and hear how her new job has been going.  We talk about:  How she transitioned into a Mental HealthTech start up (...

You know you need to be more strategic to grow as a Product Manager, but not sure what that actually means in practice? You don't want to miss this episode. I cover the three most common mistakes I see PM's make that hold them back:  Not staying updated on market and industry trends Failing to think long-term and big-picture Lacking the ability to share big ideas with confidence As alway...

You have a vision for your product, so shouldn't you have one for your career? A clear, compelling, personal career vision helps you say yes to the right things so you can move closer to your definition of success, FASTER. In this episode, I share real stories about how a career vision helped me and one of my clients leverage opportunities that we otherwise might have missed.  If you're...

Don't wait until you're job searching to capture accomplishments, work samples, and success metrics related to what you've been working on. Getting into a habit of documenting your successes can not only help you prepare you for a future job search, it can ALSO be an early signal if you're not growing in your PM career. Bonus: This episode includes a REAL example of a take-home...

In this episode, I show you a better way to get alignment quickly so you can make better decisions, faster. The 'Safe to Try' approach is one of my go-to techniques for decision-making and has been an immediate level up for so many of the Product Managers I have coached over the years.  If you're feeling stuck on a project or can't quite figure out how to get alignment with you...

LinkedIn will convince you that the job market for Product Managers is at an absolute standstill. Good news - that's not the full story. The current job market is tricky, yes, but there ARE techniques that are working for job searchers and I break them all down in this episode:  The importance of having a clear job search strategy Avoiding the pitfalls of trial and error The value of personal...

A little prep and a dash of initiative goes a long way.  In this episode, I share a story about a candidate who didn’t just say they were excited about the role I was hiring for - they showed it.  They managed to get a demo account of my company's hard-to-access enterprise SaaS app and come to the interview with actual insight and questions. This person stood out in a way I’ve never forgotten...

These five tips can be applied to every single interview you may encounter as a PM - the recruiter screen, the hiring manager interview, a panel interview, or even the case. I give this advice so often that I finally wanted to capture it in a podcast so you can apply it in your own job search.  I talk about:  Winning the easy stuff Being authentically you Showing your math and thinking aloud Refer...

There's no "perfect" set of skills for a Product Manager. By definition, product management is a generalist role and the most important skills you need at any given time will vary based on your product, your team, and your tech stack.  Instead of trying to become an expert in every skill (which, c'mon, is cray cray!), I'll talk you through what I recommend instead.  Spoile...

Meet Yolanda - She's a SPRINT alum who leveraged the program to land her first official Product Manager title after nearly 10 years working in and around software teams. She's one of the kindest, most ambitious Product Managers I know and it was a joy to reconnect with her. 🫶 If you're trying to transition into Product Management or you're on the job search for your next Produ...

Confused by all the different Product Manager titles? 😵‍💫 Not sure which job titles to target in your job search? 😩 Unclear on how to get a promotion to Sr. Product Manager or higher? 😰 This episode is for you! 🫶 I decode everything there is to know about growth in your product management career, regardless of job title! What is standard in product management job titles as of today Why titles...

Today we have a very special guest on the show! Blair Presley is joining us - she is the original creator of the SPRINT and SCALE programs.  ICYMI: in October 2024, I officially acquired the SPRINT and SCALE programs as the absolute perfect compliments to my SHINE program for Product Managers. Many of you have been asking for the deets on how this all came to be, how Blair and I met, and what this...