Landing Your Product Management Job

Welcome and Introductions

Rina Alexin | 00:00–01:00 Thanks everyone for joining us today! We’re excited to dive into *Landing Your Product Management Job*. I’m **Rina Alexin**, calling in from Doylestown, Pennsylvania—though I’m normally in sunny Miami. And I’m joined by my wonderful colleague, **Joe Ghali**, from Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Joe Ghali | 01:01–01:30
Hi everyone! It’s great to be here. Yes, believe it or not, it’s sunny in Milwaukee—something we don’t say often in May.

Rina Alexin | 01:31–02:00
Today’s session is all about sharing practical tips to help you get noticed, get hired, and build momentum in your product management career. Whether you’re looking for your first PM role or your next one, this session is designed to give you actionable steps.

Housekeeping and Webinar Overview

Rina Alexin | 02:01–03:20 Before we begin, a few housekeeping notes. Please use the Q&A box to send questions throughout the session—we’ll take them as they come and also at the end.

For those new to Productside, we’re an outcome-driven product partner. We help organizations transform through training, coaching, and advisory programs tailored to their context. Every engagement is led by experts with decades of product management experience, like Joe here.

Agenda – Getting Discovered, Standing Out, and Growing

Joe Ghali | 03:21–04:00 Our discussion today focuses on three areas: 1️⃣ How to get discovered. 2️⃣ How to stand out once you do. 3️⃣ How to keep growing once you’ve landed the job.

We’ll also be sharing two free resources at the end: a Career Planning Template and a How to Get Hired Workbook to help guide your next steps.

Getting Discovered – The LinkedIn Strategy

Rina Alexin | 04:01–06:45 Let’s start with the basics: your LinkedIn presence. Most hiring managers—including us—look there first. Treat your profile as your **digital résumé**.

Make sure your tagline clearly states who you are and what you bring to the table. Describe your role and achievements, not just your job title. Add recommendations—they matter. When hiring, I always check what others say about a candidate’s work.

Then comes engagement. Don’t just update your profile—interact. Comment thoughtfully on posts by hiring managers or thought leaders in your space. Comments stand out far more than likes and can put you directly on a recruiter’s radar.

Standing Out – The Power of Video Outreach

Rina Alexin | 06:46–08:45 When you’re applying, connection requests alone won’t cut it. Instead, send a short personalized video. Tools like Loom or Vimeo make it easy. Keep it under three minutes, and use it to answer one question: *Why do you care about this job?*

Show that you’ve read the posting, researched the company, and understand what they need. It’s not about listing your entire résumé—it’s about sparking curiosity.

Joe Ghali | 08:46–09:30
And remember, make it private or password-protected if needed. Recruiters appreciate creativity but also professionalism. Following directions and showing effort go a long way in standing out.

Poll #1 – How Do You Build Your PM Skills?

Joe Ghali | 09:31–10:15 Let’s take a quick poll: How do you currently work to enhance your product management skills? – Courses and certifications – Mentorship – Reading and research – On-the-job learning

Rina Alexin | 10:16–10:50
Looks like most of you are investing in courses and mentorship—great choices. Continuous learning is one of the best ways to stay competitive.

Improving Your Product Management Skills

Rina Alexin | 10:51–12:10 At Productside, we run an annual **Global Skills Benchmark** to understand PM strengths and gaps at different career stages. We’ve found early-career PMs often need to build confidence in areas like stakeholder communication and strategic thinking.

When interviewing, hiring managers look for curiosity and initiative. Showing how you’re proactively learning—through hands-on training or applied projects—makes you stand out immediately.

Standing Out in Interviews

Joe Ghali | 12:11–15:00 Once you land the interview, preparation is key. Use AI tools like **Copilot** or **ChatGPT** to research the company and its customers. Understand their market, competitors, and challenges.

If you walk into an interview already knowing their audience and value proposition, you’re showing initiative—and that you’ll make an impact quickly.

Bring curiosity, empathy, and data-driven thinking. The best product managers demonstrate they can learn fast and lead without authority.

Poll #2 – Where Do You Engage with the PM Community?

Joe Ghali | 15:01–15:30 Let’s take another quick poll: Where do you engage most with your PM community? – LinkedIn – Slack groups – Product events – Other communities

Rina Alexin | 15:31–16:00
LinkedIn wins again—no surprise there. It’s the easiest place to connect with peers, mentors, and hiring managers.

Building Your Personal Board of Directors

Joe Ghali | 16:01–18:45 Once you’ve landed the job, your growth depends on the people you surround yourself with. We call this your **Personal Board of Directors**—a mix of peers, mentors, and rising professionals who challenge and support you.

Choose people who complement your goals—someone in your field, someone outside it for perspective, and someone earlier in their career whom you can mentor.

Rina Alexin | 18:46–20:00
Exactly. Mentorship is mutual—it’s not just about being guided; it’s about learning through teaching. Seek out people who inspire you and push you toward your goals, both personally and professionally.

Poll #3 – What’s Your Biggest Career Challenge?

Rina Alexin | 20:01–20:45 What’s your biggest challenge in your PM career today? – Breaking into product management – Finding a mentor – Negotiating offers – Staying relevant with new tools

Joe Ghali | 20:46–21:30
Looks like mentorship and market knowledge are top challenges. Remember, both are within reach if you stay active, curious, and connected.

Q&A and Career Advice

Joe Ghali | 21:31–23:00 One question we get often: *How do I reenter product management after a break?* Start with side projects, volunteer work, or freelance gigs. They show initiative and help rebuild momentum.

Rina Alexin | 23:01–24:00
And if you’re transitioning from another field, focus on your transferable skills—leadership, data analysis, customer empathy, and cross-functional communication.

Joe Ghali | 24:01–25:00
Remember, product management values adaptability. The best PMs aren’t defined by titles—they’re defined by impact.

Resources and Final Thoughts

Rina Alexin | 25:01–End Before we close, don’t forget to download your free resources — our **Career Planning Template** and **How to Get Hired Workbook**. These tools walk you through setting career goals, building your brand, and preparing for interviews.

If you’re ready to upskill, check out our Optimal Product Management and Agile Product Management courses. And remember: product management is hard—don’t do it alone.

Thank you all for joining us today. Follow us on LinkedIn, stay curious, and keep learning. See you next time!