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👋 Hey friends,
My DMs right now are basically the same conversation on repeat.
People applying to hundreds of roles with nothing to show for it. Final round interviews that end in silence. Auto-rejections that arrive in minutes.
If that’s you, I see you. Job searching is brutal right now.
But here’s what I keep telling people: all that rejection isn’t wasted effort. It’s teaching you how to get better at this.
Let me show you what I mean.
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The Shift That Changes Everything
I’ve been talking to someone on ADPList for a few months. She’s smart, has relevant experience, would be a great PM.
But she was stuck. Only applying to perfect-fit roles. Afraid to reach out to people because she didn’t want to be annoying. Waiting for 100% qualification matches.
In this week’s session, she told me something clicked.
She started biasing towards action instead of perfection.
She sent the “cringe” cold email. She followed up on applications she assumed were dead. She applied to roles where she met most requirements, not all of them.
And responses started coming in.
Not every time. But enough that she realized: staying silent guarantees nothing happens. Taking action at least gives you a chance.
💡 Quick Tip: The worst case when you follow up? Silence. Which is what you already have. The upside? An actual conversation.
What Actually Works
Here’s the truth about PM job searching: it’s not about being perfect. It’s about being persistent enough to learn what works.
Every application teaches you how to position yourself better. Every interview shows you which stories land. Every rejection reveals gaps you can fill.
It’s data collection in real time.
And somewhere in all of that, maybe after 50 tries, maybe after 200, someone’s going to see your value and say yes.
My “Get Unstuck” Toolkit
If you’re deep in the job search right now, here’s what helps:
1. Practice on the “pretty good” roles first
Don’t make your first interview in months the company you’ve been dreaming about.
Find roles where you meet 70-80% of requirements. Not perfect matches. Good enough to get you in the room.
Use these to practice. Figure out which stories work. Learn what questions trip you up. Get comfortable selling yourself.
Save your dream company for when you’ve already had 3-5 practice rounds.
📌 Try this week: Apply to 3 roles you’re mostly qualified for. Treat them as interview practice, not job offers.
2. Follow up more than feels comfortable
You think you’re being annoying. But hiring managers are drowning in their own work. Your email got buried. Budget approvals take time.
A thoughtful follow-up one week later isn’t pushy. It’s showing you’re still interested.
I used to have a sales manager who’d say: “Let the customer tell you no. Don’t do it for them.”
Same applies here. Keep following up on roles you actually want until someone explicitly says no.
💡 Quick Tip: A simple “Checking in on next steps for [role]. Still very interested and happy to provide any additional context you need” is enough.
📌 Try this week: Look at your last 5 applications. Pick 2 you care about. Send a follow-up today.
3. Treat rejections like feedback
Got an auto-rejection? Your resume needs better keywords or clearer positioning.
Didn’t pass the phone screen? Your “why PM” story needs work.
Made it to finals but didn’t get it? You’re close. Your resume and early interviews are solid. Keep refining the late-stage stuff.
This is all useful information.
📌 Try this week: If you’ve made it to an interview and got rejected most HR teams have written down some feedback as to why that they share with the team - ask them for their notes!
Here’s an example of one I sent:
Hi [ Recruiter name],
Thank you for letting me know, and I really appreciate you taking the time to share the update personally.
While I’m disappointed, I completely understand these decisions are never easy with strong candidates. I genuinely enjoyed learning about [company name] and getting to know the team - [specific people on the panel if there was one] and everyone I spoke with were fantastic.
If you have a moment, I’d really value any feedback on my candidacy or how I could be an even stronger fit for future roles. I’m always looking to grow, and any insights would be appreciated.
I’d absolutely love to stay connected for future opportunities. [company name] is doing great work, and I’d welcome the chance to explore working together down the line.
Thanks again for the positive experience throughout the process!
Best,
Stefanie
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Quick Reads for Job Searchers
The Mom Test by Rob Fitzpatrick: Better questions (helps in networking too)
Cracking the modern PM Interview by Alex Trottier: Interview prep essentials -its a re-work of the original by Gayle McDowell
Lenny’s Podcast: Real advice on breaking into product especially his earlier episodes!
Three Action Items for This Week
Pick one from each:
Apply to a role you’re 70% qualified for (practice round)
Follow up on one application you thought was dead
Send one cold message to someone at a company you want to work for
Not perfect actions. Just forward motion.
💡 Pro Move: Track everything in a spreadsheet in notion, Jira OR if you’re feeling extra make a deal pipeline on a free HubSpot account (I did this). You’ll start seeing patterns in what gets responses. That’s the signal in the noise.
Keep Going
Job searching right now is hard. I won’t pretend otherwise.
But rejection doesn’t mean you’re failing. It means you’re learning.
Practice on decent-fit roles. Follow up even when it feels awkward. Send messages even when you’re not sure they’ll respond.
Someone’s going to see what you bring. Someone’s going to take a chance.
That’s the one that matters.
See you next Friday,
– Stef
💬 Want to talk product? I’m mentoring on ADPList! If you’re job searching, breaking into PM, or need resume feedback, you can book a free session with me right here.
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