Pilot Ag said:
oragator said:
I went through the same thing as a Product owner a few years ago, during a similar downturn. Hundreds of apps, a number of interviews where they liked me but went with someone internal, or the rec got pulled etc.
I think product owner jobs are hard because there are so many differing qualities needed and different employers put their focus on different things. One might care about the technical, one might care about how much you have done in agile, or whether you have experience presenting to senior management, leadership skills, requirements writing, PMP or agile certification, whether you were cross functional or silo'd, or experience in that industry, on and on. And now might be a bit harder because the market is flooded a bit with all the other tech layoffs and people being able to work remote means all open jobs get flooded.
Ironically though, I got my current job because a head hunter found my resume on LinkedIn. But even then, unknown to me, when my name was floated there internally a few people knew me from previous jobs and vouched for me, so networking seems to always play a role.
But I have been with that company over 10 years now, and my pay has just about doubled in the time. So don't lose hope.
yeah that's the thing that's like a punch in the gut every time - i have my CSM, 6 sigma black belt, experience taking a cross platform app to market in a very competitive and niche environment - I tick all the boxes.
Thanks for the encouragement.
I was laid off a couple of times and each time I used people to get a new job. One time I put out flyers in my neighborhood (about 200 of them) I got 10 calls on my answering machine within a week. Granted they weren't the jobs I was in love with but it was money coming in the door. I worked some pretty low level stuff and worked my way up again then eventually I had had enough and bought a business.
Now I look back and it was all a blur - now a business owner that is hands on but I have it under control provides me more than I would've made in corporate world in my profession and I can take time off for the important people, my family.
I got this idea from reading the book guerrilla marketing and I realized the product was me that I was trying to sell. I was there in your shoes sending out 100's of resumes and not talking to anyone. Looking at the screen and it didn't talk back. Go talk to people about your situation, it is not embarrassing that you were let go. This happens so don't hide it. Try to hit up Aggie functions and network. Go to a convention or two in your profession. Local low cost. See if there are any mixers, dinners, happy hours for your profession.
Do not stress about this, eat well, exercise, and do some fun things. Attack this like you would your job as this is your job. Set goals for yourself of how many contacts and keep calling them because one day people will call you.
Look up every company within a 25 mile radius of your home that you think has product managers, and call them, get to know the front desk, then the executive secretary, then the people themselves, go to happy hour with them. You gotta dig deep. Attack, attack,attack.
You got this!! Believe in yourself!! Flip all the rocks over and do it now! You are the commodity you are tryin to sell! Crush it!