The problem with women PM job applicants

Here is the problem: When women see a job posting they carefully examine each requirement and only apply if they exceed each of the listed criteria do they apply. They want to be fully prepared and know everything about the job before they even apply. (This approach does not apply to men, who will apply even if they meet a single criteria!)

Last year, one of my mentees, a very well qualified candidate with years of expertise in AWS and working for a large reputable company wanted to apply to Google Cloud for a PM job. She wanted to be fully prepared, she took the ProductDojo PM course and connected with me several times after the course to clean up her resume and receive additional pointers. I connected her with another long time friend of mine who is a PM at Google so she could have lunch and get to know the role better. I thought this was now a done deal, she had everything — qualifications, preparation and an inside contact!

Three months later I pinged her and she told me she hadn’t contacted my PM at Google!! The reason — she was going on vacation and didn’t want to rush herself and wanted to be in the right head space to connect learn more and then she would set up the interview.

Here are my views and is the advise I often given my mentees, who are in this dilemma:

1. Start with the assumption that you are not going to get the job that you are applying for.
2. The interview process can breakdown for a number of external reasons. Sometimes weeks go by because the people on the interview panel are unavailable either due to vacation, sickness or being extremely busy. During this time all kinds of things can happen — there might be a hiring freeze, job requirements change, hiring manager gets reshuffled, interesting internal candidate emerges … the list is endless.
3. Do not assume that you are on the only candidate. A friend at Salesforce recently told me that he evaluated 83 candidates before making an offer to 3 out of which two declined and one accepted. Phew!
4. For all the reasons stated above — always say yes to an interview whether its with a recruiter or with a hiring manager.
5. If you are looking for a job change — focus on the process! Years ago, when I was looking for my first PM job I made a rule that I would spent 2 hours every day applying for the job — search for jobs, modify resume, update cover letter, alter intro email — and I did that for 18 months before I finally landed my first PM job.
6. If you do get an onsite interview the objective is to meet with 5/6 really accomplished people in the organization, have great conversations and keep in touch with them after the interview. Even if you don’t land this job at least you have created new contacts. People often move from these jobs and they may have a role that is a fit for you later.
7. Its hard not to take it personally when you don’t get a job but if you are focussed on the process right from the start, its much easier to take it in your stride.
8. And if you keep at it you will get a job which the right fit for you sooner rather than later. Trust me!

So, if you are an aspiring PM or already in a PM related role, don’t let the search for the perfect situation deter you from applying. Just go for it!

Note: The person mentioned above has still not applied for the job and its been 12 months!