Job Seekers Are Product Managers

All job seekers are now Product Managers.

You are the Product.

In Product Management we go through stages of a Product Life Cycle when looking at new or existing features.

These stages may vary slightly, but typically fall under the following categories:

1. Development

2. Growth

3. Maturity

4. Decline

Job seekers can use these items while navigating their career.

In development, you can brainstorm and research what type of roles you would thrive in due to your passion for the industry. Think about what excites you and what may make you a bit nervous. Embrace the unknown and start crafting your elevator pitch.

In the book, Never Search Alone, https://www.phyl.org/downloads, there are helpful templates to get you started on what you would like and dislike in your next opportunity. You can use this as a guide or map to help navigate to the next phase.

Once you are happy with the development, you can move onto growth. Just remember to invest in yourself. As a wise person once told me, no one else will.

Growth can be looked at via a few different ways when looking for a role. The biggest correlation, however, is to stay competitive.

But how do you do that?

It is no secret that the job market has been nothing short of chaotic. Ghosting, panic applying, endless interview rounds, questioning whether or not to send a follow-up or thank you email to your recruiters / hiring managers / etc. It is enough to make your head spin.

The best advice I can give is think about what makes you unique as a candidate, what are you passionate about and could talk about for hours on end with little or no preparation?

That is your superpower. Talk about that on LinkedIn.

You would be surprised how many people can relate or learn from your discussions. I actually had a stranger reach out to me thanking me for my content.

I know it can be extremely scary and unsettling to make a professional post, however, start small. You will see how easy it becomes once you are more comfortable and confident as a candidate.

Good luck to everyone applying! I am right there with you cheering you on.

Now maturity. You have your offer, you can take your foot off the marketing pedal, but still be innovative.

This is not the time to go back into your LinkedIn abyss, it is a time to be confident and continue to network with other professionals and remain relevant.

You may no longer be a job seeker, but you still must continue to be top of mind to prepare for any uncertainty.