This was such a great read, Deb. I especially loved your point about turning a resume into a story instead of just a list of facts.
What I will add is that hiring managers are not only trying to see if someone can do the job today. They are also looking for signs of where a candidate is headed. Showing learning velocity, adaptability, and how you have grown into new challenges signals that you will be ready for the company’s future needs, not just today’s role.
I think we assume that a resume is a static thing, when in reality can be dynamic. What you choose to say and how you say it show a lot about you and your journey.
Two years ago I was suddenly severely injured and disabled. I had to relearn to walk, and lost my job at a tech startup I’d been at for 7 years, about 5 months after the injury. I finished my recovery at the end of this spring. I have several ways of framing what happened to me as a success story and overcoming extreme circumstances, but I don’t know how to frame this period of unemployment and recovery as a strength, as opposed to it being seen as a risk, during the application phase of applying for positions. Currently, I simply don’t include what happened on my professional public bios or my resume. Any advice on how best to approach my situation as I pursue a new PM role?
I am friends someone who just went through a huge personal upheaval which led him to leave for awhile, and it has been a hard journey to help him come back. But he has a lot of friends, and we talked about how to best leverage that network to help him return.
Ask for help. Reach out to co-workers. Connect with people who can be your allies. They want to help, but won't know what you need until you tell them what you want.
Also frame how you want to tell your story, depending on what you are comfortable with. Help people see your resilience and grit.
I appreciate your response. I have an extremely limited network; being heads down in a tiny startup for the better part of a decade didn’t translate to a large network of friends for me, nor colleagues. Though there are some.
The framing isn’t the challenging part, it’s getting past the invisible first impressions that I imagine may occur if I attempt to frame what happened in a written format that inevitably must sit at least somewhat near the forefront of my CV. Once in conversation, if the gap is inquired upon, it’s not especially difficult to communicate effectively. Getting to that point is what feels impossible in many instances in this predominantly digital landscape.
I do think asking for help is probably the single most likely means of advantage, though absent co-workers (they’re nearly all scattered around the world, and the numbers are very low) and strong friendships, it’s a limited resource.
My current plan is to try to approach businesses that have roles of interest in person, and shoot for a 20% success rate of getting to meet in person. Living outside of a city means this will be a bit arduous, but intuitively it feels like it may offer a higher probability for success relative to the online universe of being “applicant number 614.”
You may not have a big network, but perhaps you know someone who does. I got reacquainted with someone at an alumni event who didn't have a strong network in Silicon Valley. I helped him think through his job search strategy and also pinged a few folks who were looking for someone with his profile.
Definitely do the legwork to meet folks in person and showcase what you can do and how valuable you can be to their company.
In the absence of a network and if you aren’t part of the club and don’t have warm intros - would you recommend cold pitching the hiring manager if you have a compelling case & the background? Banking on network alone may not be an option for those who perhaps didn’t work in the valley, go to elite schools or are more diverse in general. What would you suggest in this case in order to stand out - for senior roles - just so your application is seen.
Networks where you have an affinity helps. College alumni associations (doesn't have to be elite), interest clubs, or ask friends. Consider joining some groups or communities (I founded Women In Product). Go to a local meet up. Get to know people in the space.
People are more helpful than you think. I helped a teen find a summer internship because he asked for advice on how to find one, but he took the time to ask and share his journey.
Appreciate your response. What’s your view on cold outreach to potential hiring managers if you have a good profile (with some decent brands) for mid-senior roles vs. waiting for a warm intro which might be time consuming or again hard to get for more diverse profiles? As a hiring manager at Meta, did you consider cold outreach applicants too and were any successful?
I did have some cold outreach, but usually people gave me a reason to take the call. For example, a mutual Stanford GSB alum or friend of a friend of a friend. So they weren't exactly "cold".
Take the extra step to get a warm intro if possible. The probability someone says yes is much higher.
Thank you, this is helpful!
I hope it helps those applying to see things from the other side!
Thank you Deb. This is so insightful & helpful
This was such a great read, Deb. I especially loved your point about turning a resume into a story instead of just a list of facts.
What I will add is that hiring managers are not only trying to see if someone can do the job today. They are also looking for signs of where a candidate is headed. Showing learning velocity, adaptability, and how you have grown into new challenges signals that you will be ready for the company’s future needs, not just today’s role.
I think we assume that a resume is a static thing, when in reality can be dynamic. What you choose to say and how you say it show a lot about you and your journey.
Beautifully written. Thanks for sharing. Really love reading your newsletters. They really carry a very different prespective...
Thanks so much!
Two years ago I was suddenly severely injured and disabled. I had to relearn to walk, and lost my job at a tech startup I’d been at for 7 years, about 5 months after the injury. I finished my recovery at the end of this spring. I have several ways of framing what happened to me as a success story and overcoming extreme circumstances, but I don’t know how to frame this period of unemployment and recovery as a strength, as opposed to it being seen as a risk, during the application phase of applying for positions. Currently, I simply don’t include what happened on my professional public bios or my resume. Any advice on how best to approach my situation as I pursue a new PM role?
I am friends someone who just went through a huge personal upheaval which led him to leave for awhile, and it has been a hard journey to help him come back. But he has a lot of friends, and we talked about how to best leverage that network to help him return.
Ask for help. Reach out to co-workers. Connect with people who can be your allies. They want to help, but won't know what you need until you tell them what you want.
Also frame how you want to tell your story, depending on what you are comfortable with. Help people see your resilience and grit.
I appreciate your response. I have an extremely limited network; being heads down in a tiny startup for the better part of a decade didn’t translate to a large network of friends for me, nor colleagues. Though there are some.
The framing isn’t the challenging part, it’s getting past the invisible first impressions that I imagine may occur if I attempt to frame what happened in a written format that inevitably must sit at least somewhat near the forefront of my CV. Once in conversation, if the gap is inquired upon, it’s not especially difficult to communicate effectively. Getting to that point is what feels impossible in many instances in this predominantly digital landscape.
I do think asking for help is probably the single most likely means of advantage, though absent co-workers (they’re nearly all scattered around the world, and the numbers are very low) and strong friendships, it’s a limited resource.
My current plan is to try to approach businesses that have roles of interest in person, and shoot for a 20% success rate of getting to meet in person. Living outside of a city means this will be a bit arduous, but intuitively it feels like it may offer a higher probability for success relative to the online universe of being “applicant number 614.”
You may not have a big network, but perhaps you know someone who does. I got reacquainted with someone at an alumni event who didn't have a strong network in Silicon Valley. I helped him think through his job search strategy and also pinged a few folks who were looking for someone with his profile.
Definitely do the legwork to meet folks in person and showcase what you can do and how valuable you can be to their company.
In the absence of a network and if you aren’t part of the club and don’t have warm intros - would you recommend cold pitching the hiring manager if you have a compelling case & the background? Banking on network alone may not be an option for those who perhaps didn’t work in the valley, go to elite schools or are more diverse in general. What would you suggest in this case in order to stand out - for senior roles - just so your application is seen.
Networks where you have an affinity helps. College alumni associations (doesn't have to be elite), interest clubs, or ask friends. Consider joining some groups or communities (I founded Women In Product). Go to a local meet up. Get to know people in the space.
People are more helpful than you think. I helped a teen find a summer internship because he asked for advice on how to find one, but he took the time to ask and share his journey.
Appreciate your response. What’s your view on cold outreach to potential hiring managers if you have a good profile (with some decent brands) for mid-senior roles vs. waiting for a warm intro which might be time consuming or again hard to get for more diverse profiles? As a hiring manager at Meta, did you consider cold outreach applicants too and were any successful?
I did have some cold outreach, but usually people gave me a reason to take the call. For example, a mutual Stanford GSB alum or friend of a friend of a friend. So they weren't exactly "cold".
Take the extra step to get a warm intro if possible. The probability someone says yes is much higher.