New Opportunity

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Written by: Zach C.

Category: Product Management Portfolio

Published: 11 April 2025

Hits: 70

• Product Management
• Feature
• Interviews

Apply, Quick Apply, Apply

"Thank you so much for taking the time to apply for the (Insert Job Title Here) job with our company. Though we are very impressed with your resume we regret to inform you that we are moving forward with other candidates. However, we would love to keep your resume for any future job openings we think may better suit your skillset."

Sorry this is probably a bad start to my second blog post and probably triggered some immediate anger/anxiety from some of you. But I promise I bring good news. After hundreds, and I'm 99% sure it was hundreds of applications, I am happy to share that I have accepted a new role and challenge. But in this blog post I want to talk about the process.

First, like many others on LinkedIn and other social platform I want to say that PERSISTENCY is key! Apply early, apply often, accept the declines, and ask for feedback if you want. But KEEP APPLYING! I will say it does amaze me how many companies take applications and never reply back or give feedback, I understand there are thousands, but they're mostly automated. 

Second, be prepared. If you are lucky enough to get an interview do whatever you can to knock it out of the park, even for a company or job you don't necessarily want. Study the company, learn their mission, get updated on their current news and products, have questions prepared, research who works there just be ready.  Worst case scenario you learn. from it and can do better next time, best case you're offered a job and potentially leverage if you are interviewing with a company and a position you want. Either way there is plenty of room for growth. 

Third, don't be afraid to shovel crap. Yes its poor writing but there is truth in that phrase. Both in this process of finding a job, interviewing, and actual work don't be afraid to put in the extra work. In a couple weeks you'll look back and it'll just be a small blip on your radar. The process may be applying multiple times to the same gig if you get denied the first time and it stays open, it may be having more interviews and meeting people than you can count, or it may be seemingly endless "prove yourself" assignments. Either way you have to just get yourself to do it. You'll appreciate your resilience more at the end. 

Fourth, have a plan for improvement. Don't become stagnant. If you were as good as you should be then you would have no problems getting job offers and being where you want to be. Reality must be faced, people have much more potential to grow than they give themselves credit for. Learn something new, get certifications in something relevant, certify what you already know to show expertise. Explain during the interviews or on your resume that you're going the extra mile to expand your knowledge and get better. Always have a plan.

Lastly, don't forget the little things to be thankful for. You have to keep yourself positive through the whole process, know who you are, know you decide when you quit, know who is in your corner or counting on you. Constant reaffirmation is so important in this process, everyone has something use it. I'm one of the lucky ones. I have many things to be thankful for, one of those things being a job offer. We made it!

Man, blog post #2 was lengthy. But there is a lot that needs to be said, read, and fed? I don't know where that was going, but feed your pets and stay optimistic. Somebody has more than likely done what you're trying to do, and you can do it too.