Job Search Diaries No.6―Health Tech Program Manager
Abandoning a passive TPM search, leaning on former managers, upskilling while job searching, and finally taking the PMP exam 15+ years into my career.
Welcome back to JOB SEARCH DIARIES, where we shadow someone’s tech job search for an entire week. Ride the highs and lows with these job seekers and get the scoop on fresh tools and tactics for job searching in tech.
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Now, onto the diary!
Today, we have an experienced program manager working in health tech.
About me: I'm a seasoned program manager (~15 years) working at the intersection of tech, health, and government.
My location: San Francisco Bay Area, California
Role I'm seeking: Program Manager / Senior Program Manager, Strategy & Operations, or Digital Innovation roles
Target company stage: Public or late stage. I would consider an earlier-stage company with an exceptional mission.
Target industry(ies): Health. I've built my career primarily embedded in technical teams within healthcare organizations.
Passive or active search? Active
When I started my job search: June 2023 (passive); January 2024 (active)
Average time spent weekly on job searching: 20-30 hours
Total applications so far: 47
HR or recruiter screens: 15
First-round interviews: 10
Final-round interviews: 4
What drove my job search: My last employer conducted a round of layoffs in 2023. I survived, and my responsibilities and team dramatically increased. While I loved my team and the mission, six months later I wasn't happy in the role. It wasn't what I had originally envisioned for my career path. I desperately needed a mental health break, so I did. I recognize I'm privileged to be able to afford to take six months off to recharge and reset.
Day 1
6:00 am
Just returned from a trip to the East Coast, and because the days are getting longer, I'm waking up earlier. I don't think my body has fully acclimated to West Coast time. I have a glass of water and make myself my breakfast smoothie (spinach, Greek yogurt, berries, turmeric, coconut water, chia seeds) and fry two eggs with a drizzle of homemade chili oil. I usually spend my mornings with the New York Times, catching up on the headlines and playing Wordle and Connections.
7:30 am
Recruiters, hiring managers, and colleagues based on the East Coast all have emails waiting for me in my inbox. I'll usually spend an hour or so in the mornings responding to LinkedIn messages and email before starting to peruse the LinkedIn job boards. I timebox LinkedIn because otherwise, I start doomscrolling, which is terrible for my mental health.
10:30 am
Recently, I've seen many program management job descriptions requiring the PMP certification, so I've decided to take the test while searching. I sign up for an account on PMI's website to send in my application for the certification. There is so much guidance on the Internet about how to approach studying for the PMP exam and what resources are out there - shout out to the PMP subreddit!
11:00 am
20 min Strength workout on Apple Fitness+. I’m running a 5k race this weekend, so my workout regimen this week will be lighter than usual.
11:30 am
Prep lunch, which usually consists of leftovers from dinner the night before. I make sure to take lunch offline as I've learned I need that mental break during this time.
12:30 pm
I just started volunteering as a project manager for a local nonprofit, and I have a call with my organization sponsor. The client we are delivering for has a scope change request. I spend some time reviewing the original scope for this internal prep call. The nonprofit was desperately in need of help, and I’m glad to pitch in.
2:00 pm
Call with nonprofit sponsor.
2:30 pm
Internal nonprofit project team call.
3:00 pm
My call went over. Now rushing to get out the door to catch my train to meet a former manager for drinks. He's in town from overseas on business, and I'm excited to catch up with him. I tried to dial into a call with a recruiting agency from the car, but they'd prefer a video call, so we rescheduled for tomorrow.
3:45 pm
The train was canceled (!!!!) I crabbily get back in the car to drive to meet my colleague. UGH why can't public transit be more reliable in the Bay Area?!
6:00 pm
Head back home after drinks with my former manager. It's always great to catch up with the people who have supported your career and seen you grow through multiple roles. He had a great perspective on my job search; I'm happy I was able to make the time.
Total time job searching today: 4 hours
Day 2
5:45 am
Early wake up today because I have a 6:30am phone screen with a pharma company. The company used a chatbot for scheduling, and the only times available were super early morning. I attempted to reschedule, but they did not provide any alternates.
6:15 am
Phone screen got canceled 😞
The screener saw that I had attempted to reschedule last week, so she (last-minute) sent over a new schedule. The last-minute reschedule is not making me more excited about this role.
It already feels like a step back in my career (both in terms of compensation and level). But a job is a job in this market, and a former colleague had referred me for the role, encouraging me to interview and get my foot in the door within the organization.
7:00 am
I drive my partner to work. We share a car, so on the days that I have in-person appointments or meetings, I drive him to work and pick him up at the end of the day.
9:45 am
Brief call with the external sponsor for the volunteer project. Our team finalized next steps, but I want to get sponsor buy-in before our 10am meeting.
10:00 am
Call with the external sponsor to review the scope change.
11:00 am
I had a catch-up call with someone in my network. She's had a few job changes in the last few years due to the pandemic and other factors. It was great to get her take on my skillset and where else it could be a good match, given where she sees the market going.
11:30 am
Short run, my last one before my 5k race this weekend.
12:00 pm
Lunch!
12:30 pm
Light PMP studying. I put on an online prep course at 3x speed while I glance at the slides.
1:30 pm
Drive to my annual eye exam 👀
2:00 pm
Eye exam. Renewed prescriptions for contact lenses and glasses. Also got a slightly concerning piece of news. My optometrist wants me to see a specialist to be extra sure everything is fine.
2:30 pm
Drive to where I'm meeting my partner after his day is done and park myself for the call with the recruiting group. I have started taking these intro calls on the go so they don’t dictate the schedule for my entire day. My explanation has typically been along the lines of, “Due to other personal commitments, I'll be on the go and may take the call in the car.” I take all of my formal interviews at my desk.
I’ve previously fielded inbounds from other recruitment agencies for contract work, and none of these opportunities have panned out. Still, I figure it can't hurt to make more connections and hear about opportunities in their pipeline. I'm in their network now, so the ball is in their court to let me know if they feel I'm a match for one of their clients.
4:30 pm
Whoa! I got a response from a recruiter I met late last year. I’ve reached out to her a few times for other roles that seemed interesting to me, but she usually never responds. A friend had directly referred me to the hiring manager, and my recruiter contact replied to let me know she advocated for my candidacy. Woohoo!
5:00 pm
Pick up my partner and drive home.
Total time job searching today: 3 hours
Day 3
9:30 am
Got an email from the recruiter I connected with yesterday. She forwarded me directly to her colleague who owns the search for the role I want.
Progress! I quickly reply with my "tell me about yourself" pitch and offer some time to chat.
10:30 am
20 minute Strength workout on Apple Fitness+.
11:00 am
Start a practice PMP exam. I've never taken one of these all the way through, and I want to get a baseline to see how much more I need to prep.
12:30 pm
Finished the practice PMP exam. I passed! It gives me a little boost of confidence. My goal is to take the exam in 4 weeks. Now, lunchtime.
1:00 pm
Call one of my former managers. The job search process has been slow the past few weeks, which isn't helping my anxiety. I've asked former managers and friends to schedule calls. I'm working on not letting my career and job define my self-worth, and I know when I start feeling down about the job search, it's time to be with family and friends.
1:30 pm
Reply to a hiring manager I got referred to by a former colleague. Her team is hiring, so we're scheduling time to connect about their team and what they're working on.
2:00 pm
Submit an application for a partnerships role at a digital health company another former colleague is at. The commute would be really long (up to 1.5-2 hours driving one way) so I'm not thrilled about it, but I have to keep filling my job search funnel.
3:00 pm
That was quick! The digital health company recruiter emailed, asking for a copy of my resume and times we can connect Friday morning. I looked him up on LinkedIn; he's based in Central time, so I’ll wait til the morning to respond to him so I’m at the top of his inbox tomorrow.
5:00 pm
Finish my homework for my weekly evening French class. I've been learning French for years now, and this weekly commitment ensures that I keep exercising the muscle.
Total time job searching today: 4 hours
Day 4
9:00 am
Walk around the neighborhood.
11:00 am
Strange recruiter screen with the big pharma company from earlier in the week. It was obvious she was reading from a script. I think I did well enough to get to the next stage, though. She said she'll “send my notes to the hiring manager, who will make the final call” and the next step would be a talent acquisition person (so who was this?) Okay...
11:30 am
Sent a note via LinkedIn to my former colleague who referred me for the big pharma role, letting him know how it went. We shared some anecdotes about how strange the interview processes and job requirements have been since the last time we were both on the job market. He's been going to bat for me on another role, and I appreciate how much of a champion he's been for me.
12:00 pm
Call with a local shop owner looking for part-time help. It went well! I love her mission. I hadn't expected the job search to take this long, so I started looking for part-time work as a way to meet some new people, sharpen my skills, and do something completely out of my comfort zone.
2:00 pm
Send in two more applications to another company. I did not have a direct referral, so I don’t expect to hear back.
2:30 pm
Internal volunteer project team call.
3:00 pm
Wrapping up my day with some PMP studying.
Total time job searching today: 3 hours
Day 5
9:00 am
Prepped for the recruiter call for the digital health partnerships role by checking out the team's website and reviewing the job description.
Got another canned rejection email from a company with a similar digital health partnerships role. I’m not surprised. I reached out to someone in my network for a referral, but he never got back to me. You need referrals in this market.
9:30 am
Great recruiter call! I leveraged Coach Erika's best questions to ask a recruiter which have been super helpful throughout this process. The best part: he mentioned that my resume was "very marketable." I was really happy to get that feedback. Maybe a breakthrough, finally?
10:00 am
Break to power wash one of the external walls of the house. We've been dealing with a minor ant infestation, and while it isn't a big problem yet, I like to nip these things in the bud.
10:30 am
PMP studying. Reviewing my practice exam and taking notes on the questions I missed.
11:00 am
Reply to one of my former colleagues who reached out asking for a connection to a company she's interested in. I believe in paying it forward and enjoy the thought of sending some positivity into the universe.
11:30 am
Lunch
12:30 pm
Prep for volunteer project team call with our external partner.
1:00 pm
Volunteer project team call. External partner expressed how thankful he is that we've been able to meet a major project milestone. I'm happy that I was able to help them turn this project around. It's been meaningful and nourishing work while I continue looking for my next full-time gig.
2:00 pm
Cleaning up project notes to send to our full project team.
3:00 pm
Wrapping up my week. Driving to pick up my race bib for the 5k run tomorrow! 🏃♀️
Total time job searching today: 2 hours
What I learned this week
Pursuing the PMP, while costly, has actually been helpful. It's making me review different project management frameworks so that I can be that much more confident interviewing at different companies.
What I’ll adjust for next week
I've realized that if I spend too much time on LinkedIn, it isn't productive and often puts me in a negative headspace. Staying busy with volunteering and exploring part-time work while studying for my PMP is making me feel like I am making progress. I keep having to remind myself that this is a marathon, not a sprint (like other Job Search Diarists have mentioned) and that the right opportunity is out there for me.
Tell us more
How would you describe your job search strategy? What's working? What needs adjustment? What's working: focusing on roles that speak to my super powers: organizing teams, connecting technical and operational teams for delivery, and underscoring my extensive experience across the healthcare domain.
When I was passively looking last year, I entertained leads for Technical Program Manager roles, but I got limited traction. The feedback was that I lacked the technical background, and with the market saturated with talented TPM candidates, I abandoned that pursuit.
How many hours a week do you spend on your job search? Can you break this into rough buckets? 20-25 hours a week:
Sourcing opportunities (5 hrs)
Interview prep (5 hrs)
Upskilling (10 hrs)
How much of your time do you spend sharpening your skills? How do you do this? One observation I've made is that many job postings for Program Managers in tech are now asking for the PMP certification. This wasn't the case before, so I'm spending this time studying to finally get my certification. I also help run my homeowner's association and have been volunteering project management work for nonprofits in the area.
What is the best part about job searching? Getting back in touch with so many colleagues in my network. For the most part, they've been so supportive, offering to make connections and referrals. It's been great to hear what everyone's been up to personally and professionally.
What’s the worst part? Ghosting by recruiters and hiring managers. And the fact that processes are taking weeks longer than before makes you feel like you have no momentum.
What are your current favorite job search tools, and how are you using them?
LinkedIn for job postings. (not sure I would call it my favorite; it's more a necessity)
Perplexity AI for interview prep and first drafts for messages, cover letters, and other job search communications.
Google Sheets for tracking my job search funnel
Slack to engage with former colleagues of mine (ex-Alphabet)
What's one tool or service you couldn't imagine living without in this job search? Perplexity. It's helped me plan and prep for interviews by doing company research, and give me first drafts of LinkedIn connection request messages and cover letters in the job search.
What's one thing you regret spending time on while job searching? Constantly refreshing my inbox for post-interview updates and doomscrolling social media posts by career coaches and recruiter influencers. Some have been helpful, others are not.
Advice for other job seekers in tech? Have a set of people in your life to serve as your "kitchen counter Board of Directors.” These should be people who know your professional capabilities and accomplishments and can provide a sounding board for when you are feeling discouraged about your search. It's been so beneficial for me to lean on my mentors, many of whom are former managers, to remind me:
I am capable
I am hireable
the right opportunity is out there for me
Anything else you would like to add? I've been taking steps to get some part-time work completely outside of my current career trajectory. Two of the things I miss about work are (1) knowing that there was inbound cash flow and (2) having some structure to my week. Part-time work feels like a low-risk way to address both.
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Great comments on the frustration with getting ghosted and fruitlessness of refreshing the inbox for replies that never come.