Job Search Diaries No.8―Principal Product Manager (Consumer Media)
Lessons learned after 5 final round interviews and 154 applications over 8+ months job searching in media and tech for senior roles.
👋 Hey, it’s 📣 Coach Erika! 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 a Principal Product Manager with over 10 years of experience building consumer experiences focused on content engagement and personalization.
About me: I am a principal product manager with 10+ years of expertise in consumer products, specializing in content engagement and personalization.
My location: NYC
Role I'm seeking: Principal Product Manager, Senior Product Manager, Staff PM
Target company stage: Public or Private but mature and established
Target industry(ies): Media- at the intersection of Entertainment and Technology
Passive or active search? Active
When I started my job search: I started looking casually in Jan 2023. I got laid off in Fall 2023 and have been in active/high gear searching since then.
Total applications: 154
HR or recruiter screens: 25
First-round interviews: 20
Final-round interviews: 5
Average time spent weekly on job searching: 20-25 hours
What drove my job search: In January 2023, I began exploring new career opportunities for professional growth and new challenges. Having proactively updated my resume and cover letter proved invaluable when I was unexpectedly laid off later that year. This prep made it easy to quickly ramp my active job search, focusing on roles that align with my expertise.