What do you do if you need to rebuild your career after a layoff in Product Marketing?

Performance Assessment is an annual exercise in every organization for measuring individual performance throughout the year . While this is a professional requirement , can we develop a similar model at a personal model . Let us see how: - Assessing skill levels and possible gaps with the current role/aspired growth plan - Incorporating peer feedbacks to remove deficiencies and to improve skill level - Designing a clear learning plan for the upcoming FY with milestone based goals - Working with the reporting manager to understand the fitment of these goals and seeking approval of the aligned goals - Cultivating a habit of making little progress everyday , to enjoy the compound effect of regular learning - Developing "Expert Power"

Here's how I bounced back stronger: Point 3 is killer !! 6. Breathe! Take time to process and re-evaluate your goals. What kind of PMM role excites you now? 5. Level up! Online courses, industry conferences, even brushing up on design thinking - invest in continuous learning. 4. Reconnect with old colleagues, attend industry events, build your PMM community. Valuable connections can open doors. 3. Create a killer portfolio website! Highlight past achievements & use data to tell the story of your impact. 2. Don't just blast resumes. Research companies & tailor your application materials to showcase what you can uniquely offer. 1. Job search ain't a sprint, it's a marathon. Stay focused, celebrate small wins, and don't give up!

Oof, sometimes life slaps you in the face harder than an email blast to your entire list with "Hey FirstName". Take a breath, you'll get through it. Look back on your latest stint at the company that just gave you the flick. What did you work on? What big rocks did you contribute to or oversee? Make a note of it all and jot down the results you achieved. The more specific, the better!

I would suggest you start by looking at the things you've accomplished during your tenure. Both good and bad. What made them successful/not so successful? Was it a lack of skill? If so, double down on it.

Updating your resume can feel about as fun as pulling your own teeth out, especially when you've just been laid off. My quick tips are 1. get to the point, 2. talk about the big rocks, 3. avoid clichés and generalizations like your career depends on it.

In the face of a career reboot after a layoff in Product Marketing, your resume becomes your ultimate ambassador. It's not just a list of past roles; it's a narrative of your expertise and achievements. I ensure my resume tells a compelling story of my product wins, showcasing not just what I did, but how it drove results. Metrics are my best friends here - they add weight to my claims and demonstrate tangible impact. But it's not just about what's past; it's about what's relevant now. I customize my resume to spotlight sought-after skills like market analysis and cross-functional collaboration. This ensures it resonates with today's market demands, catching the eye of hiring managers seeking top-tier talent.

Think like a product marketer here! Who is your ICP? What are his/her pain points? What can you bring to the table? What is your value proposition? Prove your value by adding (quantifiable) precious success.

I have been laid-off a few times in my career, and my professional connections were my saving grace. Even if your connections are not in Product management, they may know someone at their company who is. Ask for an introduction, and reach out for an informational interview. Do some homework on their business and have a thought-provoking conversation - be prepared to ask questions like, 'what's the biggest challenge for your business today? and what role does product play in your division's success?' This will help you get a feel for the importance that company assigns to the product organization, and if it's a place you might want to work. I have been surprised by how often these informational interviews have turned into a real job.

The lowest hanging fruit is networking on LinkedIn. I would start with filtering out people in companies you'd like to work for and who are actively recruiting. Secondly, I would connect like crazy with peers, you can filter on work titles, location, etc. The more people in your network - the more visibility you get. Thirdly, start posting regularly on LinkedIn. Draw from that deep well of your experience, make sure it adds value for the people you want to target. The goal? You want people to come to you, not you standing in an endless line with other job seekers.

Learning continuously is not just about acquiring new skills; it's also about adapting to changing market demands. Explore emerging trends, study competitor strategies, and understanding consumer behaviour insights.

"Generalist vs Specialist"- a classic debate in Management. Should we aim to have diverse skill-sets with optimal competency in some or opt for expert specialization in specific skill sets ? In my view , i am inclined towards the generalist school of thought : - There is no Product marketing assignment that comes with set boundaries , we may be required to have the knowledge of/deploy aspects of other marketing disciplines in dynamic business scenarios - Not just basic knowledge , optimal expertise in other disciplines may actually take us a more balance approach(this can also be a foil to confirmation bias) - Freelance projects are great way to gain exposure in areas that are outside our core competency level for a rounded perspective

Have you heard of "Bouncebackability" ?(Yeah , thats a word !!) Sir Alex Ferguson(legendary manager of Manchester United) always instilled this quality in his champion teams to always be determined and to have the ability to recover from setbacks quickly. In product marketing, here are some practices to help us "bounceback": - Product Marketing is a dynamic field , if we dont keep innovating we will be outdated even before we know it - There will be bad days and we must be prepared for it - Not letting negativity and pessimism control the narrative - Shutting down complacency at the origin, we know a few things but do we know everything ? - We should always believe in our ability to deliver , even in crunch situations