Bijan Shahrokhi 
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As an aspiring product manager, one of your primary goals is to land an interview with at least one company on your shortlist. And while that sounds easy enough — especially when you consider how many open PM jobs there are — it’s anything but that. Competition for these jobs has never been greater, which makes it a challenge to get your foot in the door.
Fortunately, there are a variety of creative ways to land a product manager interview. You don’t have to rely on the “same old” approach of applying online and hoping for the best. A little bit of creativity can go a long way.
Here are five of the most creative ways to land a product manager interview.
1. Directly Email the Hiring Company
Start by making a list of three to five companies that pique your interest. Maybe you’ve heard good things about them from other employees. Perhaps you’ve used and enjoyed their products in the past.
From there, directly email employees at the company to:
- Show interest in what they do
- Add value, such as by providing feedback on a specific product
- Ask if there are any openings in product management
Don’t worry about what the careers page of their website says. There may not be any PM job openings listed, but that doesn’t mean they’re not looking for qualified candidates. And even if they’re not at the present time, your name will be at the top of their list should that change in the future.
Tip: In addition to email, you can also connect with current employees via LinkedIn. This is often the quickest way to engage and share more information on yourself.
2. Volunteer
Nobody wants to work for free, but it’s often the best way to break into a company. This method works best for smaller companies where you have the opportunity to connect with the founder or another high-level executive.
Once again, it helps to start with a list of companies that you’d like to join. Then, connect with the applicable individuals via email, LinkedIn, or even phone.
The final step is sharing your interest in the company and explaining that you want to volunteer to help them solve a specific problem. This does two things:
- By making note of a specific problem, it shows that you’ve done your research.
- By offering your services for free, it puts the employer in a “no-lose” situation.
Volunteering doesn’t always turn into a job offer, but if nothing else you will grow your network and gain invaluable experience. Experience that you can add to your resume when applying for future positions.
3. Build a Product
Rather than rely solely on your resume to generate interest in you as an applicant, build a product that you can share with the companies on your shortlist. Not only does this make you more desirable — as compared to other candidates — but it also gives you experience and knowledge that you can put to use in future endeavors.
Once you have a prototype, share it with product managers at your target companies. Provide basic information, ask them for feedback, and tell them that you’d love to be considered for any current or future job openings.
Building a product shows that you have the skills to perform as a product manager at a high level. It also makes you more enticing as a candidate, since you’ve gone the extra mile.
4. Transition from Within
Maybe you currently work as a product designer, engineer, or product marketing professional. If you want to move into a PM role, you don’t necessarily have to apply for positions outside the company. If you’ve already proven yourself as a valuable employee, it makes sense to see if they have any openings.
Here are some steps for improving the odds of transitioning into a PM role at your current company:
- Do some (or all) of the tasks required of a product manager. This proves that you can perform in this role.
- Ask a product manager if you can shadow them. Even if you have limited time, it shows your interest and allows you to receive on-the-job training.
- Express your interest. Once you’re comfortable doing so, express your interest in transitioning into a PM role. Since you’ve laid the groundwork, there’s a much greater chance of success.
If you enjoy the company you work for, it’s only natural to start your search for a PM job in-house. You know the inner workings of the company, personnel, and culture. This makes for a much more efficient and streamlined transition.
5. Send a Video
This can accompany the standard hiring process or any one of the ideas above. For example, if you plan to directly email hiring companies, share a brief snippet of your experience and knowledge, along with a link to a more in-depth video.
You could also build a prototype and share a video walkthrough. In many ways, this is easier for the recipient to review. Watching a 30 to 60-second video is generally easier than trying to learn a new product in limited time.
Tip: You don’t have to hire a professional to produce your video. What matters most is that it engages the recipient, puts you in a good light, and helps you stick in the person’s mind.
Final Thoughts
At the very least, you should experiment with the five ideas above. There’s a good chance that you’ll find one (or more) that better positions you to secure an interview.
Once you have an interview (or several interviews) on the books, it’s time to turn your full attention to the preparation process. And that’s where we can help set you apart from other interviewees.
Sign up for our interview prep course, review PM interview questions by company or category, and partake in mock interviews. From there, you’ll feel confident in your ability to ace the interview and hopefully receive a job offer.
