I Sacrificed It All for Product Management. My Story of Endless Applications
This isn’t a pity party. It’s the unfiltered truth about the trenches most success stories ignore.
Credit: Vince Fleming
It Started at 2 AM With Another Rejection
It’s 2 AM. I’m staring at yet another rejection email: “We’ve decided to move forward with candidates who better align…”
I’ve applied to over 100 roles. Built a full portfolio. Completed two courses. Networked until my LinkedIn inbox feels like a second job.
And nothing…
I gave everything to transition into Product Management five years ago: time, money, sleep, confidence.
And it still wasn’t enough.
This Is What It Actually Feels Like
The burnout is real: Endless applications vanishing into ATS (Applicant Tracking System) black holes.
The doubt creeps in: “Am I just not good enough?”
The isolation hits hardest: Scrolling past peers posting “Excited to announce I’m joining…” while you refresh job boards for the hundredth time.
We’re bombarded with fairy tales, “I switched from marketing and landed a PM role in 6 months!” but rarely hear from the rest of us grinding in silence, hitting wall after wall.
The Big Question: Is It Me… or the Market?
The Market Reality: The Crushing Numbers
2025 was brutal for tech hiring. According to trackers like TrueUp and Layoffs.fyi:
Over 245,000 tech layoffs in 2025 alone (TrueUp data: 783 incidents impacting 245,953 people).
Experienced PMs flooded the market after cuts at big names like Intel, Amazon, Microsoft, and Meta.
Entry-level and transition PM roles got buried under competition from laid-off seniors.
Hiring freezes lingered, with many requisitions going internal or to referrals only.
Credit: Chris Riggs
The Personal Side: Where I Could’ve Done Better
I’m not blaming everything on the market. Hindsight is brutal, but here’s what I’d tweak:
Focused too heavily on cold applications instead of warm intros and referrals (the real way most roles fill).
Built a solid portfolio but didn’t share case studies publicly on LinkedIn or X early enough to build an audience.
Chased Big Tech glamour over growing sectors like AI tools, healthtech, fintech, or crypto (only hire if you have crypto or web3 experience)
Even “perfect” candidates are waiting 12–18 months right now. Is there such a thing as a “perfect” candidate?
You’re Not Alone: Stories From the Trenches
Forums like Reddit’s r/ProductManagement and LinkedIn threads are full of us:
“Bootcamp grad, 400+ applications, zero interviews.”
“Laid-off senior PM, can’t even land junior roles.”
“Did everything ‘right’ and still ghosted for months.”
The success stories are loud. The silent majority? Exhausted.
Signs of Hope (No Fake Positivity Here)
Early 2026 remains tough; the “Great Freeze” of low hiring and lingering uncertainty continues. But there are glimmers:
Forecasts suggest stabilization mid-2026 as AI investments mature and economic clarity improves.
Hot areas: AI-focused PMs, fintech, healthtech, and platforms needing product thinkers.
Remote/hybrid options are holding steady in many growth sectors.
The market shifts eventually. It always does.
Credit: Marc-Olivier Jodoin
What Now?
If you’re still grinding:
Build in public: Share your journey, case studies, thoughts, it attracts opportunities organically.
Network smarter: Target smaller companies, contribute to product communities, ask for referrals.
Protect yourself: Set application limits, celebrate tiny progress, prioritize mental health.
And if you’re in the trenches too—drop your story in the comments. Let’s stop suffering in silence. Together, we’re the majority.
We gave everything. The door might not open today, but we’re not done knocking.
“Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice, and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do.— Pelé”
Keep building. Keep believing. Your breakthrough is coming.
Thanks for reading. If this resonated, share it, someone else needs to know they’re not alone.
