KO Projects’ Post

🐣🐔 Landing your first PM role requires cracking a chicken & egg problem. I hear this all the time: "every PM role requires PM experience... how am I supposed to get hired if I can never get the experience in the first place?" There's no silver bullet BUT here's how I got my first PM job at a Series A company called Breeze (which was acquired by Ford): I demonstrated through my resume and interview that I loved building and I could motivate people to work with me even without the PM title. The hiring manager at that time was directing product, design and engineering. He wanted a builder who could fit well into the org without bringing too much "PM"y baggage from other companies. When I met him, I shared the story of how I'd founded (and shut down) a startup and was actively building a side project called Breathe with one of my developer colleagues while I was doing project management at Life360. The hiring manager could tell I was a builder. And I was witnessing strong early stage PM practices at Life360, which I could bring with me. I enjoyed tackling ambiguity and was a good culture fit with the team. He ultimately took a bet on me to join as their first PM, which turned into a 3-year resume line that de-risked me as a PM for future hiring managers. So what's the takeaway? If you're trying to land your first PM role, you have to convince someone to bet on you to do a job you've never done before. With the PM hiring landscape in 2024, it's never been harder to break through the noise. But it's also never been easier to build something and put it in people's hands. My advice for people looking to break into PM is simple: build & ship. Put something in people's hands. Get their feedback. Iterate on the product. This will give you stories to share about your experience as a product builder. This means credibility. You'll be doing a PM job that you created for yourself. That's compelling to hiring managers because it shows you're competent, driven, and do this kind of work even if nobody is paying you to do it. Anyone else have advice on how people can crack the chicken and egg problem of landing their first PM role?

𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗗𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘃𝘀. 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀! 👍⚡️🤷♂️ Ever felt like you're overwhelmed by the stress of "Should I really be doing this?" while at work? In the PM world, there's often a gap between what everyone thinks you should do and what your job actually is. Let's dive into it. Your job description might say one thing – plan, execute, and close projects. It’s clear, it’s to the point, and it’s what you signed up for. But sometimes, expectations have a funny way of growing. Next thing you know, you're not just managing the project; you're the go-to for every hiccup. 🤷♂️ Here's the deal: 𝗗𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀: They’re the tasks you agreed to handle – managing teams, budgets, and project scopes. 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: These can come out of left field. Suddenly, you're expected to have deep tech expertise or be a mind reader. Have you experienced the great expectation creep? How do you manage when what’s expected goes beyond the job description? Let’s get the conversation going. Share your experiences and let's learn from each other how best to manage this common PM challenge. #ProjectManagement #RealTalk #JobDescription #ProfessionalBoundaries

The difference between a feature and an empowered product manager is that the former is more concerned with delivering output and meeting deadlines, while the latter focuses on achieving desirable outcomes and making a real impact. It's okay to prioritize features, but if that's all you need, you don't need a PM. Interestingly, many companies end up hiring and paying more for a feature PM when they should have simply hired a project manager. #productmanagement #projectmanagement #outcomeoveroutput  

I cracked the code to landing a PM role without experience. It's not what you think. Forget the fancy degrees and certifications. The real secret? → Be a problem solver, not a job seeker. Here's how I did it: 1. Solved real problems (even if unpaid) 2. Built a portfolio of mini-projects 3. Networked relentlessly 4. Learned to speak the PM language 5. Embraced failure as a learning tool Remember: Companies hire problem solvers, not job descriptions. What unconventional approach worked for you? #CareerAdvice #ProductManagement

🌟 Dive into the World of a Technical Project Manager! 🌟 Curious about the role? Join me for a behind-the-scenes look: 🔧 Fact 1: Master Multitasker Juggling timelines & teams, a Technical PM is the ultimate multitasker, balancing multiple projects effortlessly. 🚀 Fact 2: Bridge Builder In tech, collaboration is key. As a PM, I connect developers, engineers, designers, & stakeholders to bring ideas to life. 💡 Fact 3: Innovation Enthusiast From cutting-edge tech to creative problem-solving, I thrive on pushing boundaries and driving progress. 🔍 Fact 4: Problem-Solving Pro Challenges? Bring them on! I tackle obstacles head-on, turning roadblocks into stepping stones to success. 🌐 Fact 5: Global Impact Navigating borders and time zones, our projects have a global reach, making a local impact. Ready to explore? Let's connect! 🌐💼 #TechnicalProjectManager #TechInnovation #BehindTheScenes

"Nobody will hire me because I've never had a project manager title" While having the title helps, it's not the deciding factor Your EXPERIENCE and how you CONVEY it is If you're not getting PM opportunities, it's for 2 reasons: ☝ You don't have the experience that company is looking for in a PM ✌ You're not highlighting your experience appropriately to meet the needs of the job duties There's a couple of tactics to help shore these up Meet me in the comments if you want to learn how 👇 PS: feel free to share some specifics, there's someone out there with your same problem that will benefit from the answer

Is pivoting to Project Management part of your 2024 NY resolution? Know that I cheer for you all and want to hear from those who are being - Rejected right off the bat with an automated cold email. - Ghosted by recruiters after endless interviews you spent your evenings to prepare for. Why do you think that happens? Sure, you can blame: - Uncertain economy - Positions cancelled or being filled in by internal candidates - Those unprofessional companies But I'd like for a moment for you to look in the mirror and think about what YOU can do to make your case for being hired extremely compelling. Let me know in the comments your thoughts and if you want to brainstom together send me a DM; we might uncover some blind spots there. P.S. When I was hired in my first job I've asked my manager back then why he hired me in the first place as I had no work experience and a lot of gaps to fulfill that role and his answer was simply "Why Not?" The rest is history...

Job postings for project managers, and hiring managers ask the wrong question regarding project success. The most common requirements are on time and within budget. Schedules and budgets need to be managed throughout the project lifecycle, but they do not measure success.

Do you want to become a cool Project Manager for your team? 😉 Or are you looking for the same role in IT? We’ve got you covered! Read a mini-interview with our Head of the PM Department, Denys! 👇🏻 💡 Question 1: What are the main tasks of PM? «Make sure that the project does not collapse as a whole. Resource planning and development monitoring. Well, the most important thing is communication with all team members involved». 💡 Question 2: Who do PMs keep in constant contact with on the project? How does communication take place? «With everyone. From stakeholders (customers/product managers) to developers and designers. We conduct weekly calls, just calls. 😄 💡 Question 3: Top tips for PMs on effective communication and organizing teamwork. «1. Inform everyone about progress more often. 2. If something doesn't go according to plan, don't think that it will 'solve itself'. Ring the bell and call your elders. 😄 3. When talking to customers or non-technical specialists, play the 'explain it to me like I'm 5' game. 4. Push yourself to write regular updates, even if they are not read very much😅» #lampa_software #projectmanager #pm #interview

When to Hire a Project Manager