Why Your Resume Isn’t Landing Interviews (And What to Do About It)

If you’ve been applying for Product Management jobs but aren’t getting interviews, you might be wondering: What am I doing wrong?

The truth is, breaking pivoting into Product Management is competitive, and a generic resume won’t cut it. If you’re serious about landing your first or next PM role, you need a super-targeted approach that’s also adaptive to the changing environment. 

Let’s walk through why your resume might not be working like you’d hope.

❌ Your Resume Doesn’t Highlight the Right Skills for a Product Manager Job

I see it all the time. Many aspiring Product Managers make the mistake of listing everything they’ve ever done instead of focusing on what hiring managers actually want to see. The key is to tailor your resume to showcase the skills needed for a Product Manager job—even if you’re transitioning from another role. 

What most hiring managers look for:

• Problem-solving and analytical skills

• Experience working with cross-functional teams

• Ability to define and measure success through KPIs

• Communication and stakeholder management

• An understanding of user needs and market trends

If your resume doesn’t clearly demonstrate these abilities, it’s time to rethink how you position yourself. More often than not, you have more relevant experience than you think. We spend a TON of time on our first coaching call, digging into your background and helping you to see how much talent you have (that we can zhuzh up for your resume and LinkedIn profile 💁🏻‍♀️). 

❌ Your Resume Lacks Product-Specific Achievements

One of the biggest mistakes in a Product Manager job search is listing responsibilities rather than achievements. What did you lead? What was the outcome? How can we quantify it? Hiring managers want to see impact-driven metrics that demonstrate how you’ve applied Product Management skills in past roles—even if you weren’t officially a Product Manager. 

Jess Sherlock, Product Management Career Coach reviewing a resume as a part of the SPRINT group coaching program.

❌ Your Resume Isn’t Optimized for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)

Most companies use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to filter resumes before they even reach a recruiter’s desk. If your resume doesn’t contain the right keywords, or can’t be parsed, it may never get seen.

To improve your chances, include long-tail keywords related to Product Management, such as:

• Agile & Scrum Methodologies

• Customer Feedback & Analytics Tools

• Experimentation & A/B Testing Platforms

• Market & Customer Research Skills

• Stakeholder Management Techniques

Optimizing your resume for these keywords will ensure that your application gets noticed by both ATS systems and human recruiters.

❌ You Haven’t Invested in Professional Coaching

A strong resume is the foundation of your Product Manager career path. It’s literally the first step we take in the SPRINT Group Coaching Program. But, as you know well, crafting one on your own can be challenging. You find yourself second-guessing everything. From keeping a stale resume that you hardly change to customizing and repositioning your professional self for every application, the decisions you’re making are exhausting you before you’re really able to get into the nitty gritty of the interview process.  If you’re not getting interviews, it may be time to seek expert guidance.

Hiring a Product Management career coach can help you:

• Identify what’s missing in your resume

• Highlight transferable skills

• Optimize for both ATS and an actual human (in a world full of AI, imagine that!)

• And, develop a compelling personal brand

If you’re serious about landing a Product Manager job, investing in Product Management career coaching services can give you the edge you need. Look into the SPRINT Group Coaching Program and set some time on my calendar to discuss where you are and where you want to be.