I work with a range of Product companies across the globe, they are diverse in size, structure and mission. But month after month, more and more candidates contact me asking about the transition into Product from a host of backgrounds. 

There is no one size fits all approach, but here are some ideas I have to help nail a Product CV, specifically for those trying to get their first Product role.

First off, there is no set age or background that makes a good Product Manager and the types of characteristics that lend themselves to the role I will dive into another time. But this means that CVs can hugely range in length and format and so it becomes as much a challenge of knowing what to leave out as it is what to put in. 

Your CV is often going to be the first contact you make with a potential employer and this provides you an opportunity to display some of the Product soft skills you’ll need to make a good PM; effective communication; empathy; presentation and storytelling. If you can build these into your CV, you will have a much better chance of securing an interview.

Product Management is, at its core, all about problem solving, so try to demonstrate that in your recent experience. I have placed candidates from digital backgrounds including (design, software development, research etc) and non-digital backgrounds (military, editorial, consultancy, sales and many more). All of these routes will provide you with an opportunity to solve some type of business or operational problem. Focus, not just on what you achieved, but how and why? Outline what the issue was, talk through strategic thinking and initiatives and ultimately how you overcame particular issues and achieved successes. 

If you are coming from a role or background that is multifaceted, you may struggle to sum up everything that you did. In this case, again, think this through with a Product mindset. Show the employer examples of where you have had to prioritise your workload and how success was measured. This can also be a great way to exhibit your skills and experience even in areas where you may have been less successful, but ultimately showed the right characteristics, grit and determination to get some sort of result. 

Using these tips you will be able to navigate the Product job market, stand out against other candidates and turn potential weaknesses into strengths. In entry level roles employers are more interested in seeing your processes and mindset than results and they should be thinking about the support they can add to you to get the desired results. 

In summary, there is no one size fits all. Try and be succinct and put everything you have done into a larger context to help show you understand both your own department and the wider organisation. 

If you are looking to secure your first Product role, we can help.