Tuning out the noise: dealing with the current economic turmoil

Unless you've been living under a rock for the past year or so, you've probably read or seen headlines about the layoffs that have been sweeping through the economy, primarily in the tech industry. It seems every week, another company announces a new round of layoffs citing a slowing economy or rising interest rates. Meta, Google, Amazon, Lyft, Stripe, the names go on and on. Obviously this backdrop makes it harder to find a product manager job as there are less open positions and an ever-increasing number of applicants.

A lot of the students and professionals that we talk to weekly are referencing these layoffs as a big reason why they are struggling with their job search. And this is absolutely true. It's not their fault at all and they did nothing to deserve this. However, too many folks we talk to are using it as a crutch or excuse to give up and stop doing the actions they should be doing. They've allowed all the bad news and scary headlines to pummel their confidence and stop them from trying their best.

Does the current economic situation suck? Yes. For sure. But it's something that none of us can control. No one knows how things will play out in the next 6 months or a year. Anyone who says otherwise is a liar. Therefore as a job seeker, it is imperative to accept that these are the conditions you will have to operate in for the foreseeable future and not let that prevent you from trying to land a product manager job.

At Product Manager Dojo, we tell all our clients to focus only on the things they can control and tune out everything else. It's a waste of your time and energy wondering if the economy will get better or comparing yourself to your fellow classmates. You may not be able to control the economy or any other external factors but you can absolutely control having the best possible resume, sending out applications, networking and preparing for interviews. Especially during tough times like now, it makes even more important to have the best possible resume, the best application strategy, the most optimized LinkedIn profile and so on. You need every little edge you can get given the increased competition you are facing. By solely focusing on the things you control and not worrying about the rest, you will not only maximize your chances but also avoid a lot of unnecessary stress and anxiety.

If you are interested in learning how to have the best product management resume or want to break into product management, please schedule a free call via the Contact page. We would love to chat and see how we can help.