Chait Sriramdass

Even 'ex-Google' tags don't seem to cut it in the product management job market. Let's unravel the surprising reason why. 👇 I was reviewing a product leader's resume the other day. He had managed teams of up to five people and had a significant impact at various places. All seemed to be good. But he had been applying at many places and not getting much response at all. He was puzzled and said something that many clients have told me recently. "Shobhit, I thought it would be easier." Easier to get interviews, to get noticed, to get to the final rounds, to get offers. But it just isn't today. Even when you come with a pedigree as "ex-Google" or "Experienced product manager" its not easy. Hiring managers just don't want another "accomplished product leader." They want to know that you are EXACTLY the right fit for the job. That you bring accomplishments and skills that are unique to the job. This is precisely why so many product managers struggle 👉 They build generic resumes and pitches 👉 They apply to tons of places without a clear strategy 👉 They struggle to articulate why they are a good fit for the role 👉 They do endless smocks with people who have no idea how to give them the right feedback 👉 They have some success.....and then do not get past the next round 👉 They repeat the process What if what it took for you to start getting MORE offers, and even the ideal offer, was a SIMPLE tweak in the words you're using in your narrative and stories that positioned you the right way? What if you needed to upgrade the words you use in your answers so that they speak to your being the ideal candidate for the job right now? What if the real difference would be in positioning yourself by articulating clearly why you are an exact fit for that role and unique from most other candidates? What if it did get easier when you made those tweaks (as it did for Justin, who recently landed a role with a 40%+ increase by only applying to five places where he could articulate being a great fit)? 'Cause let's face it: YOU are an action taker and are applying for roles that challenge you and stretch you while others are just happy to have any job - am I right? If that's the case, here's how we can help: We invite you to a personalized strategy session. We'll delve into your career journey, assessing the highs and lows and discussing your aspirations. Together, we'll map out a strategy for your success. If our services align with your goals, we can discuss how we can help. If not, that's absolutely fine! So, let's get going and take action soon. I invite you to book a call with us. Please comment "Book" on this post to set up a session with us.

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Interesting piece and helpful definition about the quickly evolving role of product management Your job as a PM is to deliver business impact by marshaling the resources of your team (both human and AI) to identify and solve the most impactful customer problems.

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What is North Star ✨ framework? North Star framework is an important product management concept to define success metric for business and inputs that drive the success metric. Here is an attempt to simplify it (Go to PPT 💻) + What is a North Star Metric? A North Star metric is the one measurement that’s most predictive of a company’s long-term success. + Why Do We Need a North Star Metric? Focus and Alignment Company-wide View

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Doing GENAI - Did you hit a #BuildSnag ? Want to avoid Human Hallucination in GENAI Value proposition Journey? Here's the deal In any #ProductManager journey ,this is a nightmare. It can eat away weeks/months in getting user to buyin , going live or getting ROI. The issue is not AI hallucinating , the real issue is we may not be actively targeting the customer problem, or how our product result will make their life easy- day in a life - alleviate pain and make things simple. Sounds Pretty Pedantic Right? , but most of the times , this detail has a risk of getting missed out ...in all Tech intricacies, and business meetings and product builds . This is what I call #AvoidingHumanHallucination in GENAI Value proposition Journey Ask a simple question : (Try it as a #SocialExperiment) Ask yourself "What are the top three things that your day miserable or cause headaches"? How do you see the 'product solving these pain points'? The answers will be amazing, not what you expected. Often building GENAI solutions from the 12 recommendation areas where GENAI should be used and now #GENAI in sustainability , I often need to keep myself True and mindcheck /roadmap check on whether we are really solving a problem or building a genai product only (Glory can be addictive). How Do I do this : every JIRA ticket , I add a user outcome - benefit articulated into six parts: 1. How much will this feature make the present process easier. 2. What way this process will have upstream integration 3. how many problems will be solve in one go. will it be cheaper and more scalable? 4. What can I do to ensure the user change impact is least or can be seamlessly managed? 5. GEtting feedback and doing a customer Zero Phase prior to UAT/go live - every pre-release -2 weeks 5. At the sprint level, are we still giving value first or is it just AI first...can I monitor this and continuous deliver value from my solution ..can I improve?when and how much? ( This is my learning journey and I open to know from your #comments how your journey) Talk to the People, allocate time to understand what they are feeling and collect feedback, and react/respond /reiterate /recalibrate R4 for further product evolution. Spoiler Alert " You like , sometimes may not like what you hear, but at least it will keep you true to the "value path" towards the North Star " (As they say in North India, got to keep your eyes sharp and Liver/heart/Kidney strong) 😌 ****Lessons learned" Dont fall in love with your product, fall in love with the Value it delivers" ***** Pavel Samsonov's article below , is a must read for whose aspiring to get 'lasting value' with GENAI. Thank you Pavel Samsonov #Like #Share #Follow #

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What is North Star ✨ framework? North Star framework is an important product management concept to define success metrics for business and inputs that drive the success metrics. Here is an attempt to simplify it (Go to PPT 💻) + What is a North Star Metric? A North Star metric is the one measurement that’s most predictive of a company’s long-term success. + Why Do We Need a North Star Metric? Focus and Alignment Company-wide View #northstar #nsm #northstarmetric #productmanagement

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𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 #121 MVP validation at early startup does not require an exhaustive product marketing plan rather a minimalist PMM framework. It helps you get out of the trap of over planning in the discovery stage. → Wasting precious time on comprehensive strategies → Missing out on real-world insights 🎯 Why Minimalist PMM Framework? 1️⃣ Core Assumption Identifier 2️⃣ Quick-Test Toolkit 3️⃣ Rapid Feedback Loop ⚡ How to Evolve: → Embrace the "Learn & Pivot" mindset → Turn user feedback into actionable PMM metrics 🔑 Key Takeaway: Start lean, measure smart, grow fast! Check the below framework to follow a simple process to move through your assumptions to validate your MVP👇

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📘 In today's fast-paced tech landscape, successful product development goes beyond mere engineering proficiency. It requires a deep understanding of user needs, market dynamics, and iterative problem-solving—a philosophy fantastically encapsulated in Eric Ries Lean Startup methodology. 🤔 The essence of "product thinking" lies in approaching software development with a holistic view, focusing not just on building features but on solving real problems for users. It's about continuously asking the critical questions: What pain points are we addressing? How can we create value? What features truly matter? 💡 The importance of validating assumptions early and often, aligning perfectly with the product mindset. By embracing concepts like the MVP (Minimum Viable Product or Minimum Valuable Production depending on who you speak to) and rapid experimentation, organisations can iterate on ideas, gather feedback, and pivot if necessary. 🤝 However, the marriage of product thinking and software engineering isn't just about theory; it's about execution. It's about fostering a culture where engineers are not just implementers but active contributors to product vision and strategy. It's about breaking down silos and fostering collaboration between product managers, designers, and developers. 💪 When product thinking permeates the engineering process, powerful results happen. Teams become more customer-centric, delivering solutions that resonate deeply with users. They become more agile, adapting quickly to changing market conditions. And ultimately, they become more successful in achieving their business objectives. 🌟 So, whether you're a product manager, a software engineer, or anyone involved in the product development lifecycle, remember this: the best software isn't just well-coded; it's well-conceived. By embracing product thinking alongside your engineering prowess, you'll not only build better products but also drive meaningful impact in the world. #ProductThinking #SoftwareEngineering #Innovation #Tech #ProductDevelopment #EngineeringCulture

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You can't succeed as a PM without this skill. My friend Satish (ex-Meta) has helped 500+ product leaders level up their influence skills via his 4.8/5 star course. He was kind enough to share his influence tactics with me. 📌 Sign up to get them tmr: creatoreconomy.so

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Disclaimer - No Gen AI involved in the creation of the following post. TL;DR: Well written lines of relevant product thoughts are the measure of a product manager's output just like well-written lines of code are for an engineer. Long version: Q. As a Product manager, (PM) what is one (of a few other ways) way you know you did justice to your role? A. It's simple. Measure and compare words spoken Vs written by you in your day. Drawing useful visuals is an acceptable option to words written. Why? Words spoken >> are often ignored, not grasped, not recorded and ephemeral. They rely heavily on the audience to have noted, interpreted and acted upon. They are also not the most organized form of communicating. Words written (or a drawing) >> are near-permanent if chosen to be recorded on a searchable, publicly available medium like your internal Confluence, Sharepoint or a Slack broadcast that gets pinned. They can be iterated upon, reviewed often, referenced in the future and analyzed in greater depth faster than listening to a recorded meeting repeatedly. PMs can create a lasting, noticeable and wider impact by writing things down, even if its just in a meeting chat. Even if no one else read them, the writer themselves reaps the benefit of more thoughtful, organized and durable structuring of their ideas. Humble confession: Being vocally self-critical, I just went by for 1.5 "busy (meetings)" days without writing anything meaningful besides meeting notes and action items, and felt the need to share this. Rant: At every place I have worked, I have seen at least a few Product Managers never putting pen to paper and thinking their job is done when they show up to a meeting, provide lackluster opinions or worse yet, simply nod in shallow agreement or recap the standard procedural statements like "this needs additional prioritization discussion". #writemore #beabetterpm #whatdoesaproductmgrdoanyway #nongenaipost

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After many years in product I finally decided to take my first, and probably last, "PM course": Shreyas Doshi's Product Sense course: https://lnkd.in/g6Gm9YzU Why my last? I don't think I'll ever need to take another course after this. He asked our honest take, so here's mine: The premise of a PM course always felt ironic to me because doing product in theory is never *remotely close* to doing product in practice. Well, this is finally the course that is built for, and built by, product in practice. Name a product concept that you've banged your head against the wall trying to put into practice (I'll name a few: Product Sense, Product Strategy, Product Vision). You've already read 5 books, 10 medium articles, and listened to 12 podcasts, and still feel like doing it yourself is like grabbing water. Every one of those concepts (and more) has finally been decomposed, distilled, and packaged into something that can compare to working directly with a world-class product leader yourself. Do yourself a favor and take this course, there is nothing remotely close to it that I'm aware of in existence. Also: you will laugh - guarantee you'll experience at least 1 moment of catharsis as Shreyas Doshi skewers some aspect of the tech industry and our experience as product people within it.

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To land Director to CPO jobs, Product Leaders must leverage Executive Search firms. They hold the keys to the hidden job market. Here is a lay of the land. Aakash Gupta and I wrote in depth about this in the Product Leadership Job Search and I followed up recently with the Tech Exec's Job Search Playbook. I recommend both reads. Comment if you want contacts or my thoughts on working with them as a candidate or hiring manager

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The most impacted roles by current tech layoffs? Product managers and researchers! Product Analytics Director Bhavik Patel analyzed tech layoffs in a recent article, and I am sharing his findings in the picture below. The result is not good news for PMs: they're getting fired 2.5 times more than engineers. Why? The article explains that in times of optimism, companies bet on digital products and overstaffed these roles that would help build the right product: PMs, researchers, and designers. That's for sure a contributing factor. I believe the real reason is more fundamental: many professionals holding the PM title are not actually product managers and, sooner or later, all chickens come home to roost. In times of abundance, the PM role became a job where people could easily slip into the comfort zone of middlemen, away from the trenches where real PMs struggle for every piece of customer feedback and every business outcome. This resulted in too many so-called "PMs" focusing solely on scripting user stories, middleman tasks, playing with frameworks, creating slides with roadmaps, and a variety of other meaningless tasks. As we all know, this useless breed of PMs does not add any value to a company and, in times of uncertainty, they qualify as the best people to make redundant. Because that's what they've always been all along. Will you be impacted too? In my view, there are three buckets PMs can be grouped into: 1. You're a real PM, bringing value to your customers and your company: life is smiling at you, you've got nothing to worry about! 2. You're not a real PM, and your company just found out. Bad news, you've got to go. Not only that, but you will have to heavily invest in acquiring those skills that you actually missed, or be ready to do a different job. 3. You're not a real PM, but your company hasn't realized that yet. It might be that finances are thriving, or they are simply happy calling something else a "product manager". Either way, you're saved for now - but how long will it last? A last caveat on the data: the chart below is the result of actual tech layoff data, manipulated through several assumptions. But these results definitely resonate with what I’ve observed in the past few months while talking to dozens of PMs, product leaders, and founders. If you want to look at full data, I encourage you to read the article "Analysing Tech Layoffs: Which Roles Were Hit Hardest?", with a big shout out to Bhavik Patel for putting this together. #productmanagement #layoffs

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Gaining buy-in for building 0 to 1 products inside large companies relies on effectively communicating the product vision.. Lenny Rachitsky recent podcast with Mihika Kapoor (product leader at Figma) is packed full of insight on building new products inside large companies and her process for building compelling product vision documents 𝗚𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝗽𝘂𝘁: "The first is that you cannot go into a vacuum and come out with a compelling vision that does not exist. You have to be fundamentally inseparable from your users, and also, fundamentally inseparable from your team. And so, I think that there is sort of this important cross-pollination of functions that is really important in crafting a compelling vision" 𝗦𝘆𝗻𝗰 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗢𝗿𝗴: "And then if you're on the larger side, I think that having a really tight relationship with your sales team is really important. And basically, just being on sales calls because you want to be in a situation where the customer pain points on sales calls are cross pollinating into the product roadmap. And so I think really leaning into that, building that relationship between these traditionally more siloed orgs and hopping on those calls is something that I'd really recommend." 𝗔𝗱𝗱 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗱𝗼𝗰: "So, when I put together a vision with my team at Figma, it's all about not just your traditional, "Okay, here are pain points. And then, here are solutions. And then, here is the timeline and costing." But rather how can you bring all of those things together and how can a vision pitch effectively Because at the end of the day, simply describing a product idea in words is not as compelling as seeing a testimonial from a user on top of a prototype or a mock, and really feeling the pain points." Link to the episode in comments for those interested, love to hear reactions from anyone else who listened in 👇

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As a product builder, one of my favorite concepts is Balaji Srinivasan's Idea maze (attached below). End users of a product only see the final decisions made. They don’t see every tradeoff the builders agonize over and the alternative universes that could’ve been. Great product are designed by builders that put an incredible amount of thought behind each decision. Steve jobs talks about a similar feeling in building the Mac. IMO this is the essence of finding product <> market fit, and makes a world of a difference in outcomes. For example, “video on the Internet” in the early 2000’s was an obvious emergent trend. But Youtube and Vimeo are very different products, and company outcomes. I think about this concept often for the market of “GTM signals” and "AI for Sales." It’s hot right now, many GTM teams are talking about using signals and AI, and there’s a wide diversity of products to choose from. Some tenured GTM operators gripe about how this is nothing new and it’s a renaming of age-old concepts like ABM, intent, B2B marketing, etc. There’s some truth to that and as a builder I’m always curious about the history of our space, but I also believe that AI (specifically LLMs) are unlocking new use cases that were previously not possible. So next time you see a new product in a confusing market, keep an open mind and see if it helps you accomplish something radically new. You could be looking at the next Youtube.

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I look forward to a time when, instead of presenting some internal slide deck or doc, PMs can come to a product review with an actual prototype that execs can play with. I think this time is fast approaching with AI prototyping tools like v0. Nothing beats playing with the actual product.

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Streamlining Customer Decisions: Lessons from Delta and Robinhood I recently explored how Delta and Robinhood are reducing decision-making friction for their customers through innovative features. Delta's new points-based trip suggestions simplify travel planning, while Robinhood's hedge fund trading insights empower individual investors. Both examples highlight the importance of understanding customer needs, leveraging data, and creating user-friendly designs to enhance engagement and satisfaction. Read my full article to learn more about these game-changing strategies and their impact on customer experience.

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The perfect idea doesn't exist. No idea turns out exactly how you expect it to when it confronts reality. As Naval shares, quality products come out of confronting reality 100x by putting something in the hands of customers and continually tinkering with it. 📌 I shared 9 more tips to elevate product quality here: https://lnkd.in/gRzMGmNE

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