Intentional Product ManagerReviews of intentionalproductmanager.com

The Intentional Job Search (IJS) program, led by Shobhit and Sam is an amazing resource for product managers and leaders seeking structured, personalized, and skill-focused guidance in their job search. I chose the program for 3 reasons specifically, 1. Structured Job Search Strategy: The IJS program provides a clear, step-by-step framework for navigating the often overwhelming job search process. This structure eliminates confusion about where to focus efforts, helping you stay organized and confident throughout your journey. 2. Expert Coaching and Skill Development: With weekly coaching from experienced product leaders, the program emphasizes storytelling, product design, metrics, and strategy skills—all critical for success in product management interviews. Coaches provide actionable feedback, allowing you to refine your approach before facing real-world scenarios. 3. Focus on Mindset and Personalization The program goes beyond skill-building by fostering a resilient mindset, which is crucial in a challenging job search environment. Additionally, the personalized support—whether for storytelling, case prep, or negotiations—ensures you’re never alone and always prepared for each step of the job search journey. Of course, putting in the effort is crucial to see results, but the extensive practice and support from IJS in areas like resume building, LinkedIn optimization, search strategy, and interview prep make you feel more confident and prepared—even in a tough job market. With IJS, you’re equipped to excel regardless of the market conditions!

Background - I left a FAANG to join a smaller company in a Product Executive Leadership Role. Soon after joining, I realized it was not the right fit and I wanted to get back into a FAANG. My previous tries were a hit and miss so I joined IPM as I wanted to go in very prepared. Shobhit and his team helped me throughout a very long and tiring recruiting process with many ups and downs. Below is what really helped: 1) Frameworks - Shobhit has a very methodical approach, therefore it is important to understand, learn, and apply the frameworks. This is like free points you give away if you dont use one. 2) Coaches - Every coach has a different method of interviewing and providing feedback. But so are interviewers, therefore it was important for me to get in front of different coaches. 3) Network&Support - Shobhit and his team has a tremendous network and they opened it up to help me connect with senior folks to understand the company culture, interview process, type of questions or anything I needed to know. Infact, during my lowest point, one of the coaches personally started helping me, brainstorming before interviews, and was always there day or night when I needed it. Some of the resources they mention like Lenny's podcast and Ben Thomson's Stratechery have been life changing and I still actively use. Ultimately, you get what you put in. You have to put in the hours to prepare, read/review the material, update resume, prepare impactful and real stories, self practice, and group practice. There is no magical wand to interviews. Practice, luck, and more have to align to ensure you land the offer but being prepared, well-practiced, helps you present your best confident self. And thats what IPM did for me. Thank you Shobhit, Gabor, and many others. Could not have done it without them.

I took Product Management interview coaching with Intentional Job Search (IJS) that helped me land a Director of Product Management position in one of my target companies. Coaching with IJS was an outstanding experience that exceeded my expectations. Their approach is thorough, personalized, and very effective. Here are some key points about this program that really made a difference for me: 1. Tailored Preparation Strategy: At the beginning of the program, IJS conducted an assessment of my skills, experience, and career goals to create a preparation strategy tailored specifically to my target companies and positions. Provided a comprehensive preparation framework covering various aspects of interview preparation, including elevator pitch, behavioral & situational prompts, product design, product strategy and resume creation. 2. Interview Preparation: Worked with me to refine my elevator pitch, focusing on highlighting my unique value proposition and key accomplishments. Meticulously prepared me for situational questions by providing a framework for structuring my responses. Helped me craft authentic, compelling stories around different behavioral and situational prompts, ensuring they were relevant to the specific job I was applying for. Guided me in elevating these stories to match the seniority level I was targeting and bringing out details that balanced strategy and execution. Conducted mock interviews to simulate the actual interview experience and identify areas for improvement. The interview coaches are really amazing and helped in improving the delivery of my stories clearly and concisely. 3. Mindset & Motivation: Provided valuable mindset exercises to help me overcome imposter syndrome and maintain a positive outlook throughout the job search process. Regularly checked in on my progress, offering encouragement and motivation to keep me on track. Created a community of fellow candidates who are going through the program (and the same struggle), which helped me stay focused and motivated. 4. Targeted Job Search Strategy: Introduced me to a targeted job search strategy that involved tailoring every application to the specific job description and the needs of the position. Provided guidance on identifying and reaching out to hiring managers and recruiters directly or through networks, bypassing the traditional job boards. Leveraged their own network within the Product Management community to connect me with hiring managers and recruiters, which resulted in several interviews. 5. Evaluating Job Offers with New Perspectives: Provided a fresh perspective on how to evaluate job offers, emphasizing the importance of aligning the company's mission with my values and assessing the team culture and manager before accepting the offer. Helped me negotiate a competitive salary and benefits package, ensuring I was fairly compensated for my skills and experience. Overall, the experience with Intentional Job Search was transformative. Their expertise, attention to detail, and personalized coaching were key factors in my interview success. I highly recommend them to anyone serious about advancing their career in Product Management and willing to put the work required.

I recently completed the IJS coaching program, and it played a pivotal role in helping me secure my dream role as a Product Manager. Here’s why I found the program incredibly valuable: Structured Program: IJS offers a well-organized curriculum, with lessons, live sessions, and practice materials designed to streamline preparation. While you could gather similar resources from platforms like YouTube, IJS provides a clear, step-by-step checklist, which speeds up the process and keeps you focused. Behavioral Interview Preparation: One of the most valuable lessons I learned was to craft a few core stories and zoom in and out of them to answer a wide range of behavioral questions. IJS also provides an excellent guide to streamline behavioral interview preparation, saving you from having to come up with new answers for every question. Mock Interviews with Industry Experts: The opportunity to participate in mock interviews with real PMs from top tech companies was a game-changer. The actionable feedback I received each week helped me steadily improve my skills and gain the confidence needed to excel in interviews. Peer Practice: Finding quality PM peers to practice with is often difficult, but IJS provides access to a community of experienced product managers. The peer practice sessions were instrumental in refining my approach and improving my performance week after week. Resume/LinkedIn Guidance: The program offers specific guidance on optimizing your resume and LinkedIn profile to attract both inbound and outbound calls. They also provide actionable lessons for cold calls and outreach, which really boosted my chances of getting noticed by recruiters. Referrals: The coaches and peers within the IJS program have vast networks, which proved incredibly helpful in securing referrals. This support made a significant difference in my job search process. Accountability and Consistency: To truly succeed at IJS, you need to be accountable for your own success. Consistency in preparation and trusting the process are key. The program gives you all the tools, but you need to put in the work to get the results. Overall, IJS combines structure, expert insights, and a supportive community, making it a powerful resource for anyone looking to land their dream PM role.

I recently graduated from the Intentional Job Search program after landing a new senior product manager role in 5 months. Prior to joining, I had been searching for a new role for over 6 months without success. I had made it deep into interview processes for multiple roles, but could not land the final offer. I was hesitant about joining the program, as it was a very large investment in myself. After speaking with the team and seeing an overview of the program, I decided to take the leap. And I’m very glad I did! It provided me with the structure, resources, and community necessary for me to land my next role. Here are 3 parts of the program that helped me the most: 1. Crafting my narrative: I am an engineer turned PM. Prior to joining the program, I was coming across as more of an engineer than a PM, even though I had great PM experience. The program helped me create a PM narrative that I included in both my resume and interview stories. 2. Individual coaching and feedback: The program offers individual coaching sessions for resume building and interview prep. The feedback from these sessions was extremely valuable for me to get interviews and to ace them. 3. Community: It was great being with others who were in the same position as me, especially during the highs and lows of the job search. I also did a lot of peer interview practice, which gave me great practice and allowed me to get insights while being the interviewer in some sessions.

The IPM experience was truly transformative for me. This unique program, with its structured approach to job search in the product management domain, stood out specifically in the current tough market conditions. It's not just another job search program, it's a game-changer. Three things made IPM outstanding. First, the program gave me a strategic job search approach. I spent three months building a foundation with a strong focus on all types of interview practices while not rushing to apply for jobs. That said, when I started to apply for jobs, I didn't waste any opportunity when an interview came in. That is extremely helpful in this employer market, where it's so difficult to get an interview opportunity. Second, IPM's mindset training was not just beneficial, it was truly life-changing. It inspired me to navigate failures and rejections with a new perspective and be laser-focused on taking actions that count. Last but not least, inviting the coaches and peers in this community to be my sounding board going through my job search journey and learning best practices from top performers were incredibly invaluable. I highly recommend IPM to any product manager peers. If you are looking to challenge yourself with a certain change in your career, this will empower you to reach the next level.

As I was looking to get my next product management role I tried the DIY approach and did not make any real progress. Enter the Intentional Job Search program. This is one of the most practical and well rounded career coaching programs I have come across in my life. It has a robust structure that will guide you through building narratives, story telling, resume, linkedIn, group coaching and 1:1 mock interviews with PMs that have jobs you're looking to get into. In addition, you get access to an amazing peer group of other intentional product managers. To top it off mindset coaching and practice that will help you stay motivated throughout your job search. A seemingly obvious caveat is that there is no substitute for hard work, the program has the resources and structure but it will not be fruitful if you do not put in the work. I am actively enrolled in the program and still looking for my next role. I am in a strong place both with preparation and mindset to bring this home. I will report back with an update once I land my dream role.

I recently had the pleasure of working with the Intentional Product Manager through their Intentional Job Search program, and it has been a game-changer for my career. As a product manager with a non-traditional background in film and teaching, I often felt out of place in the tech world. This program provided me with the structure and guidance I needed to break into big tech and significantly advance my career. Before joining, I was feeling stuck at my current company with no clear career path. The coaching sessions and practice interviews with top industry professionals transformed my approach to job searching. The step-by-step guidance helped me build my narrative, refine my interview skills, and ultimately become a better product manager. One of the standout aspects of the program was the weekly practice interviews. Getting feedback from professionals at Google, Amazon, and Facebook was invaluable. It turned the interview process into a game for me, where I could see tangible progress each week. The program not only helped me land a senior product manager role at HP, working on their new HP app, but it also gave me the confidence and skills to excel in my new position. The pay bump and stability it provided for my family were significant motivators, and I couldn't be more grateful for the support I received from the Intentional Product Manager team. For anyone considering this program, I highly recommend it. It’s a comprehensive support system that equips you with the tools and confidence to succeed in the competitive world of product management. If you're serious about advancing your career, this is the investment you need to make. Reach out to them and see how they can help you achieve your goals. You won’t regret it!