Here's how you can showcase your passion for Product Marketing when transitioning careers.

To effectively showcase my passion for Product Marketing during a career transition I avidly read industry literature, participate in webinars & complete online courses to stay abreast of the latest trends and strategies in marketing. To apply this knowledge practically, I initiate personal marketing projects these projects allow me to develop and refine my skills in real-world scenarios, demonstrating my ability to create and execute marketing strategies. Additionally, I document and share my progress and insights on professional platforms like LinkedIn, highlighting my proactive learning and hands-on experience. These hands-on experiences demonstrate my commitment and ability to drive marketing initiatives.

I always make notes of effective areas that can be useful at other companies. Do your research on the industry, read company role descriptions, and jot down as many questions as you can before your interview; And make sure some are challenging! Challenging questions lead to honest responses. I would also showcase a high-level 90-day plan that you expect to do in a new position: What will you start with? What will you roll with? What will you showcase and to whom? Why is this important for this company? And more. Do your research, expand your education (I recommend the courses offered by the PMM Alliance), ask the hard questions, and be confident in yourself.

I have always been a fan of personal projects. If you have the capacity and ambition try working on personal projects that showcase various skillsets. Many founders can be great PMMs for other companies because they have the ability to think big, execute, and wear many hats. The PMM role looks different at every company so being adaptable and with transferable skills can help you future-proof your career.

Personal projects pave the way for foundations and improvement, so I highly encourage everyone to take some time every week dedicated to this. Not only does it lay the groundwork for a potentially useful tool at your company, but it also showcases the duality of who you are and the work you can produce. Product Marketers by nature wear many hats and are defined differently everywhere, so make sure you own it!

I would add that you can also demonstrate your ability through realizations like personal projects you managed or even leverage Linkedin through newletter creation, community creation ... Marketing is about Creativity, Planning and Organization, Analyzing and ... listening. Strategy elaboration is easier with these key assets. They are multiple ways you can demonstrate that you already have these skills.

Regardless of how passionate you are about your current role, updating your resume is always in your best interest. For Product Marketing folks, your resume should reflect everything and everything you've touched; Work experience should include product launches & campaigns, tools you've used to better your team experience, and key stakeholder communication examples, internal and external. Your resume should be tailored to show a potential employer exactly who you are, and want to understand more. Ensure you include your contact information, your LinkedIn profile URL, and the high-level skills you bring to the table. Your experience and titles don't define you, but the stories you tell do!

When you’re highlighting your passion for Product Marketing during a career switch, think back to your previous roles and how you really dove into promoting and advocating for products. Reflect on the strategies, opinions, and ideas you brought to the table in positions like XYZ—they’re not just experiences, they’re examples of skills that matter in product marketing. PMM is all about teamwork, so talk about how you tackled challenges, handled tough stakeholders, and supported sales teams. This shows how you’re ready to bring your past experiences into the exciting world of product marketing.🌞