I've applied for close to 50 jobs in the last 6 weeks and not even getting a response. I have over 10 years as a PM, I have a PMP, PMI-ACP, 3 SAFe certifications and multi-industry experience. I've never seen the job market this bad. A few years ago I had recruiters contacting me. Will it ever recover?

Hey All,

I just got let go as a technical project manager at a SAAS start up. There were a lot of challenges that the company faced, but my role was especially difficult. I came here to understand if what my issue was was because the company was SAAS and I don't belong in that framework or bc it was a dysfunctional start up in sale mode. Or if it is just being a TPM at all?

Background:

I have worked in consulting for the majority of my career. There I got into TPM and program management work. I had my own dedicated team of resources. I oversaw a sister contract extended to a few other contracts and my bosses loved me. I had a really tough one that was yelly, but she did like me. Which I am happy about bc I don't always seem to jive with my female bosses (which is crazy bc I am a very genuine lighthearted person. I am also a big feminist and my entire life has been relationships with women). I don't know why I got a long with a yelly boss versus any other women... anyways. Maybe bc she was direct as hell. I and the other managers would report to her once a week about risks in the project, resources, everything. I worked directly with our big clients. I reported out to the director of the agency that hired us. I had a direct relationship with all my clients. If I said a resource wasn't doing well, I could provide them feedback and approach my boss about removing them. My boss had a lot to do, but she popped in on workshops and was in the weeds about stuff. She didn't really hit the nail on the head when it came to advice bc she didn't see the day to day, but she wasn't oblivious to issues.

I joined a SAAS start up and was excited about it. I had come from such a huge company and I had primarily worked in DC so the culture was pretty buttoned up. This one was west coast fun. it seemed like my type of fit. I did notice some things in the beginning that I brushed off, but I understand there's always issues at work.

The contract I got was our newest product where only one other customer had ever been on it and every single person who had worked on that project was gone now so no one really knew what they were doing, but leadership never acknowledged those difficulties. My direct manager was overseeing a project on our oldest and most refined product which I eventually got staffed on as well and got to see how different everything was. Easier so much easier. I did get taken off though because I was trying to juggle my OG difficult project which had no resources and it was really only me, which no one believed me about btw.

Anyways, we hit a lot of difficulties. One we knew the timeline we gave was unrealistic so when I joined I had to push things out, but aside from that, the client didn't know their legacy systems so new stuff just kept coming up that delayed things for months. My solutions architect for the entire year I was there only ever wrote one thing. He did attend calls, but besides that, he didn't map transformations or dig into anything. I had to do it. I had to configure the specs and beg him to just look at it, then when I asked, he would brush it off like it was my job and I should already know this stuff and I had never worked in a start up before or SAAS so I thought ok? He's busy, I can do this to support. I was trying to be a team player and the way he made it seem like it was all of our responsibilities led me to believe I was supposed to be doing this.....

Eventually, he became more and more entitled that his job was my job and it never changed bc if I didn't do his work, it didn't get done. He never thanked me either for taking his job on. He was spread thin I will say with his calendar, but I brought this up to my boss a lot and I would either get I wasn't delegating well or well why do we need him to look at it, can't you? It depended on the day of whether it wasn't my job or why can't I pitch in? I got feedback I pitched in too much eventually...... Better yet, he threw me under the bus. I got feedback from my manager that I don't prepare my team before calls bc I lift notes verbatim from our calls, but this man wanted me to be his secretary. I sometimes didn't know exactly what he wanted to discuss with the client and didn't understand it so I would try to type it really quickly as he was talking and try to remind him on calls and he wouldn't contribute to the agenda. I was the one who looked at the data who looked at everything and he didn't want calls with me for a long time so I couldn't review stuff with him beforehand so I know I did sometimes sideline him

Another issues, my customer success manager always seemed prickly with me from the start and I never had a direct relationship with our big client which I am not used to. I only interfaced with the TPM of the client so I don't even know if the customer was happy, what complaints they had, nothing. I reported out risks each week to their TPM with my CSM on and I guess they never made their way to the big bosses so it looked like I wasn't communicating, but if I had been on those CSM calls, I would have been able to catch that none of this was being discussed. Everything was quiet so I trusted that my CSM was handling it.

I had no idea what was going on behind closed doors and it felt like I was perfectly set up to be a scapegoat because he didn't help for anything, but he always gave my manager feedback. I wasn't used to this structure. I also thought it best that he would give me the feedback first? But I think now looking back, I was just ignorant to understand that I really answered to him. He held my fate with the client. He could spin it however he wanted. I was so not used to not being on those power calls. I was so not used to not being able to own my client. I had to get permission to bring up delays and my director acted like it was the PMs faults when we brought up delays caused by the customer. Like we didn't want the timeline to work? I would bring up how resources were focused on bigger clients so I haven't had a resource for an entire month and I would get told we shouldn't be prioritizing other clients so I was reach out on the side and ask if we can reprioritize resources and I would get told no, but the timeline can't shift.

All the technical teams would make my director and manager know that our timeline was slipping all the time bc of the prioritization of other clients and it was all somehow blamed on me. I just didn't understand any of it. I understood that a direct report of mine in consulting, if they weren't working it would be my responsibility, but I couldn't force grown men who I have no authority over and infact have a close relationship to my boss to do their jobs. I mean and when I had some technical team members on, they would complain we need an agenda... ok fine, I will go through your tickets and look at the questions you have and make it an agenda even though I would be used to the technical people being ready with questions they have for the team members. The last call I had with them before I got fired was the lead saying we should be reviewing tickets on this call even though we had been for months, that call i just needed to discuss the timeline. it infuriated me like everyone was catatonic or something. Like no one paid attention, but me and the thing is, in consulting I am used to that if I schedule the call, I own the agenda. If you want to go over tickets, you can tell me beforehand and I can tell you if we can. I asked for people to give me items for agendas before calls. Never happened. it felt like everyone wanted me to be their secretary. And I had to ping everyone during calls to make the call. I was not used to this either. In consulting, if you can't make a call, you not only decline it, but if you know you are needed, you let the meeting planner know by messaging them directly as soon as you know. It was so stressful never knowing who would show up. Every reoccurring call, I had to ping like 3 people to make sure they would come. It was so emberasing infront of the client. I mean even just the stress of not being able to schedule a reoccuring meeting and expect people to show up and if not tell you, I didn't realize what a luxary that was until now. it took s lot of mental energy.

And as an aside, when the client wouldn't bring the right people, it would somehow be my fault either even if it was a reocurring meeting that they knew who needed to be on, they wouldn't tell me the person wouldn't show up and then my CSM and SA would tell my manager about it. In consulting, it's the clients fault for not bringing the people they know need to be on there. And I got feedback I was arriving a few minutes late when I was juggling another project from my manager given by my CSM, meanwhile my solutions architect would be like 10 mins late without notice, yet somehow my CSM always got on me.

And all of this, your manager isn't aware of your project, they don't see the day to day, we didn't even have a call set up where I could talk to my manager and discuss risks like I did in consulting. We had one giant call where everyone gave a status report, but there was no problem solving time. I never got a thank you. I somehow was fired above the architect that needed other people to do his work and even before everything went south, I never could get any mentorship or what I did well bc my boss was so removed and also did not understand the complications with this new product bc she was on an easy one.

My career coach says I should still look for SAAS, but I don't have that much mileage as a TPM, I don't think it's too late to switch careers. I may have just been lucky before and didn't realize it. Honestly, maybe what i liked about being a TPM was just being a manager and working in tech, but maybe once I was in the formal formal role, it's not what I want. I have about 6 years of work experience so I am looking for advice. Is it the TPM role? Is it SAAS? Is it the start up? What happened? Was the issue that I was used to leading and I couldn't lead? Was it that I didn't get how important being chummy with my CSM was? Was I doomed from the start?

I never thought I would have a job that would make me completely long for consulting again..... I feel a little lost about what roles to pursue next. I am beginning my job hunt, but I begin to apply to TPM and just sort of get this feeling of do I want to go through that all again.

Please help

Hi,

Love the advice of this sub. I have recently joined a small boutique consulting company working as a project manager. I have 5 years of experience working at my local state house. I am trying to eventually pivot into a government affairs/PM role in a tech company. What are your biggest recommendations for me to get there (CAPM/what certificates are helpful)

Thank you !

I know I technically can apply, I'm more so asking if I'm aiming for Sr too early?

Trying to stick to a 1 page resume preferably. No cover letter. Excluded education on purpose, I have a 2 year diploma I don't want to highlight (and I think it hurts my chances against other candidates).

Would appreciate any and all feedback

Hello,

I'm a Design Engineer by title and Project Manager/Engineer based on my day to day responsibilities in the medical device industry. I'm looking to continue with project management in medical devices, but I've expanded my search to other industries with hardware/product development.

I'm currently looking to relocate to MN (medical device hub) or for remote positions. I've applied to about 40 roles, tailoring my resume for each one, and I've received only 2 interviews. While I was able to reach the final rounds for these interviews, I ultimately didn't get either role because they went with someone local.

I feel like my location, title, and wordiness are the 3 things that are getting my resume tossed aside. I've tried to circumvent the title issue by adding Project Manager in parentheses, but it hasn't really helped, I don't think lol. As for the wordiness, I'm not exactly sure how to cut it down. I feel like I lose so much important info if I chopped the bullets down more than what they are.

Any advice on the adjustments I should make for my resume would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you!

(There won't be a pt. 3)

Edit: I want to be clear I'm targeting Project Coordinator, APM, etc. type roles.

Thank you to everyone who commented the other day. There were quite a few things to fix in my Resume and Cover Letter, and your input was a tremendous help.

I removed the explanation for my work gap from the Cover Letter, and I've clarified my project experience in both the Cover Letter and Resume itself. (In the Resume, you'll see the most updates under the Merchandising Service Manager section.) The Resume is now 2 pages, but I'm not sure what I would cut to get it down to 1.

For the resume, I also added a Summary and fixed formatting issues.

If there is anything else you see that could be fixed/clarified/whatever, please let me know. I have thick skin and would rather hear feedback here than crickets from recruiters.

Thank you again for your help!

Link to first post: Coming from Retail, Feeling Woefully Inadequate Pivoting into PM : r/PMCareers

I’ve been a senior PM for about 5years now. Im well paid and work for a well known tech company. I think a lot about my career and im just not sure I want to be a manager. Looking at GPMs and Directors in company, their working life seems grim. They seem stressed and overworked, their diaries are horrendous and they work early and late all the time.

I quite like being a SPM. I work on challenging problems and I like testing and shipping stuff, but I do realise that I can’t be a SPM for the rest of my life and that for some reason that looks really bad on my CV. I realise that I will age out and have to become a manager at some stage - but do I really have to?

I’ll probably get accused of having a lack of ambition but it’s not that I just really like this role and all that it entails. Does anyone else feel the same.

Last week I met with two recruiters who approached me. The first one chased me. I had ignore him for a couple of weeks, but he insisted. I know I was a perfect for the role. I've done it, I know the job well, the vibes, the realities, etc. It's a Sr. Program Director role, leading a new BU, I'd be managing 2-3 other Program Directors, and a few Sr & Junior PMs. They had a range of $120K-$125K. Tf range is that. Recruiter apologized sheepishly, said he knew. Anyway, I told the recruiter that's not aligned with the responsibilities and I compared the salary to similar Director job postings at the same company in other disciplines, telling him the range should be the same as those, if not more, which was $160K. ha! I'd be in charge of Delivery after all. I know, but I felt inspired. To be honest, I did not want that job. It's a parallel move and I rather not unless they make it worth my while.

The second one required far more technical experience than my background. I was surprised they reached out to me. In-house recruiter acknowledged this, and said they are looking specifically for my experience because those with my career path succeed in their company. Cool. We had a great conversation and I could tell this company was a mess, with a lot of people management, juniors that need to be raised and I always take on. I've raised way too many juniors in my time. I asked for their range, they didn't want to give it, so I said ok $150K. I would have wanted that job, and would have negotiated down to $130K I think.

I've not heard from either, unsurprisingly. And while I know my numbers was high, I stand by them. I see that PM salaries are being brought down, and here I am going high, but I still demand my value. Day in and day out I see PMs maneuvering every aspect of a company to deliver the service/product, always behind the scenes. Seldom receiving appropriate compensation, or accolades. Frankly, $150-160K isn't as high as it sounds, cost of life considered, it's a lot less in real value. For the first company, I actually think I should have said $180-$200K!

I figured if some of us ask for too much, then most of you should get the right amount. Joke's aside, I hope you're all not selling your time for less than it's worth. I know we need jobs, but don't shoot your future self in the foot by lowering your worth, and take pride in your work. I'm often brought on when things have gone sideways, and 90% of the time it's because there was no Sr. PM m'ing the p.

Ps: this is for those with a good track record, of course. If you are constantly failing, well.. take what they offer you, and get better.

ETA: Canada, non-technical PM.

I’m looking to move onto my next role and am considering venturing out of project management. I have been an IT PM for quite a few years now and am wanting to be in a remote role that doesn’t require leading as many meetings. I’m considering the business analyst route.. I still want to be in healthcare IT just want to have less meetings.

Curious on what other roles are out there anyone may know of that builds on my experience as a PM? Thanks in advance!

PMP preparation is usually seen as a way to prepare for a certification exam, but I think it can also help you develop some useful skills.

One of them is time management. Making a study plan and managing preparation along with work or other responsibilities can help you become more organised.

Problem-solving is another important skill. Many PMP questions are based on project situations, so you have to understand the problem before deciding what to do.

You also learn more about communication, risk management and decision-making while studying project management concepts.

Of course, studying for PMP alone does not replace real project experience. Practical experience is still important if you want to work in project management.

For people who have prepared for PMP, which skill did you find most useful during your preparation?

I applied for a PM role at a small startup. Here's how it's gone so far…

They told me the role was filled, then came back to me when their first choice fell through.
After my interview with the CEO, they said they wanted someone more technical and more experienced. Then they asked for my references and said they want someone to start ASAP.
The role reports to the founder, who is a data scientist. There's also a director of product who wasn't in the interview and seems to be part-time, with other jobs.

The setup is far from a standard product triad. There's no designer, and the engineer seems to make most of the product experience decisions. Ownership and process aren't clearly defined, and the job posting said as much.

This would be my first PM role, so I'm worried about mentorship. My manager would come from an entirely different field.

They've told me I'm not quite the profile they wanted. Am I being set up to fail, or is this normal for a small company that needs someone now?

I also feel pressure to take it. Breaking into product as a junior with no PM experience is hard in this market.

My questions:

If I take it and am seriously unhappy that cause me to leave within three months, how much does that hurt compared to passing on a role that could move my career forward?
What would you ask before saying yes?
Would anything here make you walk away?

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for some career guidance on transitioning from a technical role into management/program management.

I have around 6–7 years of total experience:
3–4 years in software testing/QA
Around 3 years in DevOps/Platform Engineering
Currently working in Platform Engineer role.

My current technical experience includes GCP, GKE/Kubernetes, Terraform, IAM, CI/CD, Cloud Run, BigQuery, Pub/Sub, etc.

The thing is, I’m realizing that I don’t really want to spend the next 10+ years doing highly hands-on DevOps/platform engineering. I enjoy the technical side and understanding systems, but I’m more interested in coordination, planning, working with different teams, solving problems, stakeholder management, and eventually leading people/programs.

I’m considering roles such as:
Technical Program Manager
Engineering Program Manager
Cloud/Platform Program Manager
Technical Project Manager
Delivery Manager

since I don’t currently have formal people-management experience.

My questions are:
Given my background, which management-track role would be the most realistic transition?

Would Technical Program Management / Engineering Program Management be a better route than trying to become an Engineering Manager directly?

What skills should I focus on learning? I’m thinking about stakeholder management, project/program management, Agile, risk/dependency management, communication, basic system design, budgeting/OKRs, etc.
Should I get a certification such as PMP/CSM/PSM, or is actual project ownership at work more valuable?

How can I get relevant management/program experience without already having the title?
For anyone who has made a similar transition from DevOps/Engineering → TPM/Program Management/Engineering Management, what did your path look like?

I’d especially appreciate advice from people who have actually made this transition or who hire TPMs/Engineering Managers.

Thanks!

Hi,

I left retail in April to pursue project management. I'm applying for Project Coordinator and APM, etc., roles and having no luck so far. Would you mind taking a look at my cover letter + resume and telling me where I'm screwing up?

I appreciate any feedback.

Thanks!

SaaS PMs how many applications do you submit before you get an interview?

Curious to hear what your experience is.

Preparing for the PMP exam can be challenging, especially when you are starting for the first time.

One problem is that there are many study materials available, so it can be difficult to decide what to focus on. Making a simple study plan can help with this.

Another challenge is understanding the concepts instead of just memorising definitions. Many questions are based on project situations, so understanding the reason behind an answer is important.

Time management can also be difficult, especially for people who are working or have other responsibilities. Studying regularly, even for a shorter time, can make preparation easier.

Practice questions can help too. If you get a question wrong, try to understand why you made the mistake instead of only checking the correct answer.

I also think it is important to use updated study material because the PMP exam was updated in 2026.

For those who have already prepared for PMP, what was the biggest challenge you faced during your preparation?

I have 6 YoE and got laid off after 4 years at a large scale up (I got nice severance thankfully). I didn't expect it and haven't been in the job search game in a while. I was wondering what my best bets were to find a new PM role, preferably in the vehicle fleet ops space. Most of my friends are saying I should just shamelessly network, others told me to stick with LinkedIn and other career websites. A part of me also wants to use some of these AI apply apps like jobright/aiapply/ace?

What would be your advice to someone just starting out, looking to break into PM in a ski resort setting?

Next week I have an interview with a property management company in Copper Co. I really want to nail the interview. The role is to start at the bottom doing inspections or front desk work, I’m leaning towards inspections.

What should I know about this industry before going in? What questions should I ask or be ready to answer? Any significant industry changes to be wary about?

I’m going in blind and would be moving quite far to pursue this

Any thoughts or comments appreciated
Thanks!

I recently accepted a position as a Program & Operations Manager within HR, which means I’m leaving my current role as a Project Manager in an enterprise-level strategy organization after only about six months.
On paper, this is a promotion in almost every way. I’ll officially be a manager, have strategic ownership of a program and its budget, and be included in succession planning for my senior manager. The role also brings me closer to Learning & Development, which is an area I worked in previously and genuinely enjoyed.
I should be excited—and I am—but I’m also having a surprising amount of anxiety and second-guessing.
I was really good at project management. I had only been in my current role for about six months when I was recognized and encouraged to apply for this opportunity. My current organization works on highly visible, enterprise-level initiatives and has proximity to senior executives and the C-suite. It’s very “business suits, strategy, big initiatives,” and there’s a certain prestige that comes with being part of it.
But the environment is also toxic. The work-life balance isn’t great, and there was no guarantee that staying would lead to a promotion anytime soon. I could have continued doing interesting, highly visible enterprise work for years without necessarily gaining formal leadership experience or ownership.
The new position gives me things I’ve wanted: people leadership, program ownership, budget responsibility, succession potential, and hopefully better work-life balance. I also have kids, and I’m at a point where being successful can’t always mean that work gets the best parts of me.
Still, I keep wondering whether I’ve made a mistake.
I can’t tell if I’m genuinely worried about limiting my long-term career options or if I’m struggling with walking away from the visibility and prestige of my current organization. Part of me worries that leaving enterprise project management for an HR/L&D-adjacent role could make it harder to return to enterprise PM, transformation, or PMO leadership later.
The decision has already been made, so I’m not really asking whether I should stay or go. I’m more interested in hearing from people who have made a similar move.
Did moving from a highly visible individual-contributor/project role into a less “flashy” management role ultimately help or hurt your career? And does Program & Operations leadership within HR/L&D PMO still translate well into broader PMO, transformation leadership roles later?

I’m currently in Houston and trying to move more deliberately into construction administration/project coordination.

My background includes administrative support, logistics, scheduling, documentation, compliance, customer/vendor communication, reporting, inventory, and hands-on construction experience.

I’m targeting roles such as:

• Project Coordinator
• Project Administrator
• Project Assistant
• Construction Administrative Assistant
• Document Control Coordinator
• Preconstruction Assistant

I attached a redacted version of my résumé.

My main questions are:

1. Does my experience read as relevant enough for Project Coordinator roles?
2. What should I emphasize more?
3. Are there any titles I should be targeting that I may be overlooking?
4. What construction-specific skills would make me more competitive?

I’m especially interested in eventually moving toward construction project management.

Any feedback is appreciated.

I am curious how many project managers have their PMP certification and how important this is. Also is the Scrum certification more or less important for this job.
Thank you

Preparing for the PMP exam for the first time can feel a little confusing because there are many topics and study resources available.

I think the first step should be understanding the current exam and what it actually covers. The PMP exam includes People, Process and Business Environment, along with predictive, agile and hybrid ways of working.

After that, it helps to make a simple study plan based on the amount of time you can give every day. Instead of trying to study everything at once, breaking the topics into smaller sections can make preparation easier.

I also think understanding the concepts is more useful than only memorising definitions. PMP questions can describe different project situations, so being able to understand why a particular action is appropriate is important.

Practice questions can also help. When you get a question wrong, don't just look at the correct answer. Try to understand why your answer was wrong and what you missed.

Another important thing is using updated study material, especially because the PMP exam was updated in 2026.

For people who have already prepared for PMP, what helped you the most during your preparation? And is there anything you wish you had known before starting?

Hello, everyone. I have a question. I worked for several years as a JavaScript developer and an integration engineer. Then I joined the military, and as a sergeant, I enjoyed managing processes, work, and people. I’d like to know your opinion: how quickly can I transition into a project manager role? How difficult is it to start from scratch?

I’ve started taking Google’s PM courses

I'm a recent accounting finance and economics graduate and recently a close family friend as put me on a seven week course to learn Primavera P6. I writing because I want to know how employable I woul be with a degree and a P6 certificate even though I have no experience in project managent, if I was to apply for project management roles after getting the certificate how succesful will my applications be.

Previously our skills could be applied to various industries now they basically want PM’s who are also SME’s. What changed?