Question Page

How do make sure the resume appeals to the hiring manager for a product marketing role?

Should I just use one general resume or are there different versions of it?
Sahil Sethi
Freshworks Vice President - Global Product Marketing | Formerly Klaviyo, Qualtrics, Microsoft, MckInseyNovember 23

As long as you have generally worked in functions in or adjacent to product marketing (e..g content, campaigns, market research etc.), my guidance is to always use one resume that covers the breath of your experiences. 

I see some candidates fret over preparing a resume that is more tailored to PLG, and another that speaks to enablement, or another that is more tailored around launches - depending on what they believe the role demands. I don’t think that is necessary. All hiring managers appreciate a breadth of experiences and would like to see the entirety of you in your resume

However, If you are applying to product marketing from a different function altogether (e.g. CS, Product management, Ops etc.), then it might make sense to have a ‘PMM friendly’ version when applying to product marketing roles. Highlight any experiences that will be relevant to the product marketing role

One tip for functional transitions. It may be useful to write a cover letter explaining your relevant experiences, and your motivations, when applying to a product marketing role from another function. Not every hiring manager read cover letters, but those who do will appreciate listening about you in your own words. Cover letter also demonstrate clarity of thought, self-awareness and written communication skills - all key components to success as a PMM

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Christine Sotelo-Dag
Close Head of Product MarketingApril 20

I think there are general elements that should be included in any resume you create, such as success metrics to highlight how you drove impact and your ability to define and measure success. That said, I'd expect to see deliverables, projects and skillsets that map to a product marketing role. Even if there was no previous PMM experience, I'd hope to see how your previous experience maps to what makes you a good fit for a PMM role - and therefore your resume should be adapted to the role as well. 

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Ashley Faus
Atlassian Head of Lifecycle Marketing, PortfolioNovember 6

I do recommend tailoring your resume for roles, but this doesn't mean that you need to have a version for every job. In some cases, it might mean re-ordering your bullets to reflect the most important aspects of the role, or adding some additional information if you have the skills and experience requested in the job description, but they aren't currently listed on your resume.

Some companies ask their PMMs to handle tasks that might sit in another team in a different organization, so ensuring that you show that you have most of the requested skills is key.

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Abdul Rastagar
GTM Leader | Marketing Author | Career CoachJune 12

Every resume you submit needs to be uniquely tailored to the job for which you are applying. Two product marketing roles at two competitor companies will still have different keywords in the job description. Your resume should be crafted specifically for each job. 


A good hiring manager will spot a generic resume in under 10 seconds. If you finely tailor and differentiate your resume, you signal to the boss that you’ll be able to apply that skill to the job as well.

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