Job Hunting in Tech is Broken—Here’s How to Beat It in 2H25

Practical strategies for landing your next PM or tech leadership role in a tough market

I recently had lunch with a client who’s in a great FAANG role but thinking about making a move. They asked me for advice on best practices and it reminded me how different job searching is in this market compared to just a few years ago—and how many talented folks are quietly looking or on the fence. We’re in a period of cautious hiring, more competitive pipelines, and longer decision cycles. Here are the key pieces of advice I gave them.

1. It’s going to take time.
This market moves slowly. For senior leaders (Director and up), I’m seeing timelines of 9–18 months between kicking off a semi-active search and landing something that’s a good fit. Mid-career PMs (L5–L7) are taking 6–12 months. I imagine it’s similar for junior PMs, though I don’t track those as closely. If you’re still employed and being selective, expect an even longer process.

2. Don’t rely on job postings.
The "front door" approach—seeing a listing and applying online—is the lowest probability move. The majority come through internal referrals, sourcing outreach, or executive search. So yes, apply online, but only as a supplement. If your strategy is 80% job boards, you’re doing it backwards.

3. Network relentlessly.
Talk to everyone. Grab coffee. Go to events. Hop on Zooms. A lot of folks hate this part because it feels awkward or inefficient—but it’s like dating. You need to put yourself out there. Most conversations won’t lead anywhere, but every 20 chats might get you 1 or 2 leads. That’s the game. For every 5 hours you spend writing cover letters, spend 10 talking to real people. It’s widely understood that referred candidates are significantly more likely to be hired than those applying cold.

For those of you who haven’t had to hustle for a job and are used to getting poached, join the club. You might still get inbounded but compare inbounds per month between now and a few years ago and that difference will help you calibrate time to fill.

4. Get clear on what you want.
Make a list of dream companies. Ask yourself why those specific companies made the list. Turn that into a set of criteria—mission, size, stage, culture, geography—and then expand your list. Know what you’re optimizing for. For some it may not just be about compensation or prestige, but it could be what kind of work you want to do, the kind of team you want to be on, the kind of growth you’re after, remote vs hybrid vs onsite. This clarity makes conversations sharper and makes you more memorable when others think of you for roles.

5. Work the list.
Find anyone you know at your target companies. If you don’t know anyone, work your school or previous company network. If you can’t network in, cold email someone. Mention why you admire their work and be specific. You might only get a 10% hit rate—but that’s still far better than 0.1% from a cold job application. Personalized cold outreach works. I’ve had clients land interviews with COOs and CTOs just by sending thoughtful messages and asking for advice—not a job.

Advice is legitimately useful so take as much as you can. And don’t send emails that are easy to say no to (e.g. “Are you hiring Sr PM’s?”) but ask questions are are easy to say yes to (e.g. “Can I learn a little about your career path and get some advice?”).

6. Understand your risk appetite.
Want to maximize wealth creation? Focus on public companies, especially those with RSU refreshes and solid total comp. Want personal growth and a steep learning curve? Early-stage startups will throw you into the fire. Want something in the middle? Look at late-stage, pre-IPO companies. There’s no right answer, just tradeoffs. Most startup alums will agree that the majority of early-stage startups don’t succeed—but the learning curve can be steep and rewarding if you pick wisely.

Most of all, stay positive and persistent. Great roles are still out there—but the paths to them aren’t always obvious.

If you'd like help with your own product leadership journey, I offer 1:1 coaching at tomleungcoaching.com.