You’re hitting that “entry-level” job post and seeing “5+ years experience.” It’s an infuriating filter, but I have to tell you, it’s not random.

It’s a gatekeeper. The system is built to minimize risk.

Honestly, as a hiring manager, I care about one thing: Can you solve the multi-million-dollar problems I’m hiring for?

The truth that took me years to learn: it’s not about your credentials; it’s about the impact that proves you’re ready to execute.

I hire quantified impact.

Most get these three facts wrong:

  • The Title Trap: You chase a title. I look for the quantified impact that title delivered. A title without proven results is a worthless keyword. I need to see the Impact, and can you do the same for me.

  • The Feature Lie: You think you’re a feature planner. I need a business solver. Feature specs are table stakes. The gate is the outcomes you can generate.

  • The Power Paradox: You think you’ll “lead a team.” You actually have no direct reports. Your job is to forge alignment and buy-in between Engineering, UX, and Sales using influence, and if you can’t, the project dies.

Your resume is a tool for two stages:

First, the recruiter filters it via keywords in six seconds.

Second, the hiring manager reviews it for impact. You need both, keywords for the recruiter and impact for the hiring manger.

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Richard Ewing is a Product Executive and the creator of The Product Economist framework. He serves as a Strategic Advisor to B2B SaaS organizations, helping leaders audit their roadmaps for capital efficiency and prevent “model collapse” in their business models.

Stop guessing. Start auditing.

#ProductManagement #ProductLeadership #SaaS #ExecutiveLeadership #AIStrategy

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