If you look at many LinkedIn posts today, they look like a straight line of wins: landing THIS BIG role just thanks to THESE simple steps. But let’s be real for a second - we know it’s hard to reach that level of 'success' when you’re right in the middle of chasing your dream role. The reality is messy, frustrating, and often involves more "No"s than we care to admit on a public profile.
If you and I were grabbing coffee, I’d tell you the other side of those stories. I’d tell you about my own experience: going through interview loops for three different roles within just 3 months and being rejected every single time.
I’m sharing this because I know how it feels to be stuck in the PM interview loop. These rejections weren’t just failures; they were the 'seniority stress tests' I had to pass to get where I am today.
Here is what I learned when the 'vibe' wasn't enough to bridge the gap:
1. The AI Crutch: Syntax is Not Optional
In my day-to-day work, I’m surrounded by incredible tools that we’re all encouraged to use to stay efficient. Between AI assistants and deep internal documentation, I rarely have to write raw code from a blank slate. I got comfortable, I got fast, and I got... reliant.
But during a high-stakes technical loop for a Product Manager, Data Products and Insights, that comfort turned into a trap.
- The Fail: I had the logic. I knew the data structures. But my SQL syntax wasn't 'muscle memory' anymore. I missed the dots at the end of lines; I fumbled basic functions that I know I know. I realized I was relying on my 'gut' and my tools rather than my own foundational skills.
- The Lesson: When you’re at a Senior level position, companies expect your technical execution to be invisible so your strategy can take center stage. If you’re tripping over syntax, you’re signaling that you aren't 'in the weeds' enough to lead the people who are.
In high-stakes technical interviews, logic gets you the conversation, but syntax gets you the offer. If you can’t write clean, executable code on a whiteboard without a 'helper', you aren't showing technical mastery - you're showing technical reliance. Don't let a missing semicolon be the reason you miss a high seniority level role.
2. The Domain Wall: Gut Feeling vs. Expertise
I’ll be the first to tell you: I am an expert in the supply chain fulfillment flow. If you want to know how a package moves from a shipping container to a customer’s doorstep, I’m your person. I understand the orchestration, the latency, and the data gaps.
But at PayPal where I was interviewing for a Sr. Product Manger, Payments position, they asked me about the payment flow and the login experience.
- The Fail: I tried to 'wing it'. I leaned on my experience as a user of the app. I thought, 'I use PayPal all the time; I know how this works'. But at the Senior and Staff levels, being a user is not the same as being a Product Manager. I lacked the deep-dive knowledge of the payments domain - the risk protocols, the regulatory hurdles, and the specific friction points of fintech. My answers were surface-level, and the interviewers could tell I was guessing.
- The Lesson: A generalist PM can survive a mid-level interview on frameworks alone. But Domain expertise is a superpower. If you’re moving into a new world (or domain), you can’t just rely on your standard PM frameworks. Know your limits, or do the deep-dive research before you show up.
3. The "Product Sense" Trap: Platforms vs. People
As a Data PM in the past, I spent my life thinking about systems, APIs, and scalability. But in one of my loops for a Sr. Product Manager, Payments position, I was hit with a classic consumer 'Product Sense' question: 'Users are dropping off the PayPal login flow - what's happening?'.
- The Fail: I stayed in my 'Data Platform' head. I talked about metrics, tracking, and dashboarding. I forgot to talk about the human being on the other side of the screen. Even when the interviewer gave me hints to look at the user journey, I stayed focused on the technical 'why' instead of the emotional 'why'.
- The Lesson: Never lose the human in the data. This is a common trap for technical PMs. We get so good at building the 'pipes' that we forget why the water needs to flow in the first place. No matter how technical the role is, the business only cares about the data because it represents a human choice. If you can't articulate the user's pain, your data strategy won't resonate.
4. The "Perfect" Rejection: When the Vibe is Right, but the Answer is 'No'
This was the hardest one for me to swallow. I’ve had interview loops for a Sr. Data Product Manager position where I liked the manager. I liked the team. We were speaking the same language, and I walked out of the room thinking: 'That’s the one'.
And I still got the 'No'.
- The Fail: The truth is, sometimes nothing is wrong. I just wasn't the exact puzzle piece that specific team needed at that exact moment.
- The Lesson: Rejection isn't always a sign that you failed. Sometimes, you clear the bar, but the 'fit' for the immediate business need isn't there. And that is okay. Take the data, keep the connection, and move to the next loop.
Why am I telling you all this?
I’m sharing this because I’ve been in the trenches. I’ve been the one who forgot the SQL syntax under the pressure of a live interview. I’ve been the one who tried to 'gut feel' my way through a domain gap because I didn’t want to admit I didn’t know the answer.
I know exactly what it feels like to be in that place right now - staring at a 'No' in your inbox and wondering if you’re actually cut out for this. I’ve been in that seat, and I’m telling you: you can get over it.
Success in this industry isn't about being a perfect candidate who never fails. It’s about being the person who takes the data from a rejection and uses it to get sharper. Real progress happens when the right role finally meets the right preparation.
So when that right opportunity shows up - and it will - you’ll be ready for it. Don't let the 'No's' stop you from getting to the 'yes' that actually matters.
