The skills that got you your last PMM job won’t land you your next one.

I talk to a lot of Campers who are in the middle of a job search or have just landed a new role and are reflecting on what worked. And one theme keeps coming up: the rules of the game change when you’re interviewing as a product marketing leader.

You’re not just trying to show you can do the work (that’s a given at this stage). You’re trying to prove you can drive strategic outcomes, influence execs, and lead a function — sometimes without ever being explicitly asked about any of that.

So I called up my longtime friend Devon O’Rourke. He’s the founder and managing partner of Fluvio, a boutique product marketing consulting and recruiting firm. Devon has a front-row seat to what hiring managers are really looking for and was kind enough to share what’s working, what’s changed, and what too many PMMs still get wrong.

If you're a senior PMM thinking about your next move (or coaching someone on your team toward theirs) this edition is for you.

How to Get Hired in 2025

I asked Devon to break down what PMM leaders need to know about the 2025 job market. Here’s our conversation, lightly edited.

What are hiring managers really looking for in a PMM leader today?

I don’t think there is a one-size-fits-all on this. For example, we are seeing some hiring managers hone in on very specific industry/vertical experience, while others are looking for more horizontal PMM experience. The current market allows for hiring managers to be niche/focused on their ideal candidate criteria, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they all are. For Director and above roles, most hiring managers are looking for leaders who have built and/or led a PMM team, but who are also capable of (and excited to) getting their hands dirty with tactical PMM work. The only common thread that is omnipresent…they all want to understand how you have helped a business grow. They want to see tangible project work that led to revenue or retention outcomes — build your narrative around those.

What kinds of interview questions are being used to assess strategic thinking and leadership impact?

Candidates should expect a mix of “fit” questions to assess if they hold the same principles that their company or organization is built on. Some will be pointed - “What’s more important, speed or thoroughness?” - others will deploy situational questions - “Give me an example of a calculated risk that you have taken where speed was critical.  What was the situation and how did you handle it?” For the latter, be sure to use the STAR format and be explicit about the outcomes you drove.

The best candidates find ways to weave in business-level impact into their answers (or questions for the interviewer that matter). For example, is you are walking them through a product launch you supported, start from why it was an important launch for the business, how early on in the product development lifecycle you were involved, your POV, what ecosystem factors were at play, and be sure to finish with revenue-based KPIs you were measured against.

What separates a good interview from a great one at the leadership level?

As mentioned above, the best candidates immediately illustrate they were working at the highest altitudes internally, supporting company-wide initiatives as a strategy leader. The best candidates are fast, they genuinely know their sh*t and are excited to talk about their experiences and POVs. Finally, they clearly demonstrate they did research on the company and aren’t just looking at this as another off-the-shelf interview. They will have great questions for the interviewer at the end…and don’t let that time go to waste.

What do the strongest candidates do before the interview that sets them apart?

Conduct research and have a POV on the role/company opportunity at hand.

How are candidates expected to speak about results and impact in 2025?

As detailed as possible...and as closely tied to revenue as possible. No one cares about vanity metrics like website traffic or webinar attendance. In fact, if you even mention metrics like that, you are likely to be passed on.

What’s the biggest mistake you see experienced PMMs make in interviews?

Not showing they care. Everything else is downstream of this very simple premise. If you care deeply, you will obsessively conduct research leading into the interview, have 3-5 exceptional questions you genuinely are interested in getting answers to, send a follow-up note to each interviewer with personalized anecdotes/thank you’s, etc.

Any trends in compensation expectations, titles, or role scopes that PMM leaders should know about?

Unfortunately, many PMM leaders are having to settle for lateral compensation moves or even come down from their previous role’s compensation. The reality is that when a Director or above role is posted, there will be hundreds of qualified candidates' applications within a few days. You can try and play with total comp - i.e. ask for higher incentive-based bonuses or equity - but be sure to understand their pay band (reco asking the HR person in advance). We’re seeing more IC Director roles, I believe this is due to 1) budgets not allowing for team builds, 2) AI tooling is expected to drive efficiency, and 3) the Director-level talent market is strong and some companies are opting for a solo Director rather than two PMMs.

Anything else leaders should know to land their dream role in 2025?

1) Speed matters. With the pure number of applicants these days, getting into the first batch is critical. Conduct job req searches multiple times a day, set up alerts, have your resume updated (diff versions), and be ready the pull the trigger quickly.

2) Social proof (and of course, relationships) give you an edge. If you don't have LinkedIn Recommendations...that's a miss. Reach out to a dozen or so former colleagues and managers and ask them to write a LinkedIn Recommendation ASAP. If you see a connection at the company (or even better, with the hiring manager), exploit that. Work multiple angles.

3) The look/feel of your resume and LinkedIn profile reflect your professionalism. The process (at least for me) consists of 1) reviewing the candidate's LinkedIn snapshot resume, namely scanning titles/companies to establish potential alignment, 2) reviewing the candidate's resume to uncover role details (also ensuring consistency with LinkedIn details), and 3) (if needed) reviewing the candidate's full LinkedIn profile, including how they position themselves, what accomplishments or responsibilities they decide to call out under each previous role, and any LinkedIn Recommendations. Go through this progression and stress-test it for yourself.

4) In advance of any interview, be sure to have 10-15 scenarios/project examples memorized. Be sure to have some measurable outcome for each. It's amazing how much better well-prepared candidates come through in interviews. Don't just answer questions, use the time to impress the interviewer with the rigor and depth of your thinking.

Here’s what stuck with me most from my conversation with Devon:

→ Impact is essential. It’s not enough to say you led a launch or owned messaging. You need to connect your work directly to business outcomes and revenue. Don’t know how? Check out my PMM KPI Toolkit.

→ Vanity metrics are a red flag. Website visits and webinar signups won’t cut it anymore. Again, you need to level up your KPIs.

→ The rise of the IC Director. With leaner teams and the adoption of AI, companies are hiring senior PMMs to do more solo. This could actually be a bonus for experienced PMMs who don’t want the people management component.

→ Your LinkedIn is your storefront. Get clear on your personal positioning as a product marketer and make sure your narrative ties your work to business growth.

CAMPER ESSENTIALS

💼 Jobs: If you’re looking for your next role, be sure to check out Fluvio’s job board. There’s tons of senior-level roles posted (including Sr PMM, Group PMM and Director).

📚 Reading List: Remember — you are choosing the company as much as they are choosing you. Be sure to get the answers you need to decide if they’re a fit. Here’s 5 of my go-to questions to ask at the end of your interview.

Until next week,