Being employed simply means having a job. Being gainfully employed, however, is more layered. It includes factors like pay, growth, alignment with skills, stability, and overall wellbeing. Thinking through that made me reflect on the other side of the conversation. And unlike a coin, the opposite of being “gainfully” employed is not just one thing. It is two.

You can either be unemployed or underemployed.

Unemployment is the state of having no job at all. Underemployment, on the other hand, often looks like working in roles you are overqualified for, underpaid in, or unable to fully apply your skills. In many countries and major cities, labor reports over the past several years consistently show underemployment rates exceeding unemployment rates.

That tells us something important. More people are stuck in jobs they are unhappy with than people without jobs entirely.
Yeah, let that sink in for a second.

Now, does this mean you should quit your job just because you are unhappy? No. Not immediately, and not without thought.

If you are currently underemployed, here are a few things worth considering first:

• Does this season of underemployment serve as an investment in my future?
  

• Can I realistically sustain myself for the next 6 to 12 months if I leave this role?
  

• What exactly is this job blocking me from pursuing? Is it a real blocker, or am I failing to be intentional about creating space to explore other things alongside it?
  
  

Underemployment often comes with a persistent feeling of being stuck. Instead of ignoring that feeling, treat it as a signal. It is an invitation to reach for the next level. Doing so usually requires investing in yourself. It also requires staying curious and being comfortable with reinvention when necessary.

That said, remember this. Your job is currently a source of provision. There are moments when quitting is the right move. Those decisions are best made after careful, honest consideration, not frustration alone.

Now, to my unemployed folks. Hopefully, not too many of the people above have joined you. If they have, welcome. We all know the job market is challenging right now. This is a shared reality. But that is not why we are here.

The goal is to move from unemployed to gainfully employed. To that end, here are a few things to think through:

• Have I been intentional about investing in my network during this search? Lean into your weak ties too. Research and lived experience often show they have the strongest impact. Sometimes it is as simple as reaching out to an ex-coworker you have not spoken to in a while. It takes courage to do that.
  

• Have I explored other expressions of my interests and skills? Try not to get boxed in by job titles or industries.
  

• Have I started with something? Staying engaged matters. Volunteering, freelancing, or experimenting with new skills can open unexpected doors. Do not put life on pause while job searching.
  

To the 20-somethings reading this, yes, I know that call-out felt random. This phase of life is often the best time to tolerate underemployment, especially if you are still in college or early in your career. The key is being strategic. Make sure it is truly an investment in where you are trying to go. It should not be just a holding pattern.

If you can avoid unemployment, do so. Keep investing in your identity capital during these formative years. That compounding effort is often what creates momentum in your thirties and forties. While I have not lived those decades yet, this pattern has been consistent in my observations and in the stories of people a few steps ahead.

At the end of the day, being underemployed is hard. Staying unemployed is often harder. This week, take one intentional step toward being gainfully employed. Update one skill, reach out to one person in your network, or explore one opportunity you have been putting off. Progress does not come from doing everything at once. It comes from starting with one thing and building from there.

At first glance, it looks like brand flexing. Big logos. Fast cars. Global TV time.

But if you trace the history of F1 sponsorships, a pattern starts to emerge, one that has very little to do with racing and everything to do with positioning.

Tobacco companies dominated the grid when mass consumer awareness was the game. Alcohol brands followed when lifestyle and aspiration became the message. Today, tech companies and luxury brands have taken over.

Different industries. Same logic.

Formula 1 has always been a shortcut to meaning.

F1 as a Signal, Not a Billboard

Most people think of sponsorship as exposure. That’s the shallow interpretation.

What companies are actually buying with F1 is context. Formula 1 is an environment where speed, precision, engineering, and marginal gains are non-negotiable. Failure is public. Excellence is measurable.

By placing yourself inside that system, you inherit its standards.

This is why F1 attracts companies that care deeply about perception, trust, and credibility. The sport acts as a filter. Not every brand belongs there, and that exclusivity is the point.

When Marketing Becomes Infrastructure

For tech companies, the relationship goes even deeper.

Companies like Oracle are not simply visible in Formula 1. Their technology is operational. It powers race strategy, simulations, and decision-making pipelines.

This matters because it changes the nature of the message.

Instead of saying, “Our tech is fast and reliable,” the message becomes, “This is what we trust when milliseconds decide championships.”

Formula 1 turns claims into observable behavior. Performance becomes the argument.

Proof Scales Better Than Persuasion

This is where the idea extends beyond billion-dollar brands.

At a smaller scale, the same principle applies. Proof travels further than persuasion.

For businesses, this often means prioritizing real-world use cases over polished demos. Showing your product operating under constraints builds more trust than explaining its potential.

For individuals, it means putting your work in environments where outcomes are visible. Writing publicly. Shipping consistently. Solving problems in front of others. This is why building in public works. It creates a trail of evidence.

You are not asking to be believed. You are allowing people to observe.

Experience Shapes Belief

Another underestimated part of F1 sponsorships is experience.

Formula 1 is a live environment. It is where partnerships are hosted, relationships are deepened, and decisions are influenced without being explicitly sold.

Humans do not make decisions purely rationally. Context, emotion, and memory all play a role. Experiences compress time. They build trust faster than information alone.

This is not unique to Formula 1. It is just amplified there.

If you can create a meaningful experience around your work, belief accelerates. If you cannot, aligning yourself with an existing environment that already commands respect can achieve the same effect.

The F1 Positioning Framework

You do not need an F1 budget to apply this. You need the structure.

1. Environment First
Ask where your work performs best under pressure. Choose environments where standards are high, and outcomes matter. The environment does half the positioning for you.
Business example: Deploy your product in a demanding use case rather than a controlled demo.
Individual example: Share work in public spaces where quality is visible, and feedback is real.

2. Performance Over Claims
Reduce explanation. Increase visibility of execution. Let results be seen rather than described.
Business example: Case studies with constraints, tradeoffs, and real outcomes.
Individual example: Show the process, not just the outcome.

3. Proof Before Persuasion
Design your work so it creates evidence naturally. Trust compounds when people can observe consistency over time.
Business example: Live dashboards, pilots, or open metrics.
Individual example: Building, writing, or shipping regularly in public.

4. Experience as a Multiplier
Create moments people remember. When experience is strong, belief follows faster.
Business example: Immersive product sessions or real-world showcases.
Individual example: Workshops, live builds, or collaborative problem-solving.

5. Borrowed Standards
If you cannot create the ideal environment yet, align with one that already exists. Standards transfer faster than reputation.
Business example: Strategic partnerships or ecosystems with strong credibility.
Individual example: Contributing to respected platforms, teams, or communities.

The Real Lesson

You do not always need louder marketing.

You need the right placement.

Put your work where excellence is expected, pressure is normal, and performance is visible. In those conditions, credibility compounds naturally, and selling becomes recognition.

I’m a huge advocate of doing more. Pushing yourself. Showing up when it’s uncomfortable. Stretching beyond what feels easy.

But there’s a difference between doing more and overdoing it.

Over time, I’ve noticed something. When output drops, our instinct is usually to apply more pressure. Work harder. Wake up earlier. Stay up later. Force momentum.

That approach works, until it doesn’t.

I used to say, “Give the best of whatever you have.” I still believe that. But here’s the part we don’t say often enough: many people are operating close to zero right now. When that’s the case, the best thing you can give is not more effort. It’s rest.

And Rest is not quitting. It’s recalibration.

If you’re unsure whether this applies to you, here’s a simple indicator.
You might need rest if you’ve been putting in maximum effort but seeing negative results.

That usually points to one of two things.

First: misalignment.
You may be fighting the system instead of working with it. The role, the strategy, the timing, or even the goal itself might be off. Rest creates space to step back and see clearly again. Clarity rarely comes when you’re exhausted.

Second: limits.
As much as I believe in stretching yourself, limits still exist. Physical, mental, and emotional. Ignoring them doesn’t make you disciplined. It makes you depleted. Rest is how you recuperate enough to stretch again, intelligently.

Negative results are not always the problem. Sometimes they’re the signal. They’re telling you something needs to change, not that you need to push harder.

At certain points, success depends less on raw effort and more on:

• alignment

• timing

• structure

• strategy

Effort matters. It always will. But effort applied in the wrong direction, at the wrong time, or from an empty place is costly.

Physics doesn’t punish effort. Life doesn’t either. But nature enforces limits.

So if you’re asking how to do more this holiday season, consider this: rest might be the most productive move you can make.

Sometimes the work isn’t pushing forward.
It’s stepping back so you can move forward better.

I did not fully appreciate this until I became frustrated with the consistency of a newsletter I subscribed to. What started as a minor annoyance led to a more important question. Why did they always send one at 5:00 am without fail?

That question led to a broader realization. Newsletters are not just content streams. They are owned distribution channels, and over the past decade, they have quietly become one of the most efficient business models in modern media.

Consider Morning Brew. In roughly five years, it grew from a college side project into a media company acquired for $75 million. That outcome was not driven by novelty. It was driven by fundamentals.

Their tagline is literally “Become smarter in just 5 minutes”

Morning Brew understood something traditional media struggled to adapt to. Attention is more valuable when it is direct, habitual, and measurable. A daily email creates a recurring relationship that platforms cannot dilute with algorithmic shifts. In an inbox, relevance determines survival.

What makes newsletters compelling as a side hustle is not their explosive upside, but their asymmetry. The cost to start is relatively low compared to other media businesses, but it is not zero.

There are real expenses, even at a small scale. Email platforms, design tools, analytics software, and occasional paid promotion all add up. More importantly, there is the cost of time and consistency, which is often underestimated.

Still, the downside remains capped. There is no inventory risk, no physical overhead, and no dependence on a single platform’s changing rules. At the same time, the upside can be meaningful without massive scale.

This is why newsletters should not be framed as shortcuts to monetization. They function better as infrastructure. Like owning a website in the early internet era, a newsletter is an asset that compounds only if it is maintained.

The defining variable is not writing talent. It is clarity of audience, consistency of delivery, and patience over time. These are not glamorous traits, but they are the ones that build durable value.

If you are evaluating side projects heading into 2026, it may be worth asking not whether a newsletter will generate immediate income, but whether owning a direct relationship with a specific audience would strengthen the work you already do.

If the answer is yes, the newsletter is not the product. It is the leverage. And don’t be surprised if this very space quietly evolves into one.

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I remembered my sophomore summer, when I made so many pizzas at my job that I hated pizza for a while. That job kept me distracted from the sting of failing, yet again, to land an internship.

I needed to make some money and keep my mind busy, so I tutored students, taught Japanese summer camp, and even started studying biology in case I needed to switch to medicine, which was my first love before discovering robotics and computer science.

I did not get my first real offers until the spring before junior year summer. The fall leading up to that was brutal, stressful, and full of uncertainty.

Looking back now, I can smile. What felt like random side quests turned out to be experiences that connected in ways I never expected.

Japanese camp and all the Japan Club shenanigans helped me feel surprisingly at home at a Fortune 500 company, where some of my meetings are in Japanese (of course, there’s translation).

Studying biology as a backup plan made me appreciate my work with a leading medicine company even more.

Tutoring helped me earn extra cash, but it also made me confident in speaking up without worrying about my accent as an international student.

Life is very different now and still changing. However, today, I am reminded to be thankful for the non-linear chapters, the detours, and the small things that did not make sense at the time.

To the undergrad struggling to land an internship, or anyone struggling with anything, I promise it gets better.

Imagine posting on Reddit about your cat’s weird habits. A few weeks later, you ask an AI search engine like Perplexity a question, and it responds with a story that sounds suspiciously like your post. That’s basically what Reddit says is happening.

In October 2025, Reddit sued Perplexity AI and three data-scraping companies: Oxylabs, AWMProxy, and SerpApi, accusing them of large-scale scraping of Reddit comments for commercial AI training. Reddit argues that these companies took content without permission, bypassed technical blocks, and used it to train AI models instead of paying for a proper license.

So we have a mix of community content, AI training, and the big question: who actually owns the stuff we post online?

Who’s who and what’s happening

Reddit: A social platform built on user discussions. Reddit now licenses its data to some AI companies, including Google and OpenAI, under paid agreements.

Perplexity AI: An AI “answer engine” that combines search and chat. Reddit claims Perplexity didn’t make a licensing deal and instead bought data from scraping firms.

Oxylabs, AWMProxy, and SerpApi: The companies Reddit says crawled/scraped the site’s content, sometimes through indirect methods like pulling Reddit posts from Google’s cached search results.

The lawsuit centers on how this scraping was done. Reddit’s case isn’t just about “you looked at public comments,” but rather “you used sneaky methods to extract and sell our data for profit.”

Public data doesn’t always mean free data

Just because something is visible online doesn’t mean it can be used however you want. Reddit argues that while its comments are public to readers, they’re still covered by platform terms that limit how they can be used commercially.

This issue highlights a growing tension in the AI world: what’s the difference between “publicly available” and “available for commercial AI training”?

The scraping question

According to Reddit, the scrapers didn’t just browse the site like normal users. They disguised their identities, dodged technical limits, and even pulled content through other services like Google search results.

This is where things get murky. If data is public but hidden behind certain protections or terms of service, does bypassing those protections count as unauthorized access? The law isn’t totally clear.

Licensing vs. free access

Reddit’s big point is that some companies (like Google) are paying for access. If others can just scrape for free, Reddit loses control and potential revenue.

As AI companies compete for high-quality training data, licensing agreements are becoming a new form of digital real estate. Whoever controls the data controls the leverage.

What this means for users

For Reddit users, this is about control and consent. You might have posted something years ago, assuming Reddit’s rules governed its use. But if a scraper sells it to an AI company, you lose that control.

The phrase of the week: “industrial-scale data laundering”

Reddit’s lawyers used that phrase to describe how scrapers collect public data, clean it of identifying info, and resell it to AI companies that use it to train products.

The comparison to “data laundering” raises policy questions. Should there be legal frameworks for how public data can be reused for AI? Should users or platforms get paid? Should AI companies be required to disclose what data they use?

Why everyone’s watching

Platforms like Reddit want to protect both user trust and their ability to monetize data.

AI companies need human conversation data to improve their products. If sources like Reddit become off-limits, their costs go up.

Users might start questioning what “public” really means. If you post online, does that automatically make your words fair game for AI training?

Regulators are now being pulled into the mix. The boundary between public access and commercial exploitation is fuzzy, and no one wants to be the first to draw that line in law.

What happens next

Reddit is seeking damages and an order to stop Perplexity and the scrapers from using its data. Perplexity says it respects public access and will defend its position.

Whatever the outcome, this case could shape how AI companies get their training data. It might push more firms to strike licensing deals, force platforms to lock down their content, or inspire new rules around scraping and data rights.

TLDR

• Public content isn’t automatically free for commercial use

• The methods used to gather data matter legally and ethically

• Licensing data is becoming a serious business model

• AI companies will likely face more pressure to disclose where their data comes from

• Users may need better visibility and control over how their public posts are reused

In short: Reddit is saying “ask before you scrape.” Perplexity and others are being accused of taking the back door instead of the front, and the result could reshape how data moves around the web.

This isn’t just about one lawsuit. It’s about who gets to define the rules of the data economy: the platforms that host it, the companies that train on it, or the users who created it in the first place. Stay tuned to see how this changes policies around data collection.

VSM helps you see how work is actually done, not how you think it is done. You map out each step in a process, from start to finish, and look for what adds value (things that move you closer to the goal) and what doesn’t (waiting, rework, confusion, meetings that could have been an email).

It’s basically Google Maps for your workflow.

Applying VSM at Work

Let’s say you’re on a marketing team and your “simple” blog post process looks like this:
Idea → Draft → Review → Design → Publish → Promote.

But when you map it out, you realize:

• Drafting takes 3 hours, but waiting for design approval takes 3 days.

• The review goes through 4 people, but only one actually changes anything.

With a value stream map, you can see where time and effort pile up and start simplifying. Maybe you cut approval layers, batch content for design, or set clearer roles. Suddenly, the blog that took two weeks ships in four days.

Removing Waste

The heart of VSM is spotting waste, the stuff that eats up time and energy without creating real value. In lean thinking, there are seven classic types of waste: overproduction, waiting, transport, extra processing, inventory, motion, and defects.

While you might not work in a factory, waste is still similar. In most office or creative work, waste looks like:

• Waiting on approvals or unclear decisions

• Rewriting something because the goal wasn’t clear

• Jumping between tools and losing focus

• Making reports no one reads

Once you see where waste hides, you can make small, smart changes: automate a step, clarify responsibilities, or just stop doing things that don’t help the outcome. The goal isn’t to do more; it’s to make the flow smoother so the right work moves faster.

Applying VSM in Daily Life

You can even VSM your entire life. Let’s take your morning routine as an example:

• Wake up → Scroll phone → Coffee → Shower → Realize you’re late → Speed-run breakfast → Out the door.

Mapping that out shows your “scroll phone” step adds zero value (unless your goal is anxiety). Swap it for a quick stretch or journaling, and suddenly your morning flows better, no grand changes required.

The Takeaway

Value stream mapping isn’t about turning your life into an assembly line. It’s about consolidating to create value. Whether it’s a project or your daily routine, mapping how things really flow helps you spot waste, remove friction, and design something that works for you.

Because sometimes the biggest improvement comes not from working harder, but from noticing where the work is getting stuck.

So I tried it all, and by all, I mean sleeping at weird hours and doomscrolling.

I’m sure you can deduce how that has been going if you have been following my LinkedIn, Substack, or anything I do publicly.

You can tell it has been suffering…

But this piece is not to rant about what has gone wrong. If you must know, manyyyy things. But so many things have gone right and way better than I could ever imagine.

I have had time to reflect since I haven’t had the motivation to do much. And there are a few things I have come to realize that I think are worth sharing:

1. Burnout is reallllll - I mean, I knew that, but no one can tell you how crippling it can be until you actually experience it.

2. Isolation is a catalyst - While it is nice to get time to yourself, connecting with nature and people is underrated. Giving and receiving hugs can be therapeutic in these times. I highly recommend it if you find yourself in this situation.

3. Get active - You would never pay me enough to go to the gym, and you still can’t. However, the days I feel great are the days when I am not confined to a chair for hours sitting in front of a screen.

4. Discipline - That is something you don’t need more of. Better still, you need more of it in the right dose. Most people think it’s about starving their desires, so they get serious. While I am all for delayed gratification and a reward system, there are times when you need to reward yourself for a job to be done. This is one of those

5. Becoming is overrated - There’s a desire to start something new to see if it motivates you to get back in the game. I disagree, or I’m slowly getting to that point. I have felt extreme joy just seeing things to the end, even the smallest things, with outcomes I didn’t prefer. Clicking submit has provided endorphins lately.

With that being said, I’d say start the journey of finishing. If you take nothing away, remember it isn’t about finding something thrilling that gives you adrenaline to get moving again.

It’s about finishing what was already in progress and treating yourself well during the process. So rest a lot and when you have, get back to doing all you can - even if it is 1% of your desired capacity.

So join me as I start this journey of finishing. Believe me, there are one too many things to finish: the book, the tote business, the video series, unedited podcast episodes, and many moreee.

P.S.: I am also open to starting and finishing conversations if you are in a similar predicament. I’m sending loads of love.

Now bye. It’s time to finish this piece.

For context, I dropped a video on The Product Builders’ official TikTok page, a space where we empower PMs to be builders able to deliver with changing trends.

The video was recorded on my phone and edited in CapCut, where I generated captions and added a single image and a text box. None of this required any of CapCut’s AI tooling.

Yet, I (not my content, but the creator) still was labeled as AI.

Before I dive into my thoughts, here’s what my co-builder, Olasubomi Olawepo, had to say:

While I found it hilarious, it made me wonder what the bar was for AI-labeled content.

According to the TikTok support page, AI-generated content (AIGC) includes images, videos, and/or audio that are generated or modified by artificial intelligence, such as artificial visuals, videos, or sounds that may portray realistic human likenesses or depictions created in a particular artistic style (e.g., painting, cartoons, and anime).

They continued to list out examples, none of which applied to my video.

This experience made me wonder if policymakers are barking up the wrong tree. After all, research by Stanford HAI says that such labeling is unlikely to change a viewer’s perception or persuasiveness of the content.

While there will be clear cases where such labeling would change the tide in the hearts of people, it won’t do much for content that continues to push stereotypical programming.

This is why I recommend a confidence score/accuracy measure feature that evaluates whether the content of a post of true or not.

This is very similar to Community Notes on X, requiring only more commitment from the social media providers to ensure accuracy.

If platforms are truly serious about tackling the harms of AI-generated misinformation, the focus shouldn’t just be on how content is made, but what it says and whether it stands up to scrutiny.

Labeling creators as AI without clarity risks misclassification and distracts from the real issue: accountability for what is being said, not just who or what is saying it.

So yes, while I might now wear my “AI-flagged creator” badge with ironic pride, I propose we move toward smarter, more nuanced policies. Ones that don’t just filter for AI tools but also elevate truth, context, and human responsibility in content.

Until then, I’ll keep building proudly as your friendly neighborhood AI-human hybrid.

What started as an observation about land and wealth turned into a powerful idea we can use in everyday life: a small number of actions usually create most of the results.

Why It Matters

Most of us spend time on things that do not really move the needle. The Pareto Principle helps you focus on the few actions that create the biggest impact.

• Work: 20% of clients may generate 80% of revenue.

• Life: 20% of your habits may shape 80% of your well-being.

Once you see this pattern, it becomes easier to cut out the low-value stuff and focus on what really counts.

Steps to Apply the Pareto Principle

1. Identify the Outcome You Care About
   Whether it is productivity, money, stress reduction, or health, start with a clear goal.

2. Analyze Where Results Are Coming From
   Look for patterns. Which clients, tasks, or habits contribute the most to your goal?

3. Pinpoint the 20% That Matters Most
   Focus on the few actions that create the biggest results.

4. Reduce or Eliminate the Low-Impact 80%
   Stop, delegate, or automate tasks that add little value.

5. Double Down on the High-Impact 20%
   Strengthen your best actions with systems, tools, or habits.

Examples in Action

• Work Scenario: Most project delays come from just two bottlenecks: slow approvals and unclear requirements. Fixing these can smooth out the whole workflow.

• Personal Scenario: 20% of your weekly meals, such as late-night takeout, may cause 80% of energy slumps and overspending. Swapping those meals for healthier options improves both energy and budget.

Benefits of Applying the 80/20 Rule

• Work Smarter, Not Harder: More results with less wasted effort.

• Reduce Stress: Stop spending energy on low-value tasks.

• Improve Focus: Know exactly where to put your time and attention.

• Faster Growth: Concentrate on what drives results.

Remember

The Pareto Principle is not about being perfect. It is about noticing what really makes a difference. Once you see where the leverage points are, you can shift from doing more to doing what matters.

Here are a few ways to stretch the tool:

• Personal Growth: Instead of only asking “Why did this go wrong?”, try “Why do I keep reacting this way?” It’s a surprisingly effective way to uncover habits and triggers.

• Innovation: Ask “Why?” about things that don’t exist yet. “Why don’t people adopt this feature?” → “Why doesn’t it fit their workflow?” → “Why haven’t we designed around what really matters to them?” Suddenly, you’re not fixing problems, you’re finding opportunities.

• Team Alignment: Teams often clash on how to do something. Running Why-Why together can reveal the shared goals under the surface, making collaboration smoother.

After you watch the video for the fundamentals, try applying the Why-Why analysis in places you wouldn’t expect, not just when something breaks, but when you want to understand yourself, your users, or your team more deeply.

This is a question I have received multiple times and posed to senior PMs I have spoken to over the last few weeks. If that’s the only reason you are reading this article, the quick answer is NO.

To understand why I am confident in this answer, we must examine my favorite definition of product management: the practice of guiding the entire lifecycle of a product, from conception to sunset. Therefore, we will continue to have someone or some teams doing this as long as we continue to have products.

Now, the title might evolve as we have seen in past times; some companies refer to it as a program manager, while others call it a product owner. Despite these having clear definitions in an Agile-focused world, we should know from now that companies are quite comfortable slapping a different title on the same job descriptions.

Which brings us to the new favorite title, the AI product manager. Many are wondering how that’s different from a typical product manager, and that’s what I attempt to address today. To do justice to this, we must first recognize that there is such a thing as a technical product manager.

A TPM, as the name suggests, is technical and hands-on when it comes to the development of the product. They aren’t just request takers and backlog managers, and this isn’t to say that those who do this are not real product managers. At the end of the day, it often boils down to company structure.

As seen in the image above, AI product management is simply a subset of technical product management. It isn’t necessarily something new but an evolution to meet the needs that accompany the evolving tech landscape.

Let’s revisit the core responsibilities of any good PM and how they translate in the AI world:

• Ideate: Define the picture

  • They shape clear product visions by deeply understanding user problems and opportunities.

• Prioritize: Manage the backlog

  • Decide what to build (and what not to) by balancing impact, effort, and strategic alignment.

• Manage stakeholders: Steer development

  • They align and influence cross-functional teams to keep development focused and efficient.

• Strategize for success: Define market impact

  • They drive toward meaningful outcomes by defining, measuring, and iterating on success. The go-to-market strategy can make or mar a great product.

These are the same four things an AI product manager would do. The only difference is that it would be for an AI-driven product.

I want to point out that an AI product manager is different from an AI-enabled product manager.

What the AI product manager does

1. Ideate – Define the Picture (for AI)

Function: Identify high-impact user problems solvable with AI and frame them as modelable tasks.

• Translate ambiguous problems into solvable AI problems (e.g., classification, generation, prediction)

• Assess whether AI is the appropriate solution or if simpler alternatives work

• Understand data availability, data quality, and labeling needs early

• Collaborate with data scientists and ML engineers to validate technical feasibility

• Focus on problem framing in terms of inputs, outputs, and measurable outcomes

2. Prioritize – Manage the Backlog (for AI)

Function: Balance model development, data pipelines, experimentation, and feature integration.

• Prioritize across model training, data collection, infrastructure, and user-facing features

• Make trade-offs between model performance, interpretability, speed, and cost

• Plan for experimentation cycles, including offline evaluation and A/B testing

• Manage model versioning, retraining needs, and technical debt

• Include ethical, legal, and compliance considerations in prioritization

3. Manage Stakeholders – Steer Development (for AI)

Function: Align cross-functional teams on probabilistic systems and manage expectations around AI’s limitations.

• Communicate AI capabilities and limitations clearly to non-technical stakeholders

• Coordinate across engineering, data science, design, compliance, and business teams

• Set appropriate expectations around accuracy, edge cases, and failure modes

• Ensure inclusion of human-in-the-loop systems when necessary

• Translate technical metrics into business-relevant language and outcomes

4. Strategize for Success – Define Market Success (for AI)

Function: Define success in terms of model performance, user experience, and long-term learning loops.

• Set success metrics that combine product KPIs with ML metrics (e.g., precision, recall, latency)

• Ensure that user success aligns with model performance and product value

• Plan for continuous improvement through feedback loops and model iteration

• Incorporate fairness, explainability, and safety as success criteria

• Design strategies that scale and adapt the product over time

What does this mean for product managers?

The core functions remain the same. The knowledge required is simply what has evolved, and this is true for product management as a discipline. Research is how a good product manager stays ahead of the game.

Finally, if you still wonder if AI will replace product managers after reading this article, read it again.

I remember my manager having a conversation with me. He said, “I know you have great ideas, but you need to speak up.”

That moment stuck with me. I realized I was holding back, not because I had nothing to say, but because I doubted whether my voice mattered. I assumed others would phrase things better, had more experience, or that I’d say the wrong thing and be seen as an impostor who didn’t belong in the room. So I stayed quiet.

A few years later, I’ve become someone people wouldn’t associate with that struggle. I’ve led teams, spoken at conferences, facilitated workshops, and communicated across functions and hierarchies. Speaking up is no longer a fear; it’s part of my toolkit.

But that transformation didn’t happen by accident. It took conscious, sometimes uncomfortable steps. In this post, I want to share exactly what I did to go from quiet observer to confident communicator.

1. I Started Small

I didn’t set out to be a keynote speaker or lead every meeting. My first goal was simple: say one thing in every meeting. It could be a question, a suggestion, or a point of agreement. The goal was to break the habit of silence.

This lowered the pressure and helped me build confidence in low-risk situations.

2. I Prepared in Advance

Preparation gave me confidence. Before meetings, I would review the agenda and jot down a few points or questions I could raise. Anticipating discussion topics helped me stay engaged and ready to contribute.

Being prepared also made it easier to jump in at the right moment without scrambling for words.

3. I Asked for Feedback

I didn’t try to grow in isolation. I asked trusted managers and peers to give me honest feedback. Were my contributions clear? Was I speaking too much or too little? Was I making an impact?

That external perspective helped me calibrate and improve without guessing.

4. I Practiced Outside Work

Some of my best growth happened outside the office. I joined communities where I could practice speaking in lower-pressure environments such as meetups, Slack groups, volunteering, and even writing online.

These outlets provided me with space to experiment, learn more quickly, and gain confidence in my voice.

5. I Reframed My Mindset

One of the biggest shifts was internal. I stopped aiming to say the perfect thing and focused instead on adding value. I realized that speaking up isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about moving the conversation forward.

When I shifted the focus from myself to the group, everything changed. Additionally, I realized that quality learning occurs when I say the wrong things and have to be corrected.

What I Wish I Knew Sooner

If you find it hard to speak up at work, you're not alone. And more importantly, you’re not stuck that way. I’ve learned that communication is a skill, not a personality trait. It can be developed with practice, reflection, and the right support.

Start small. Come prepared. Ask for feedback. Find safe spaces to experiment. Focus on contributing value, not on being perfect.

Most importantly, trust that your voice adds something important to the room.

I’ve been there too. And while that doesn’t change your current reality, I want to share a few tips that might help you move forward and learn the right lessons from the experience.

Emote: Feel the Feelings

Give yourself permission to grieve. Hope deferred really does make the heart sick. It hurts to want something so badly and not get it. Let yourself cry. Talk about it. Be quiet for a while. Sometimes it takes a week. Other times it’s just a few minutes. Either way, your feelings are valid.

Keep a Rejection Folder

As soon as you get that rejection, move it to a special folder. Not to dwell on it, but to track your journey. This can help you remember which opportunities you’ve applied for and which ones to revisit later. And when the wins start coming, you’ll be able to look back and see how far you’ve come.

Check Your Wins Folder

It’s easy to feel discouraged and start questioning if it’s even worth it. That’s when it helps to look at your wins, no matter how big or small. They’re reminders that you’ve faced hard things before and come out the other side. You can do it again.

Treat Yourself, Especially After a Big Rejection

A common response to rejection is trying to “make up for it” by working even harder. But that’s not always healthy. You gave your best effort, and that still matters, even if things didn’t go your way. So instead of punishing yourself, reward yourself. Take a break. Do something kind for yourself. You’ve earned it.

Back to the Drawing Board

This isn’t about ignoring the outcome. It’s about learning from it with honesty and grace. Ask yourself what could’ve been better. Where can you improve? Let that feedback fuel your growth, not your self-doubt. Use what you’ve learned as a foundation to move forward, not a reason to give up.

And Finally...

Remember, it was your application that was rejected, not you. This is not a statement about your worth. It is simply one decision, one opportunity, in a much bigger journey. Don’t take it personally. Take it as a lesson. You're still on the path.

I resisted titling this piece Global Citizens,
because, truly, our first duty is to the Earth.

None of us was born to stand alone.
We seek to grow together,
to be better in community,
until our last breath.

Yet, the shadows of superiority and self-importance
still linger, holding us back.
That’s why we must still fight for equity,
for the underrepresented,
despite being the global majority.

In countries where affordable lunches aren’t available,
and inequality runs as deep as the divides in our school districts,
where the center of our plate is often the violence
that stains our classrooms,

safe to say, the dish served by our education system
isn't my first choice.

But I say this not to discredit the good being done.
I’ve seen the quiet voices rise,
thanks to the teachers,
the structures,
the small acts of hope
that spark revolutions within.

Those stories remind me that change
always waits just before dawn.

I grew up hearing that the world is a global village.
And as villagers, connectedness is vital.
It begins with our education system.

So, I ask for more:
A world where empathy comes first,
where patriotism flows from a deep understanding
of self, family, and global interconnectedness.

Where “I” becomes “we”,
and the cause for positive change is universal.

A world where students feel heard,
empowered by systems that nurture their voice,
and where their future is not just their own,
but shared by all.

The Plan

In 20 years, we will reshape education from the ground up,
not just textbooks,
but hearts and minds.

We’ll begin by teaching empathy,
and then facts,
because kindness is the foundation of leadership.

Every school will have counselors,
not just for crises, but for growth,
guiding children in emotional literacy,
helping them navigate their own stories
so they can understand the stories of others.

We’ll rewrite curricula to reflect the real world:
from environmental stewardship,
to digital literacy,
to cultural awareness.

Children will not only learn how to solve problems,
but how to create opportunities—
for themselves,
their communities,
and the planet.

We will raise a generation of inventors,
dreamers,
but above all,
doers.

Schools will no longer be battlegrounds for safety.
Violence will be replaced by trust,
because we will prioritize mental health
just as much as academics.

No child will feel unseen.
No voice will go unheard.
Every student will be equipped with the skills
to solve conflict without violence,
to act with courage and compassion,
not fear.

Every child will have access to meals that nourish,
not just their bodies,
but their minds and potential.

We’ll work to close the food and opportunity gap,
ensuring that hunger never becomes an obstacle
to their dreams.

And we won’t stop there.

We’ll build bridges across communities,
across borders,
fostering collaboration instead of competition,
inspiring children to see themselves as stewards
of a shared future.

The global village will not be a metaphor.
It will be the reality we live by.

By 2045, children and youth will no longer be passive observers.
They will be the architects of tomorrow,
knowing their power,
knowing their worth,
knowing they belong not just in their homes,
but in the world,
a world that sees them.

You’ll Mess Up, and That’s Okay

I made more mistakes than I care to admit today. The kind that makes you want to curl up under the covers and stay there indefinitely. But hiding doesn’t help anyone, not me, and not the people who count on me.

What helps is owning the mistakes, learning from them, and moving forward with intention. That’s the plan: one step at a time.

Your Network Is the New Resume

At some point, your phonebook becomes more valuable than your technical skills. Building relationships now, even through technical collaborations, matters more than you think. The connections you’re nurturing today will become your strongest asset tomorrow.

Long-Term Friendships Matter

I felt under the weather this week, physically and mentally. What helped wasn’t caffeine or productivity hacks, but the friends I could vent to, be silly with, and lean on.

Special shoutout to the memes and photos that made me laugh when I needed it most. You know who you are.

Tradeoffs Will Happen. Boundaries Will Help.

As you grow in your career, choices become less about right versus wrong and more about competing priorities. Setting boundaries early is the best way to avoid regrets later. Not every tradeoff is worth it. Know which ones matter.

“Don’t Fix What Isn’t Broken” Isn’t Always the Right Call

Sometimes, you should improve what seems to be working. Not because it’s broken, but because there’s hidden opportunity in optimizing. That’s where the most valuable learning happens.

Time Is a Seed

How you spend your time today is how you plant the seeds of your future. Every minute is a choice. A seed in good soil leads to a meaningful harvest. Be intentional with your planting.

Thanks for reading. Some days aren’t about doing more. They’re about slowing down and making sense of where you are. And today is just that day.

So let’s talk about how to make a winning pitch.

You might be wondering, What do I know about pitching? I’m not going to pretend I’ve raised a Series A or closed a multi-million dollar deal. But I have won competitions, mentored others who’ve gone on to win, and paid close attention to what works in high-pressure environments.

This article combines my experience and key lessons from others who’ve mastered the art. Here’s my pitch playbook, for free:

1. Know the Audience

Before you even open your deck or write the first line of your pitch, ask: Who am I pitching to?

• Investors? They care about scalability, market size, return on investment, and risk.

• Judges at a competition? They may be looking for innovation, clarity, and feasibility of execution.

• Potential customers or users? They want to know how you solve their pain point better than anyone else.

Research your audience’s background, values, and what they’ve invested in or supported in the past. Tailor your pitch so that it speaks to their goals, not just yours.

Pro Tip: If you’re pitching to a panel, try to look them up individually and adjust certain lines of your pitch to resonate with specific judges.

2. Storytelling Will Be Your Best Friend

Data matters, but emotion sells.

Great pitches almost always start with a compelling story: a problem, a personal journey, a gap in the market, or a world that could be better if your solution existed. This is your emotional hook.

Use narrative techniques:

• Set the scene

• Introduce a character (usually the user or yourself)

• Describe the tension or problem

• Present the resolution, your product, or idea

A great story makes your pitch memorable and human.

3. A Good Persona Will Never Fail You

You need to know your user as well as you know yourself.

Create a user persona that embodies your target customer. Give them a name, age, habits, and challenges. Paint a vivid picture of their life before and after using your solution.

This makes your pitch relatable and shows that you’ve done the work to understand your market.

Example: “Meet Jordan. He’s a 26-year-old recent grad who struggles to manage freelance clients while studying for his CPA exam... That’s where [Your Solution] comes in.”

4. Know Your Numbers (and How to Calculate Them)

You can’t fake the math.

Whether it’s market size (TAM, SAM, SOM), burn rate, unit economics, conversion rates, or revenue projections, your ability to understand and explain the numbers builds massive credibility.

Know:

• Where your data comes from

• The assumptions you made

• How changes in those assumptions affect outcomes

Don’t just throw numbers on a slide. Be ready to answer why they matter.

5. Don’t Shy Away from the Competition

A rookie mistake is saying, “We have no competition.” (Spoiler: You do.)

Competitors validate your market. Acknowledging them shows maturity and awareness. The key is to explain:

• What they do well

• Where they fall short

• Why you’re different (and ideally better)

Use a competitor comparison chart to highlight your unique value proposition clearly.

6. Know Your Weaknesses and Speak to Them

Don’t wait for someone to poke holes in your idea. Beat them to it.

Smart judges and investors don’t just listen for what’s exciting. They look for what might break. Anticipating concerns, such as team gaps, IP protection, or go-to-market risks, and addressing them directly demonstrates honesty and preparation.

You’ll build trust by saying: “Here’s what we’re still figuring out, and how we’re approaching it.”

7. Sample Pitch Decks Worth Studying

Sometimes the best way to learn is by example. Here are a few standout decks that have gone viral or been shared by startup communities:

• Airbnb (early deck) – Great for showing a clear problem-solution-market fit narrative.

• Buffer – Simple, clean design with transparency around traction and metrics.

• LinkedIn (Series B) – Shows evolution and vision beyond the current offering.

• Front – A pitch with a strong focus on team dynamics and execution capability.

You can find these on sites like PitchDeckHunt.com or through resources on Slidebean and DocSend.

Pitching isn't just a performance. It’s the art of translating your vision into something others can believe in. Whether you’re looking for funding, support, or simply to stand out, mastering your pitch will serve you for life.

Build your confidence through practice, feedback, and studying those who’ve done it well.

Now, take this playbook, make it your own, and go pitch to win.

They test how you think, how you lead, and how you deal with ambiguity. The good news is that each part is predictable, and you can prepare for it.

If you haven’t read Cracking the PM interview, go ahead and do so after reading this.

Whether you're applying to APM programs or early-career PM roles, here’s a breakdown of what to expect in the interview stage and how to stand out in every round.

1. The Recruiter Screen

What it is:
This is typically a 15–30 minute conversation with a recruiter to assess general fit. They’re checking if your background aligns with the role, whether you understand what a PM does, and how well you communicate.

What they might ask:

• Why product management?

• Tell me about yourself.

• Why Company X?

• Some may include a light behavioral or resume-based question.

How to ace it:

Be clear on your why. Why do you want to be in product? Why now? Why this company in particular? Your answer should show both intention and awareness of what the role entails.

Show that you understand the PM role, even if you haven’t held one ever. Make sure you talk about transferable skills from previous internships, leadership roles, or side projects. For example, “In my UX project, I led user testing and translated insights into feature specs.”

Be energetic but concise. Recruiters speak to many candidates daily. The most memorable ones are confident, authentic, and prepared. In other words, don’t be robotic, saying only rehearsed answers. It’s okay to go off the script.

2. The Product Sense Interview

What it is:
This round assesses how you think like a PM. You'll likely get an open-ended prompt like:

• Design a product for college students.

• How would you improve Google Maps for delivery drivers?

• What’s your favorite app, and how would you improve it?

What they’re really testing:
They want to know if you can think systematically. Can you define a user? Prioritize problems? Make thoughtful trade-offs?

How to ace it:

Use a structure. A good one is: What do we understand about the product? → Who is the user? → What’s their core problem? → What are our goals? → What ideas address those goals? → What are the trade-offs, and how do we prioritize?

Start by asking clarifying questions. This helps you narrow the scope and shows maturity in approaching ambiguity, a core PM skill.

Keep the user at the center of everything. Don’t rush to features. Instead, walk your interviewer through the problem you’re solving and why it matters.

Avoid jargon. A thoughtful, empathetic response will always beat a flashy one filled with buzzwords.

3. Execution or Analytical Interview

What it is:
This round evaluates how you make data-informed decisions as a PM. Expect questions like:

• How would you measure the success of a new feature?

• You launched something and sign-ups dropped; what do you do?

• What metric would you track for Instagram Stories?

How to ace it:

Learn the basics of product metrics: acquisition, activation, retention, referral, revenue (AARRR), and how they relate to each stage of the product lifecycle.

Don’t just list metrics, explain why each one matters. For example: “I’d measure engagement through weekly active users, because that tells me if we’re building a habit-forming product.”

Practice thinking through hypotheses. If a number drops, list 2–3 root causes and how you'd investigate each one.

You don’t need to be a data scientist. What matters is your logical thinking, ability to break down a problem, and comfort with uncertainty.

4. Behavioral or Leadership Interview

What it is:
This is where they assess who you are as a person. Can you work well with others? Can you lead cross-functional teams without direct authority? Will people trust and enjoy working with you?

Common questions:

• Tell me about a time you disagreed with a teammate.

• Describe a time you failed.

• How do you prioritize when everything feels important?

How to ace it:

Use the STARR format (Situation, Task, Action, Result, Relatable) to structure your stories, but keep it conversational. I repeat, don’t make it sound like you're reading from a script. In fact, it’s okay to veer off the script occasionally.

Focus on growth. Even if something didn’t go well, highlight what you learned and how you applied that learning later. That reflection matters more than a flawless outcome.

Choose stories that are specific and authentic. You don’t need to have launched a massive product. What matters is how you handled challenges and your decision-making process.

5. Case Study or Take-Home Assignment

What it is:
Some companies, especially in early-career or rotational PM programs, include a case study or take-home project. This might come right after the recruiter screen or later in the process. It gives them a chance to see how you work through product problems independently.

You might be asked to:

• Design a product or feature for a specific user

• Draft a lightweight product spec or PRD

• Analyze data and propose next steps

• Prioritize a roadmap given user and business constraints

How to ace it:

Start with structure. Outline your response before diving in. Define the user, their core problem, the business goals, and any constraints you’re assuming.

Keep your solution user-centered. Don’t try to be overly creative for the sake of it. Moonshot ideas are great, but you need to think of what an implementation plan could look like.

If possible, include visuals. A wireframe, simple diagram, or even a bulleted roadmap can help illustrate your thinking. Tools like Figma, Miro, or Google Slides are all fair to use.

Be concise but thorough. Most reviewers prefer a focused 1–2 page document that is easy to scan, but still demonstrates depth and clarity.

Consider adding a short section at the end that explains how you would test your idea after launch. This shows you’re thinking like a real PM, not just a designer.

6. Final Round or Onsite

What it is:
This stage is usually a mix of product, execution, and behavioral interviews, typically 3 to 5 back-to-back conversations. For rotational or APM programs, there may also be a group exercise or collaboration simulation.

How to ace it:

Stay consistent with how you’ve shown up in earlier rounds. Use the same clear thinking, structured answers, and calm approach to ambiguity.

If there’s a group exercise, collaborate. Don’t try to dominate the conversation. PMs succeed by influencing others, not overpowering them.

Bring positive energy. Final rounds often come down to team fit. A strong candidate is not only capable, but also someone the team would enjoy working with on a day-to-day basis.

PM interviews are tough, but they’re learnable and beatable. The most important shift I made was this: stop trying to be perfect, and start trying to show how you think.

If you can walk someone through your logic, center the user, and stay calm under pressure, you’re already ahead.

If you're applying now or gearing up for interviews, you're not alone. Feel free to reach out if you're in the thick of it.

You've got this.

Eventually, I realized something: I wasn’t lost. I had a mix of transferable skills and strengths that carried across all those roles. Skills like communication, project management, creative problem-solving, and making sense of chaos. They weren’t always listed in job descriptions, but they were the glue that held everything together.

And chances are, you’ve got your version of that toolkit too.

From Robotics to Writing to Building Businesses: It All Connects

Every job or hobby you’ve had has left you with a toolkit: communication, collaboration, adaptability, and problem-solving. These are skills that travel well. These transferable skills are more valuable than ever in a world that rewards versatility over specialization.

How to Actually Identify Your Transferable Skills

Here are three simple and free ways to uncover the skills you already have:

1. Skills Audit

Break your life into professional roles, side projects or hobbies, and volunteer or life experiences. Ask yourself:

• What did I do?

• What tools or processes did I use?

• What did others rely on me for?

• What did I learn that’s useful elsewhere?

2. Use Skill-Mapping Tools

You don’t have to figure it all out alone. Try:

• SkillSyncer or Jobscan to upload your resume and extract your strongest skills.

• MyNextMove.org to explore career paths and the skills they typically require.

3. Ask Others

People you’ve worked with often see things you don’t. Ask:

• “What do you think I’m naturally good at?”

• “When we worked together, what strengths did you notice?”

You can use Google Forms or Typeform to collect feedback, even anonymously, if that makes it easier for people to be honest.

Bonus: Google Career Dreamer (Career Exploration with AI)

An exciting tool from Grow with Google, Career Dreamer offers an AI-powered way to uncover your transferable skills and explore potential career paths. Here’s what makes it powerful:

• Transferable Skills & Career Identity Statement: It helps you describe your experience clearly and concisely, reflecting your unique strengths.

• Visual Career Web: Explore an interactive map of careers that align with your skills, including options you may not have considered before.

• Integration with Gemini AI: Use Google's AI assistant to refine resumes, draft cover letters, or create a personal career statement.

• Training Suggestions: Based on your interests, the tool recommends relevant learning paths, like Google Career Certificates or Cloud Skills Boost programs.

Who it’s for: Career changers, adult learners, students, veterans, military spouses, and anyone with a nonlinear path.

What to Do With The Information Above

Once you’ve mapped your skills and maybe explored options through Career Dreamer, you can:

• Pivot careers with confidence, knowing your skills are applicable.

• Tell clearer, more engaging stories in interviews and bios.

• Choose projects that align with your strengths and goals.

• Build real confidence in your experience and direction.

Final Reminder: You’re Not Lost, You’re Layered

If you’ve ever thought, “I’ve done so many different things, I don’t know what my thing is,” here’s a gentle reframe:

You’re not lost. You’re layered.

Your experience isn’t fragmented, it’s multidimensional. Transferable skills are the thread that ties everything together. Trust that your background, no matter how nonlinear, holds more value than you probably realize.

P.S. If this resonated, subscribe for more on navigating multi-interest careers and finding clarity in your journey.

And I’d love to hear from you:
→ What’s one skill you underestimated, only to discover later that it travels well?

Drop it in the comments.

“We’d love to schedule an interview.”

You're probably excited and nervous. If you're a first-gen in corporate, you might also be feeling pressure not just to do well, but to figure it out alone. Interviews can feel like a test, with no one giving you the answers. That’s where this comes in.

Here’s how to prepare, what to expect, what resources to use, and how to feel confident even if this is your first corporate interview ever.

1. Before You Say Yes — Understand the Format

Most interview invitation emails should already include:

• The type of interview (phone, video, in-person)

• The length of the interview

• The names and roles of the people you’ll be meeting

• Whether it includes a technical, case, or presentation component

First-gen tip: Pause before confirming. Take a few minutes to read through the whole message.

If anything is unclear, follow up professionally. You can say:

“Thank you for the invitation. I’m really looking forward to the conversation. I just wanted to confirm, will this interview include a technical or case portion? And will I be speaking with Person A listed in the invite?”

If the interviewer’s name is included, look them up on LinkedIn. You don’t need to message them, but reviewing their background can help:

• Understand their perspective (engineer, recruiter, manager)

• Personalize your questions

• Find shared interests or context

2. What Real Preparation Looks Like

Preparation isn’t about memorizing answers. It’s about understanding the company, the role, and your story. Here’s how:

Research the Company

Look beyond the homepage:

• What are the company’s mission and core values?

• Who are their customers or clients?

• Have they been in the news recently?

• Are there any standout products, services, or growth milestones?

Useful tools:

• LinkedIn company page

• Craft.co for business profiles

• Comparably or Glassdoor for culture and employee reviews

Mentioning what you’ve learned and why it excites you shows you’ve done your homework.

Research the Role

• Read the job description word for word

• Highlight key skills they mention

• Think of examples where you’ve shown those skills in class, work, volunteering, or personal projects

Research the Interviewer (if known)

• What team are they on?

• What’s their background?

• How long have they been with the company?

• Do they post or speak publicly about their work?

Use this information to build a connection during the interview. You could say:

“I saw you’ve been with Company X for a few years. I’d love to hear what’s kept you there.”

3. Prepare Your Story and Your Answers

Be ready for:

• “Tell me about yourself.”

• “Why do you want to work here?”

• “Tell me about a time you solved a problem, led a team, or made a mistake.”

• “Do you have any questions for us?”

Use the STARR method for behavioral questions:

• Situation – what was going on

• Task – what were you responsible for

• Action – what did you actually do

• Result – what happened or what you learned

• Relatable: Why does this story matter in the context of the job? Connect the dots between your experience and what the role requires.

Tip: Don’t underestimate the importance of your part-time jobs, student leadership roles, or family responsibilities. These are real examples of problem-solving, communication, and time management.

4. Free and Low-Cost Resources to Help You Prepare

Interview Practice

• Pramp (pramp.com) – Free live interview practice with peers for behavioral, product, data, and technical roles

• Glassdoor (glassdoor.com) – Free access to company interview questions and experiences (with account)

• Interviewing.io (interviewing.io) – Anonymous technical interview practice for software engineers (free for early access users)

Company and Interviewer Research

• LinkedIn – Free company and individual profile browsing, including recent posts, job changes, and team info

• Comparably – Free access to employee reviews, compensation insights, and culture scores

Case and Technical Interview Prep

• LeetCode (Free Tier) – Access to hundreds of coding problems with solutions and discussion

• PrepLounge (Free Account) – Limited number of free case interview practices and frameworks

• CaseCoach (Free Resources Page) – Articles and sample cases available without a subscription

5. Ask Great Questions Back

At the end of the interview, they will ask:

“Do you have any questions for us?”

Always ask something. It shows preparation and genuine interest.

Good examples:

• “What does success look like in the first six months in this role?”

• “What’s the team’s approach to mentorship and career development?”

• “How would you describe the team culture?”

• “What’s something the team is proud of right now?”

Avoid questions about pay, vacation, or benefits unless it is a final round or offer-stage discussion.

6. Interview Formats and How to Prepare

Phone Screen

This is usually the first step, often led by a recruiter. It’s meant to confirm the basics: that your experience aligns with the role, you can communicate clearly, and you're genuinely interested. Be ready to talk through your resume, explain why you applied, and share your availability. Keep notes nearby, speak clearly, and focus on energy and clarity.

Behavioral or Fit Interview

These interviews dive into how you work with others, handle challenges, and align with the company’s culture. Expect questions like “Tell me about a time you faced conflict on a team” or “What motivates you at work?” Use the STAR method to structure your answers and choose stories that highlight growth, resilience, or collaboration.

Technical or Case Interview

If you’re applying to roles in engineering, consulting, data, product, or strategy, you may face a technical or case component. These are less about getting the "right" answer and more about how you think. Walk through your logic out loud, stay calm under pressure, and show how you’d break down complex problems. Practice with mock cases or coding challenges in advance.

Final Round

This is often a longer set of interviews with multiple people, sometimes back-to-back. It gives the company a complete picture of your fit, skills, and communication style. Review your research on the company, prepare thoughtful questions, and focus on being consistent, curious, and confident throughout the day.

7. Final Reminders

• Practice out loud. Use a mirror, friend, or voice memo app. The first few times will be awkward, but it builds confidence.

• Prepare your environment. If virtual, make sure your space is quiet, your background is neutral, and your Wi-Fi is strong.

• Show up early. Five to ten minutes early for Zoom, 15 minutes for in-person.

• Follow up. Send a thank-you email within 24 hours. Mention something specific you appreciated or learned.

Example:

“Thank you for the great conversation today. I appreciated learning more about [topic], and I’m even more excited about the possibility of contributing to your team.”

You Belong in the Room

If you’re first-gen, an interview can feel like a make-or-break moment. It can feel like a test of your worth. You’re trying to prove you’re good enough while figuring out the rules as you go.

Let’s be clear:
You are qualified to be there.
You are not behind. You are building.
You don’t need to be perfect. You need to be prepared.

Need Help?

If you’re feeling stuck, unsure how to prep, or need help talking through a specific company or interview format, you don’t have to do it alone.

Let me know:

• What role are you interviewing for

• What company or industry

• What part are you nervous about

And I’ll help you create a plan.

There’s no cheat code for being first-gen in corporate, but people like me have gone through it. And we’re here to help.