What Hiring Managers Actually Want to Know
Hiring managers don’t need to see perfect outcomes.
They want to see your thinking and your ownership.
The key isn’t just showing results, it’s showing that you:
- Tackled a real business problem
- Developed and executed a thoughtful solution
- Drove toward measurable, meaningful outcomes, even if the finish line moved
Your job is to sell your ability to do that again, regardless of what happened around you.
Resume Bullet Point Framework (When the Results Aren’t Realized)
Structure your bullet like this:
- Start with the business problem – Show why it mattered.
- Highlight your solution – What you designed, built, or influenced.
- Use projected or early indicators – Credibly show expected impact.
- (Optional) State why results weren’t achieved – Brief, factual, and non-defensive.
Real Example
We replaced outdated surgical scheduling tools with a lightweight, mobile-friendly system designed to improve real-time communication and visibility. The expected results included reduced patient wait times, improved staff coordination, and decreased burnout by making schedule updates more accessible and easier to manage across care teams.
This works because it shows:
- A meaningful business problem
- Strategic ownership
- Clear potential impact
- Professional transparency
What to Say in an Interview
“We had strong early signals—improved customer satisfaction, better margins but another product line failed and the company ran out of funding. That said, we were confident in the trajectory and I’d be excited to bring that thinking to your team.”
Frame, then reframe.
Don’t hide it. Own it.
Bonus Tip: What Not to Do
Don’t write vague or apologetic bullets like:
- “Worked on go-to-market strategy (project not launched)”
That’s a wasted opportunity. Instead—show how you think, what you built, and what would’ve happened if it launched.
Your Impact Is Bigger Than Any One Outcome
Every product manager has projects that stall, pivot, or fail. That doesn’t erase your work.
The way you frame these moments is one of the clearest signals of your strategic maturity.
Your career isn’t defined by a company’s outcome.
It’s defined by the problems you tackled—and how you rose to meet them.
Want Help Framing Your Resume Stories?
I help product managers craft persuasive, story-based resumes that highlight business impact—even when the results are messy or incomplete.