Last night, our Co-Founder Doug Bates gave up his evening to speak to a select group of MBA students at London Business School, sharing practical, no-nonsense advice on how to break into product management and successfully navigate the first stages of the recruitment process.
Drawing on more than 25 years of experience in recruitment and executive search, Doug delivered an insightful session covering everything from writing a meaningful CV to understanding how applications are filtered through ATS and AI-driven screening tools. His focus was clear: in an increasingly competitive and automated hiring landscape, candidates need to be sharper, more intentional, and more outcome-driven than ever before.
As Doug explained, the reality facing applicants is intense:
“If a recruiter posts a job on Friday, they will get in the region of 300 applications by Monday and will most likely have half a day to review them and make a yes / no decision.”
And in the current environment (which is very much a client driven market, meaning there are more candidates than jobs), standing out isn’t optional – it’s essential. He encouraged students to think like product managers when crafting their CVs:
“Product management is about making the complex simple and beautiful, your CV should do exactly the same.”
Rather than cramming everything into a single page, Doug highlighted that clarity and structure win every time:
“Two-to-three pages is the sweet spot. Better to be clear and structured than cram everything into one page.”
However, he was keen to stress that having the correct content on a resume is more important than the length and having it presented in a clear way.
He also highlighted the importance of substance over buzzwords. Generic claims don’t cut through in a crowded market:
“Don’t say ‘great communication skills’, everyone puts this on their CV, and the hiring manager will be able to judge for themselves if you are during an interview. Say something measurable, like ‘top 1% performer in XYZ.’ Cut the fluff.”
The session also explored how AI is reshaping both hiring and product roles themselves. Doug urged students to be prepared for conversations at the highest level:
“CEOs have AI FOMO – they know they need to understand it but often don’t. Be ready to talk about it clearly and confidently.”
From navigating ATS filters to aligning LinkedIn profiles with CVs, the talk was packed with actionable guidance designed to help candidates convert applications into interviews. Doug also touched on emerging trends, including the growing expectation for product managers to become more hands-on:
“Product managers are becoming product builders.”
Doug noted that the role is rapidly evolving, it’s no longer enough to define strategy and requirements from a distance. Increasingly, employers expect product managers to be closer to the build, experimenting, prototyping, and validating ideas themselves.
That’s where concepts like vibe coding are starting to gain traction. Hiring managers are beginning to look for candidates who can demonstrate hands-on capability – not just theory.
If you already have that experience, make it visible on your CV. Show how you’ve built, tested, and iterated.
And if you don’t? Start now.
Take a course. Build something small. Experiment with tools. Get your hands dirty.
Because in this market, showing you’re willing, and able, to learn by doing can be the difference between getting noticed and getting overlooked.
Doug Bates is Co-Founder and Director of Intelligent People, London’s leading specialist recruitment agency for product management, marketing, digital marketing, product design, UX & UI, eCommerce talent and commercial leadership. Since launching the business in 2002, he has combined the rigour of retained search with the speed of contingency recruitment, leading executive search campaigns and shaping long-term strategy.
Beyond his role at Intelligent People, Doug is deeply committed to the product community. He co-founded Partner Up, a free mentorship programme connecting around 1,500 mentors and mentees, and actively supports initiatives such as Women in Product and the CPO Track, championing progression for product leaders.
Sessions like this reflect Doug’s ongoing commitment to supporting the next generation of talent, equipping MBA students not just with advice, but with a realistic understanding of what it takes to succeed in today’s product job market.
