Jacob Zinkula
2026-01-18 10:05:00
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Aman Goyal, a 26-year-old associate product manager at T-Mobile. His words have been edited for length and clarity.
I was laid off in September, just six months into my role as an AI product manager at an ad tech company. Because I’m from India and was on an F-1 optional practical training (OPT) visa, the layoff triggered an immediate 90-day deadline to either find a new job or leave the US.
During my last job search in 2024, while finishing a master’s degree in management information systems at Carnegie Mellon University, I submitted hundreds of applications before landing an offer.
This time, the tech job market felt even tougher — marked by widespread layoffs, uncertainty around the Trump administration’s proposed $100K H-1B salary rule, and intensifying competition for AI-related roles.
Despite these challenges, I landed my dream role within 60 days as an agentic AI product manager at T-Mobile. These three things helped me get the job.
1. Hunting down the hiring manager’s email helped when a referral didn’t
After learning I’d been laid off, I took a few days to process the news before diving into my job search. It was a big surprise, as I had recently received a positive performance review.
With my visa deadline looming, I knew I couldn’t afford to wait long before starting to look. I applied for roles at several top tech companies and a few startups, but the startups that responded weren’t willing to sponsor visas.
I came across three roles at T-Mobile and applied to all of them. A friend referred me for two of the roles, but I accidentally left his name off the third application. Interestingly, the only role I heard back from was the one I wasn’t referred for.
The job description was closely aligned with my past experience, and the lack of a referral didn’t hurt me. I think referrals have become highly overrated, especially since it seems like almost everyone has one.
My referral contact was helpful in another way, though. I asked if he knew who the hiring manager was for the role, and he shared the hiring manager’s name. I used the email-finding tool Hunter.io, which offers a free plan with a monthly search limit, to look up the hiring manager’s email and sent a short message expressing my interest in the role.
I could’ve asked my referral contact for the hiring manager’s email, but not everyone feels comfortable sharing someone else’s contact information, so it’s helpful to have tools that let you find it yourself.
Fortunately, I found the right contact — and shortly after, the hiring manager connected me with the recruiter to schedule interviews.
2. Buying a book gave me access to a community of job seekers
Landing an interview was only half the battle, and I knew I had to be fully prepared to make the most of the opportunity, so I spent about $50 on “Decode and Conquer,” a product management interview preparation guide by Lewis Lin.
By emailing the author with my receipt as proof of purchase, I gained access to a Slack community with more than 20,000 members, including aspiring product managers, current PMs, and professionals between jobs like myself.
What I found most valuable about the community after I joined was how easily I could schedule mock interviews with other job seekers. Over about six weeks, I completed a few dozen mock interviews — some with senior or staff product managers at Microsoft, Amazon, and Google. A few of them were also hiring managers in their current roles, which made their feedback especially valuable.
One of the most helpful parts of the mock interviews was that they helped me build confidence and develop the muscle memory to answer questions spontaneously.
Doing practice interviews — and also many real-life interviews — also helped me realize that many people focus too much on what they say during interviews and not enough on how they say it. It’s essential to pace yourself, keep the interviewer engaged, and be mindful of how you’re coming across, especially since attention spans are often short nowadays.
Some interviewers prefer concise answers, while others appreciate more detailed responses. You have to read their body language and adjust your responses accordingly. I also learned how important it is to really understand the question before answering — instead of just reciting a rehearsed response.
The community also proved valuable for networking.
Read more about people who’ve found themselves at a corporate crossroads
3. Don’t give up on networking
Over about five weeks, I completed six interviews with T-Mobile that covered a range of topics, from product design to system thinking and agentic AI. I felt confident throughout the process.
I received an offer in early November, about six weeks after being laid off, and started the role later that month. Today, I’m working on projects closely aligned with my background in AI, and I’m genuinely excited about the direction of my work.
One of the biggest pieces of advice I give to the young job seekers I mentor is that even in a tough job market, networking can still work. It may not come through a traditional referral, but in my experience, finding a way to connect directly with the recruiter or hiring manager can be a game changer.
