There are absolutely ways for you to build your experience and set yourself up for success as you search for new opportunities. Here are a few things to try:‍

1. Look for opportunities to apply your new skills at your current job

The best way to demonstrate the skills you are currently actively learning is to figure out ways to apply them in the real world so that you can speak to that experience when you apply for new jobs. The easiest way to do that is to find projects where you can demonstrate them in your current organization. In order to do that you could:

• Figure out a way to apply your skills to a project you’re already working on
• Talk to your manager about finding ways to apply the skills. Maybe there’s a new project or initiative that you could work on that might benefit from everything you’re learning
  

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2. Look for opportunities to practice your new skills elsewhere

If there aren’t any good opportunities to apply your new skills in you current job, you could also pursue opportunities outside of work, for example:

• Join a hack-a-thon or similar event where you’ll have an opportunity to develop and iterate on an idea or product at a rapid pace
• Find paid or volunteer consulting opportunities where you’ll have more opportunities to use these skills
• Bonus: These are also great ways to expand your network. Who knows, you might even connect with someone who’s looking to hire a new PM.
  

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3. Update your resume to make sure it reflects your new skills and experience

In addition to finding ways to apply your skills, you also want to make sure that your resume reflects everything you’ve learned. Add the courses you're taking to your resume (Reforge courses, Outpace Guided Sprints, etc.), including details on what you learned. You should also highlight any experience you already have that demonstrates skills that are in high demand by the types of employers you’re looking to work for.

4. Showcase what you’ve learned in your interviews

Once you get to the interview stage, that’s another great opportunity to highlight the new skills you’ve learned. If an interviewer asks you for an example of when you’ve delivered products at a rapid pace to drive learnings and you don’t have any on-the-job examples to give, you can explain why and then speak to the investments you’ve made to develop your new skills and how you would apply them in a new role. Potential employers will always be impressed by candidates who proactively seek to grow and learn.

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Best of luck to you as you seek opportunities to apply your newly-acquired skills. You’ve already taken the best first step by investing in your own learning and growth. The most important thing to do now is to find ways to apply your skills and to make sure that future employers know that you’re ready and willing to take your PM skillset to the next level.

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