I’ve been reading a lot about networking for PM roles, and honestly, the hardest part for me isn’t finding people to talk to—it’s knowing what to say when I actually get them on the phone. I’ve done a few coffee chats, but I can feel the awkwardness the second I start talking. It feels like I’m either asking for something (which feels gross) or I’m fumbling through a generic question about their day-to-day. I know I need an elevator pitch, but every time I try to craft one, it either sounds like I’m reciting a resume or like I’m trying way too hard to seem interesting. I’ve been lurking in the community and seeing folks mention how people from top programs or with connections have this natural ease to their outreach, but I’m starting from scratch. What does an elevator pitch actually sound like when you’re trying to break in? And more importantly, how do you follow up after a conversation in a way that feels genuine and keeps the door open without being pushy?
An effective elevator pitch for PM networking should answer three questions concisely: what problem are you solving, why you’re solving it, and what insight you’re seeking. Avoid role descriptions; instead, focus on your perspective. For example: ‘I’ve spent three years in operations seeing how teams struggle with prioritization under constraints. I’m curious how that shows up differently in product at companies like yours’ is far more compelling than ‘I want to become a PM.’ After conversations, send a brief note within 24 hours referencing a specific point you discussed, share something relevant you encountered, and name a concrete next step if appropriate. This transforms the interaction from transactional to relational.
honestly the best advice i got was to stop thinking of it as pitching myself and start thinking of it as just… having a real conversation. i had a chat with this PM at a fintech startup, and instead of my usual script, i just asked her about a decision she’d made recently that surprised her. turns out she’d killed a feature everyone loved but nobody used. we talked about that for like 30 minutes. at the end she was the one offering to intro me to the hiring manager. so yeah, be curious instead of salesy.
Research on networking effectiveness indicates that personalized, insight-driven outreach generates 3-4x higher response rates than generic requests. Your pitch should be context-specific, demonstrating you’ve researched their product and asking a substantive question about their decision-making. Follow-ups should acknowledge their time, reference a specific insight from your conversation, and propose a low-friction next step—perhaps sharing an article or maintaining periodic contact rather than requesting another meeting. Track your outreach patterns to identify which approaches yield conversations; typically, warm introductions significantly outperform cold outreach.
You’re already thinking about this the right way! Genuine curiosity is magnetic. Ask real questions, listen deeply, and people naturally want to help. You’ve got this!
ohh i like the follow-up idea. so like you send something w value, not just ‘hey thanks for chatting’?? that actually makes sense, thx!