Keyuri Anand

I spent 12 years in B2B product management, mostly at large companies like SAP. Then I was part of a workforce reduction. The first two months I didn't know what I was doing — I'd never actually interviewed properly. I landed three interviews in December and didn't clear any of them. The feedback was brutal but honest: 'You have the skills to do the job, but that doesn't come across at all in the interview.'

IJS is branded and publicized as a job search program, but it's a makeover program for PMs. The program was far more structured than I expected. One moment changed everything for me. In a group coaching call, someone asked how to answer questions about a gap in their resume. Sam said, 'You just say you were part of a workforce reduction and move on.' I wrote that on a sticky note and put it on my laptop until I got my new one.

I knew I was ready and scheduled all my final rounds in the same week. I had three offers. When it came to negotiation, Shobhit gave me a number that terrified me. The eventual number where I started and where I ended up was $100K more — mind-boggling.

I'm now a Staff PM for AI-powered billing at Cleo. I'm not just grateful I joined IJS — I'm grateful I got laid off, because where I am now is way better by compensation, by role, by overall personality growth and career growth.