I joined Broadridge with clear intentions of transitioning from Operations to Product, drawing upon my 10+ years of deep industry experience. At the time, I had recently moved to the area and had two small children. I had been actively interviewing for product management roles but hadn't progressed past the final round in previous attempts. Feeling optimistic about proving myself, I accepted an Operations role at Broadridge, expecting it to be a stepping stone toward Product, even though the salary offered was only $40,000. My first interaction with the Chief Product Officer (CPO) was hopeful, as he seemed surprised that I was encountering challenges in moving into Product given my industry experience and background working with product teams in other firms. He encouraged me to apply for product roles and even for a position reporting directly to him. However, when I submitted my application, it was rejected without an interview, citing a high number of strong applicants. Following his advice, I tried applying for non-senior level product roles to gain entry into the department. Unfortunately, the CPO did not respond to my emails, leaving me frustrated and uncertain about my career prospects. To make matters worse, the CPO posted about internal mobility on our internal social media platform, Yammer, which our department was barred from using, further isolating me from potential opportunities. I tried reaching out to the Product Management leader for the products I used, and initially, she seemed open to my involvement in product requirements. However, when I eventually emailed the product team with a question, I faced immediate backlash from my boss' boss for contacting them, highlighting a disconnect between Operations and Product departments. Despite my efforts to secure a product management role, I found myself in a cycle of interviews for about 10-12 product positions. During one of these interviews, the hiring manager wanted to consider me for a Product Owner role, but I had to clarify that I hadn't previously worked in product management. This raised questions about the company's hiring process and their failure to acknowledge the information readily available on my resume. Throughout my time at Broadridge, my direct management seemed disengaged when I expressed my desire to move into product and not advance into Operations management. Additionally, the frequent turnover of first and second-level managers created a chaotic work environment, causing stress and affecting employee retention. To demonstrate my commitment to transitioning into product management, I took several blockchain courses and worked on a capstone use case project, collaborating with different teams to discuss potential opportunities. However, the lack of a streamlined process for turning ideas into action hindered any real progress. In the end, my experience at Broadridge was marked by frustration, financial setbacks, and a toll on my mental health. Despite my tenacity and problem-solving skills, the company's organizational barriers and lack of focus on true product work hampered my ability to pursue a fulfilling career path. Numerous conversations with PMs and leadership yielded little follow-through, and even efforts with the Human Resource Business Partner failed to result in any viable opportunities for career advancement. The company's overworked and stressed-out managers didn't inspire confidence in staying with the organization long-term.
