Project Management Interview Questions. So I prepare, prepare, prepare… Product Management Interview Preparation Guide. Few people will say no. SEE ALSO: How to Ace the Facebook Product Manager Interview (Second Edition) What to Expect The Facebook PM interview has standardized across three components: Product SenseGood Facebook PMs innovate beautiful products that solve big, messy user problems. Ellen Merryweather is the resident Brit and self-appointed Blog Queen at Product School. It'll provide an introduction to the 3 areas of a Facebook PM interview: Product Sense. I doubt that is you and it’s certainly not me. Update your gear with this tailored guide and… You have to fit the mold of what companies want from a Product Manager, but also stand out from the crowd. READ MORE, The definitive guide to Product Management, with everything you need to navigate all of our resources and become an… **Let's forget, for a moment, about those free Googley snacks and ☀️ rooftop yoga at Facebook.Use my Amazon interview spreadsheet to organize your responses using my DIGS Method™.Lastly, jump into the 36-day Amazon interview study guide. Only very special, highly elite people can walk into a PM interview totally cold and actually nail it. Use sites like, Add at least 5 blog articles over the next 5 weeks. Co-host of the Product Podcast, she’s passionate about helping more women into tech and spends her free time trying (and failing) to learn how to code. Product manager interview questions are often intense, and with good reason: It’s an absolutely vital role within companies, and hiring managers want to thoroughly evaluate a candidate’s suitability.No matter how large or small the product, its success hinges on how well a product manager does their job.. Interview Preparation. The PM interview community is very friendly, so ask if you can listen and observe.Some folks want privacy, so that's okay too. — Benjamin Franklin. Understand different career path to move into Product domain. Understand how to answer About Me and Behavioral Qs. In conclusion, if you're preparing for a product manager interview at Google, you'll want to make sure you prepare carefully for the five key areas they'll test you: 1) product sense 2) technical chops 3) analytical skills 4) communication ability and 5) culture fit. He first narrows the scope of the product and the user, describes the user journey, identifies the pain points, lists solutions, and then summarizes his answer. You can read those sample answers anywhere, anytime. What to look for in an answer: Example of a useful skill So you’ve landed yourself an interview! This doesn’t mean you should stop preparing. Attempt the following technical interview questions from The Product Manager Interview: Load Balancer for Google.com; Dictionary for Scrabble; Google Search Services; Bayesian vs. AI * Repeat the technical interview practice activity, as necessary. Build confidence tackling technical interview questions. If you’ve gotten a PM job offer, congratulations! If you find yourself applying and applying and applying with no results, you might need to change up your strategy. Come up with a project yourself and get it to MVP level – either by yourself or by collaborating with designers and tech teams. If so, email me. It’s a pivotal position in companies across the world, requiring … This is a powerful way to make a lasting statement about yourself. Product Manager belongs to prestigious positions in any corporation. A product manager is also responsible for the delivery but they will act more as a business owner, responsible for the success or failure of the product or service in the market. Product Manager Interview Preparation Course Overview. 1 - Path to Product Management. Sometimes it’s not what you know, it’s who you know! Be comfortable with learning & failure.Who knows? Before the interview, see if you can speak directly with someone who has actually worked as a product manager at the company you are interviewing, or at the very least a PM in any company. Familiarize yourself with Amazon's leadership principles and read about how they'll come into play at not just the Amazon PM interview but any Amazon interview.Amazon takes its leadership principles very seriously; it's one of the main reasons why they have the strongest tech culture today**. You will have to answer screening, behavioral and technical questions, demonstrating your knowledge of the field, right attitude to work, and your motivation. Finally, you'll get to see what a day in the life looks like for product managers in different specializations. Applying for Product Manager Positions? Your next interview is usually with the hiring manager and is held over Google Hangouts. For those of you who aren't interviewing at Google, Facebook, or Amazon -- you'll also find the 2-week PM interview plan helpful in providing a comprehensive list of study topics and keeping your preparation on track. Read >. READ MORE, What are the essential tools and software for product managers in 2020? Don't miss out on my Google PM interview cheat sheet, displayed here: For those Google PM candidates who make it to the on-site interviews, Google will ask technical questions focused on either system design, algorithms, or technical trivia. PS, if you’re looking to get a job at a particular company, we have a blog series that might help: Find out the main differences between prototypes and MVPs in product development. Here is a list of free resources to give you a starting point: How concisely and passionately can you can tell your story?. It helps you stand out, gives you some extra experience, and something you can talk about passionately in an interview! It'll prescribe a step-by-step prep plan, including specific exercises and recommendations. You may feel awkward about doing mock interviews.You might also find it impossible to conjure interview answers that are on par with the sample answers in Decode and Conquer or The Product Manager Interview.You wouldn't be the first the feel that way.So muster that courage ️. By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail. * For an alternate description of the Facebook PM interview process, refer my blog post: Facebook Product Manager Interview: What to Expect and How to Prepare. And reading the sample answers will give you the over-the-shoulder glance of how an interview response might unfold. Many companies prefer computer science or analytical backgrounds in their product managers, so keep this in mind as you prepare. We have all been there, and we all know it can be intimidating to get started. Case Interview Questions for Tech Companies, 71 Brilliant Salary Negotiation Email Samples, Microsoft PM Job Offer: Another Win for the PM Interview Community, Top 10 Resources for Product Manager Interview Preparation, Facebook's official guide to product management candidates, teaching note on Facebook execution questions, how they'll come into play at not just the Amazon PM interview but, find mock interview PM partners on my Slack channel, [Lewis C. Lin] Announcing A New Google PM Course, [Lewis C. Lin] Announcing a New Course for Amazon Interviews, [Lewis C. Lin] Announcing a System Design Interview Course . 2 - Guide to answering Behavioral Qs. It's easy to get familiar with the question types, frameworks, and examples from my books.But nobody ever won a boxing match by preparing with books only. Jeff Bezos, after all, came from Wall Street. Books are great, but nothing beats getting informationfrom the horse’s mouth. They probably won’t let too much slip about the actual interview questions, but they can provide real world context to the PM role that you won’t get from a book. Google APM, PM, and senior PM candidates will benefit from reading this Business Insider article.Next, check out my 30-day Google PM interview study guide, excerpted from TPMI. Product manager interview questions are often intense, and with good reason: It’s an absolutely vital role within companies, and hiring managers want to thoroughly evaluate a candidate’s suitability. To get it in an interview, however, you will have to demonstrate a variety of skills and abilities. This will tell the interviewer a lot about the candidates' understanding of what's behind good product development, and about their passion for the field. Here’s the ultimate checklist for what do to land, and ace, a Product Manager interview. Latest Update - Product Manager Salary. 5. After your 50th or 75th mock interview session, your answers may consistently be on par or even surpass the sample answers in my books. In this mock interview, product manager Gabe is asked how to design a gardening app. “StellarPeers is a network of great people, and I am glad to be part of this group. No matter how large or small the product, its success hinges on how well a product manager does their job. They could be reviews/comparisons of your favorite PM tools, summaries of conferences you attended, or in-depth looks at the lifecycle of famous products. There's no shortage of case interview questions including: The good news is, unlike Google PM interviews, you won't have to worry about technical interview prep. When compiling your personal case studies, be sure to think about examples that demonstrate your technical, in … Regardless of the types of questions that you anticipate in a product manager interview, it’s important to do your preparation. By sharing your email, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service, Silicon Valley Product Managers Reveal All. Mentioning something they would change on the product is a plus. Whether you're an RPM candidate or an experienced PM candidate, start with Facebook's official guide to product management candidates*. If you find yourself applying and applying and applying with no results, you might need to change up your strategy. Then, check out the 30-day Facebook PM interview prep plan included in The Product Manager Interview (TPMI). Home > Product Management > Top 10 Product Management Interview Questions & Answers [For Freshers & Experienced] The role of a Product Manager is one of the leading job profiles today. It'll prescribe a step-by-step prep plan, including specific exercises and recommendations.You'll also want to download my teaching note on Facebook execution questions. Hamsa Pillai is a senior at Duke University and will be heading off in the fall to join Google as an Associate Product Manager. Marketing Manager Interview Questions. It'll introduce you to question types & provide frameworks on how to answer each one. Goals. Side projects show your entrepreneurial spirit and that you’re serious about the product world. How to Answer Create an elevator pitch that threads together the story of your resume. LEWIS C. LIN is a bestselling author. The free Product Manager Interview Preparation course is a week-long class that will help you ace your product management interview by understanding how to answer key strategic, technical, and behavioral product questions. — Photo Credit: Google Inc It'll provide an introduction to the 3 areas of a Facebook PM interview: Then, check out the 30-day Facebook PM interview prep plan included in The Product Manager Interview (TPMI). 1.1.4 Hiring manager interview. Focus on technical skills. There's a lot of product management (PM) interview advice on the Internet.To help you save time, I've created a map of the most important resources for PM candidates below.Read on, good luck, and crush those interviews,Lewis C. Lin --. I really enjoyed the mock interview sessions and was able to improve my skills through 1-1 sessions. But if you're more junior or if you're trying to break into product management then it's worth spending some time refreshing your memory about basic product management concepts. Don’t miss your opportunity to get more by using my email negotiation examples from my book, 71 Brilliant Salary Negotiation Email Samples. Read >. In that case, simply get a copy of Decode & Conquer. Leadership & Drive. A project manager will drive the day to day activities for every meeting, will be very detailed about who’s doing what, and will be responsible for the on-budget and on-time delivery of commitments. (We don’t mind you browsing our blog for inspiration ), Update your resume and make it available online, Use LinkedIn to promote your blog by sharing your articles, Ask for recommendations from your Product School instructor, Fill in your description about your passion and why you want to work in product, Clean up social media accounts – either set them to private or remove anything you wouldn’t want seen by potential employers. Mock interviews are the only way to master those frameworks and provide perfect responses to questions you've never heard before.Easily find mock interview PM partners on my Slack channel. The goal of this post is to explain how to prepare for Product Manager interviews. … The Product Manager Interview: 167 Actual Questions and Answers: This is the second edition of Lewis C. Lin’s book – previously titled The Product Manager Interview 164 Actual Questions and Answers – a great resource for both budding and seasoned product managers. According to Indeed.com the average salary for Product Manager (unspecified type) jobs in the US … You should be prepared to get more in-depth questions in this interview, which could be about product marketing strategy, your work experiences, or both. You'll find the technical topics recommended in my 2-week Product Management Interview Plan helpful. You have to fit the mold of what companies want from a Product Manager, but also stand out from the crowd. This question ensures that your teams remain well-balanced. Y es, it’s a lot of work to prepare for these interviews. In this Path to PM blog post, Hamsa and Stephen discuss how to ace the undergraduate associate product management interview. Schedule a Call with Our Admissions Team Who Will Answer Your Questions and Help You Move Forward, Fill the form and submit your application, Last chance to claim FREE access to ProductCon Online - The World's Largest PM Conference, Getting a Product Manager Interview: The Checklist, How to Get a Product Management Job at Netflix, How to Get a Product Management Job at YouTube, How to Get a Product Management Job at Apple, How to Get a Product Management Job at Amazon, How to Get a Product Management Job at Airbnb, How to Get a Product Management Job at Tesla, A Curated List of Tools and Software for Product Managers in 2020, Buy a domain if you don’t have one. Execution. Lewis received his bachelor's from Stanford University and his M.B.A. from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. No permission necessary. Serious candidates will do at least 30 mock interviews before a Google, Facebook, or Amazon interview.There's one individual who did 100+ mock interviews; he landed a PM offer at Google. His books focus on product management, marketing and negotiation. Does it matter if you pair up with experienced or inexperienced PM candidates?According to one community member, who landed a PM job at Facebook, she learned something from everyone she practiced with: young and old.So don't waste time trying to find the perfect partner.Just do it. And once you’ve started your PM job, learn how you can move up from PM to manager of PMs to VP of Product and possibly even CEO with my book, Be the Greatest Product Manager Ever. 2. 3 - Guide to answering Product Case Qs. This beginner-level course has no technical prerequisites and is ideal for those looking to upgrade their product … Manager Resumes. Diagnose their business and product, and think of what you’d advise them.” Bring your notes to the interview and read from them. You'll cover how to prepare for a Product Management interview, and understand what skills, abilities, and experience impress hiring managers and help you stand out. You likely want a product manager who is especially good at something, whether it is data collection, interactive prototyping, coding, analytics or another area. Here’s the ultimate checklist for what do to land, and ace, a Product Manager interview. Can you tell me a bit about yourself? Preparation tips; 1. If you're new, you might feel more comfortable shadowing someone who's doing a mock interview. All Manager Resumes. The approaches mentioned for different parts of PM interview was really helpful. Product Manager Interview Questions: How to Prepare. I will give an overview of the interview structure, dive deep into the 5 types of interview questions and provide resources for mock interviews. Product sense is Facebook’s term for a candidate's product design abilities. How do you stand out from others whilst simultaneously showing off you have all the skills needed for the job? READ MORE. Question’s Purpose A good PM can tell an impactive, succinct story about something complicated — and what is more complicated than you? Execution questions are a mysterious question type that's gaining popularity, not just at Facebook, but at other companies as well. You might be someone I'd like to partner with on my next venture. If you … You'll watch actual Product Managers run mock strategy and technical interviews, and learn directly from their experience and answers. Collect, study and practice your response to, Become a product manager and make yourself the product, Clean up any portfolios or mockups you plan to bring with you, Re-read your resume/LinkedIn profile and double-check for any misinformation. This demonstrates a sense of critical thinking that any good technical product manager must have. In this post, we sit down with Abhi Tiwari, a Director of Product Management leading the Fulfillment by Amazon group, to discuss how product manager interviews at Amazon are structured and what key traits interviewers want to see from PM candidates. Leave a friend's email below and we'll send them their own 'The Product Book' straight away! Get online!