4 questions to make an impact in your product management interview
Tags: Interview Questions, Product Management, Job Interview, Work, Business

4 Questions to Make an Impact in Your Product Management Interview

Photo by Clem Onojeghuo on Unsplash

As much as a product management job interview is meant to assess a candidate’s capabilities, it is also a chance for the candidate to assess if this product team/company is suitable. Be it an interview for an internal transfer or an external job opportunity, here are my favourite questions to ask the hiring manager.

1. What is the problem the product is trying to solve?

Granted, you should have done as much research on the product as possible before showing up at the interview. Still, for early-stage teams that are starting out, this is a perfectly okay question to ask because it is often hard to find their information online.

For big companies with well-known products, the product teams tend to specialize in individual components of a larger system. In this case, it is beneficial to understand how this team’s work adds value to the bigger picture.

Is there a compelling problem statement? (Photo by Prateek Katyal on Unsplash)

If there is no good problem statement, there is no good product.

It is a red flag if the hiring managers (founders of a start-up, team leads, etc) cannot articulate clearly what the problem they are trying to solve is. Either they are still lost, or the product domain is so far out of your circle of competence that you have difficulty grasping it.

For the former, you need to decide if you will be okay with the ambiguity. In the latter case, you might want to ask for advice on how you can get up to speed, which helps you understand the kind of onboarding support you will receive. Then it is up to you whether this is a domain you would like to venture into.

Remember, more complexity does not equal more meaningful work.

2. Could you describe a typical work day in your team?

Different organizations might craft the product manager’s job scope differently. Some interact with designers and business stakeholders more frequently than others. Some practice agile development while others follow waterfall.

Is their day-to-day work what you imagine for yourself? (Photo by William Iven on Unsplash)

Here are some examples of the answers I have received.

“My priority is to optimize the system architecture; so I spend lots of time talking to business stakeholders to iron out all the business logic required. Then I work with the solution architect to fine-tune the interactions between modules. Also, a good proportion of my day is spent on handling bugs.” “We target to launch a new app in the next few months. Much of my time is spent on interviewing customers and working with designers on the user experience.” “We have validated the problem statement and secured seed funding. We need a product manager to define what constitutes the product offering, pricing models, as well as create and manage the product roadmap.”

These responses sound like they describe three different jobs; but they are actually variations of the product manager role. By asking this question, you can visualize your future day-to-day work better, and see for yourself if this is what you are looking for.

3. What do product managers in your team like about their work and what are the challenges they face?

Cliché? Perhaps, but important nonetheless. This gives you a glimpse into which aspect of the job sparks joy and which aspect is daunting to someone in the team.

What gives them satisfaction can be the problem-solving process, or the chance to see customers who use the product delighted. Ask yourself if what they describe resonates with what makes you enjoy your work.

Do the highs and the lows of this job appeal to you? (Photo by Edu Lauton on Unsplash)

On the other hand, an understanding of the challenges you might face helps you assess your willingness to deal with them.

For instance, if they highlight language barrier is an issue because the team sits in different offices and do not all speak English, you will need to be mentally prepared for the communication breakdown.

Or if the challenge is the technical complexity of the problems they usually have to troubleshoot, you can have follow-up questions on technical skill requirements.

4. What are the attributes of a high-performing product manager in your team?

When talking to the hiring manager, you can modify the question slightly: what are the attributes that you would like a product manager in your team to have?

Can you excel in this team? (Photo by Ian Schneider on Unsplash)

I usually reserve this question until the last moment, just because it gives a nice closure to the conversation, and it also demonstrates my desire to do well in the team.

Practically speaking, it helps you gauge what kind of employees your future boss values. There is no right or wrong answer. A boss might emphasise logical thinking, the ability to communicate well, or the willingness to put in the long hours.

If your values are aligned, you will have a much better chance of being successful. Otherwise, it might be prudent to call it quits sooner than later.

A few last words

Hope these questions give you some inspiration on how to make a product management job interview more meaningful to your decision-making process.

If you wonder what kind of product team is the best place to hone your product management skills, click here. Or if you want to get an insider’s view into a not-so-sexy day in the life of a product manager, check out this post.