Keep an eye out for both of these critical traits. If they can identify the professional gaps this role will fill, it shows humility and drive. This question gives you a sense of whether they’re thinking of this position as a short-term stepping stone or someplace they’ll want to stay for a while because it complements their long-range plans. Lifers are pretty much extinct these days, so everyone is always plotting a long-term career path toward their ultimate job. Why do you want this job, and how does it fit your overall career trajectory? This question helps ensure they’re applying for a job they want and won’t be overwhelmed/frustrated/disappointed when they start working in your available position. Since there is so much variety from one organization to the next, many people have different expectations for a product manager. What does a product manager do?Ĭome in hot out of the gate and get them to share their understanding of the role. But to make sure you hit on the main points every interview should cover, these eleven product manager interview questions are the best for you to reveal your candidate’s values and intentions: 1. There’s no shortage of possible questions to ask a product management candidate. Now, let’s review the eleven product manager interview questions to reveal whether a candidate is a good fit for your position.ġ1 Revealing Product Manager Interview Questions If the interviewee can’t hop from one area to another easily in an interview, they’re likely to struggle with that on the job. Multitasking and context switching is essential to the job. While the specifics of the role and the candidate’s background may dictate which of these to include and which to skip, here’s a set of basic categories of questions you’ll likely want to touch on:ĭon’t worry that this will lead to a disjointed interview.

That’s why every interview should include the most relevant topics to ensure everything’s covered. You may luck into a deep and diverse discussion that provides a great sense of the candidate, but you may also have many uncomfortable minutes of silence when you struggle to come up with the next question.Īnd there’s no assurance the dialogue will cover all the pertinent points unless the interviewer makes a concerted effort to get there. They think they can get a sense of the person and their fit for the role regardless of which direction the conversation may go.Įntering an interview unprepared is just as bad for the interviewer as the interviewee. Many people approach an interview with a “let’s just see how it goes” attitude. Why the Product Manager Interview Questions Matter So how do you make sure you’re hiring the right person? It’s all about asking the right questions. However, if you get it wrong, then schedules slip, prioritization falters, and your reputation is at risk. Get it right, and you’ve added an invaluable asset to your product team that lifts the product to new levels. They must then determine if a candidate will be a good fit from a few brief interactions. Since a cookie-cutter approach won’t fly, hiring managers need a solid handle on their specific PM role requirements. For example, sometimes you need a technical whiz, or someone with marketing chops, while other opportunities demand deep experience in a particular industry. The combination of both of those elements makes an effective product manager a challenging position to fill. Moreover, product manager roles and job descriptions also vary wildly from one organization to the next. The diversity of backgrounds in product manager applicants increases the level of difficulty in making a good hire. Unfortunately, there’s no perfect template for an ideal PM candidate it’s about finding the best fit among a sea of unicorns by asking the right product manager interview questions. Hiring product managers is one of the most challenging and essential tasks for product team leaders.

Digital product manager