A product manager is responsible for defining the why, what, and when of a commodity to be built. They’re in effect the CEO of their product, leading cross-functional teams from conception to launch.
Looking to hire for this role? Here are some of the best product manager interview questions to ask and ensure you find the right fit.
Top Product Manager Interview Questions
Talk to me about your role on your current team, who you work with, and how you work with them.
How well does the candidate get along with others? Does he or she interact effectively with engineers? Dig deeper, as this is one of the top product manager interview questions that can reveal how the candidate works alongside other departments. Do they work with sales and marketing to get in front of the customer? Collaborate with senior management?
The answers should be telling. As the interviewer, you can uncover who the candidate works with most frequently, how that interaction goes, what challenges this person has faced, and so on. Make sure the candidate is able to provide examples of how well they have worked with different kinds of personalities and teams.
How do you choose what to build?
This is at the heart of product management. The candidate should put some real thought into this, rather than spinning off a rambling response. Furthermore, the candidate should discuss his or her balance of all competing inputs. These can include user feedback, business needs, engineering favorites, market needs, time to build, cost, etc.
This is a great question for evaluating how well a candidate understands business processes as well as the market in which the product sits. It also gauges their critical thinking skills.
What aspects of product management do you find the least interesting?
This product manager interview question prompts the candidate to discuss potentially negative aspects of the job. A strong candidate will acknowledge the less exciting facets of product management, and spin it positively. For example, they may not particularly enjoy a certain part of the role, but recognize its importance to the growth of the organization.
What metrics do you think are important to track for our products?
A great product manager should have a solid idea of metrics. Generally, they capture input and output metrics. Input metrics might be traffic or new customers, for example. Output metrics may include the revenue they generate. Many other metrics fall in-between. A product manager can also perform longitudinal or downstream value studies. Ask for specifics in response to this question. Then, perhaps ask what tools the candidate might need to be successful at your company.
Have you looked at our company’s products? Pick one and tell me how you might improve the product. Next, discuss a product you use frequently and why you enjoy or appreciate it.
First of all, the candidate should have thoroughly researched your company. Preparation is key! Then, a product manager must differentiate a good product from a bad one, and a great product from a good one. This can be a fun question. It also prompts the candidate to provide an example using one of your organization’s products, and one of the candidate’s favorite products.
What product manager interview questions would you add to this list?
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