How to interview product managers?

Interviewing product managers requires a structured approach to assess their technical skills, strategic thinking, and ability to collaborate.

Key Tips for Interviewing Product Managers

• Assess Communication and Leadership: Melissa Tan emphasizes the importance of communication skills, stakeholder management, and a growth mindset. Conduct live problem-solving components to see how candidates approach issues and incorporate feedback 1 2.
• Evaluate Product Experience Deeply: Ben Silbermann suggests asking candidates about a product they built, probing deeply into the roadblocks they faced, how they motivated their team, and their approach to metrics and goals. This assesses their practical experience and ability to lead projects 3.
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    1

    Hiring Product Managers

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    2

    Hiring Process Breakdown

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    3

    Evolving as a Product Leader

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    4

    Strategic Interviewing Insights

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    5

    Effective Hiring Strategies

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    6

    Product Growth Insights

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    7

    The Real Job

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• Use Hypotheticals and Past Experiences: Annie Pearl highlights using competency questions based on past experiences or hypotheticals tailored to the role, followed by collaborative working sessions to mimic real on-the-job scenarios 4. This helps gauge strategic thinking and problem-solving abilities.
• Structured Panel Interviews: It's crucial to structure panel interviews to focus on core competencies. Each panelist should have a clear role to avoid overlapping questions and ensure a comprehensive evaluation of the candidate's skills and fit for the role 2.

Common Competencies to Look For

• Strategic Thinking and Product Sense: Evaluate how candidates prioritize problems and develop strategic product solutions. Product sense includes the ability to synthesize large amounts of information and tell a compelling story about the product vision 5.
• Execution and Analytical Skills: Look for their ability to set up success metrics, execute product strategies effectively, and adapt based on metric outcomes. Analytical thinking is critical for roles involving product growth and data-driven decisions 1 5 6.
• Collaboration and Influence: Assess their ability to work cross-functionally, inspire teams, and manage stakeholders. This is essential for ensuring that they can lead and influence a team towards achieving product goals 7.

By incorporating these strategies and structuring your hiring process around key competencies, you can effectively interview and select the best product managers for your team.