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Product managers are sometimes called the "CEO of a product." But what is a product manager really and how you do you land this role? How to crack the PM interview?
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Cracking the Product Manager Interview
Gayle Laakmann McDowell
2
Gayle Laakmann McDowell
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Author Interview Coach Interview Consulting
(CS) (MBA)
McDowell | CareerCup.com
What is a Product Manager?
Product Manager (“PM”)==
“Associate Product Manager” (Google, Yahoo, Facebook, etc.)
==“Program Manager”
(Microsoft)
McDowell | CareerCup.com
What is a Product Manager?
• Manage the PRODUCT, not the PEOPLE• “Build a great product for the users”– Who are the users?– What are the features?– When will we launch?– How do we launch?– etc
McDowell | CareerCup.com
The Perfect PM
Technical Skills+
Product Skills+
Industry Expertise+
Business Expertise
McDowell | CareerCup.com
PM Skills
• No one is perfect!– What skills do you have?– What skills do you need?
McDowell | CareerCup.com
PM Skills
• No one is perfect!– What skills do you have?– What skills do you need?
Smart Gets Things Done
Strategy & Vision
Leadership
Customer Focus
Product Design
Analysis & Synthesis
Action Oriented
Prioritization
Project Management
Technical Skills
Communication
Strategy & Vision
Leadership
Customer Focus
Product Design
Analysis & Synthesis
Action Oriented
Prioritization
Project Management
Technical Skills
Communication
ENGINEER
Strategy & Vision
Leadership
Product Design
Analysis & Synthesis
Action Oriented
Technical Skills
Communication
MARKETING
Project Management
Customer Focus
Prioritization
Strategy & Vision
Leadership
Customer Focus
Product Design
Analysis & Synthesis
Action Oriented
Prioritization
Project Management
Technical Skills
Communication
DESIGNER
Strategy & Vision
Leadership
Customer Focus
Product Design
Analysis & Synthesis
Action Oriented
Prioritization
Project Management
Technical Skills
Communication
PROJECT MANAGER
Strategy & Vision
Leadership
Customer Focus
Product Design
Analysis & Synthesis
Action Oriented
Technical Skills
Communication
CUSTOMER SERVICE
Prioritization
Project Management
Strategy & Vision
Leadership
Product Design
Analysis & Synthesis
Technical Skills
Communication
BUSINESS ANALYST
Project Management
Customer Focus
Prioritization
Action Oriented
McDowell | CareerCup.com
What good is an MBA?
• VERY mixed opinions• Be humble!• What else ya got?– Industry expertise?– Technical skills?– Business skills?– Product skills?
McDowell | CareerCup.com
The Perfect PM
Technical Skills+
Product Skills+
Industry Expertise+
Business Expertise
McDowell | CareerCup.com
So, tell me about yourself…
McDowell | CareerCup.com
“The Pitch”
• 1 – 2 minute summary– Tell a [focused] story– Highlights– Interests
• KNOW IT! REHEARSE IT!
What’s your weakness?
CrackingThePMInterview.com -> Resources
Soft Questions
McDowell | CareerCup.com
McDowell | CareerCup.com
Goals of Your Answer
• Answer the question.• Deliver a good answer.• Communicate well.– Nugget First– S.A.R.: Situation, Action, Result
McDowell | CareerCup.com
Preparing for Behavioral Qs
• Create Preparation GridJob 1 Job 2
Leadership
Challenges
Mistakes
Conflicts
Master 5 Key Stories
McDowell | CareerCup.com
Structure 1: Nugget First
• Lead with your “thesis” / nugget– Grabs the listener’s attention– Gives them context for where you’re going.
A: I’m most proud of the way I re-architected the …
Q: What accomplishment are you most proud of?
McDowell | CareerCup.com
Structure 2: S.A.R.
ituation
ction
esult
S
A
R
What was the issue?
What did you do about it?
What was the impact?
McDowell | CareerCup.com
Know
• What did you do?• Why?• How?• What would you do differently?
Hard Questions
McDowell | CareerCup.com
McDowell | CareerCup.com
“Real” Questions
1. Product Design Questions 2. Estimation Questions3. Case Questions4. Technical Questions
Product Design QuestionsHow would you design an calculator for the blind?
What’s your favorite website?
Pick a Google product. How would you improve it?
Product Design Questions: Why?
• Communication & Structured Thinking• Ability to understand the user• Creativity• Business instincts / skills
Product Design Qs: Approach
1. Ask questions2. USERS + USE CASES + PROBLEMS + GOALS3. Solve problems
Use the whiteboard!
KNOW THIS COLD
Favorite…• Website• Mobile App• Physical Product• Company Product
• WHY• USERS• USE CASES• PROBLEMS• IMPROVEMENTS
Some favorites better than others.
Case QuestionsHow would you launch
Amazon in Turkey?
How would you pricea new ebook reader?
User sign ups dropped after launching a new feature. What do you do?
Case Questions• Problem solving
– Acquisition rates dropped. Why?• Strategy
– Should we do X or Y?• Marketing
– How would you market X to Y?• Pricing
– How would you price X?• Launching
– How would you launch X in country Y?• Brainstorming
– Name as many things you could do with X
Case Questions
1. Understand/define problem2. Structure3. Solve– Use instincts– Make reasonable assumptions
DRIVE THE INTERVIEW
Business Frameworks
• Customer Purchase Decision Making Process• Marketing Mix (4 Ps)• SWOT Analysis• Five Cs• Porter’s 5 Forces
But it’s not a test of frameworks!
Metrics
• User Acquisition– #, growth, active users, etc
• Activity– What are people doing?
• Money– Customer acquisition costs– Revenue– $ growth
Estimation QuestionsHow many tennis balls
can fit in an SUV?
How much money does Gmail make from ads every year?
How much do New Yorkers spend on electricity each year?
Estimation Qs: Why?
• Problem Solving
• Basic Quantitative Skills
Estimation Qs: How to Approach
1. Ask questions to resolve ambiguity– Don’t make assumptions (yet)
2. Outline / Structure Your Approach3. Break down the components– Assume numbers when necessary– State assumptions explicitly– Round numbers to make your math easier
4. Sanity Check– Do your numbers make sense?
McDowell | CareerCup.com
CS Questions
McDowell | CareerCup.com
McDowell | CareerCup.com
McDowell | CareerCup.com
Don’t Forget
• Show…– You can understand the customer– You can make good decisions– You can lead & motivate people– You can build the right thing
McDowell | CareerCup.com
I could write a whole book on
this!
McDowell | CareerCup.com
Other ResourcesCareerCup.com• Interview Videos• Resume Review• Mock Interviews
Or, follow me online at…• twitter.com/gayle• facebook.com/gayle• gayle.com• gayle@gayle.com• quora.com
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