Hiring managers want PMs who are adaptable, quick on their feet, highly motivated, and capable of working with cross-functional teams.

The PM interview process is intended to better understand your overall working style.

About this guide: We wrote this PM interview question guide with the help of 20 FAANG+ and startup product managers. Check out our complete product manager interview course with additional practice questions, mock interviews, and rubrics to grade your answers.

Question 1: What's your favorite product and why?

This is one of the most common analytical interview questions you'll hear. In fact, you should prepare to answer it in every PM interview you have.

Find something you're genuinely passionate about to use in your answer. Your interviewer wants to see you light up when you talk about this product, not an answer you rehearsed.

🖥️

Watch a Google product manager answer, "What's your favorite product and why?"

Have an arguable thesis about your favorite product—why is your opinion about this product different or special? This helps you avoid generic answers about popular products we all use.

Finally, inject your personality. This is your time to show what excites you about product management and well-made products. You can bring this passion and excitement to your new job.

My favorite product is the Chrome web browser.

Google Chrome is one of the most popular web browsers for computers and phones. There are many types of users, from older people who don't know much about technology to tech-savvy millennials. I'm a power user because I know everything there is to know about the product and use it to its fullest potential! This includes using add-ons, having more than one profile, and more.

Users who browse on the Internet are mainly looking for a web browser that's quick and efficient to use. Finding relevant content and a smooth experience are critical to any web browser's success.

Before Chrome, users were stuck with Safari, Firefox, and Internet Explorer. These browsers had basic features but weren't customizable or advanced enough to satisfy users' needs. They also lacked innovation and didn't deliver the efficient experiences users wanted.

Google Chrome came into the market and focused on personalization above all else. This, in turn, paid dividends since it also created more efficient and relevant web browser use.

Chrome added three things that created a better experience: Profiles, Quick searching, and a Power home page.

Chrome users could log in to their Gmail accounts to quickly collect relevant data on their usage behavior. This allows Chrome to create a more personalized experience by recommending sites based on past behaviors.

Another great feature they added was quick searching from the URL bar. Google leveraged its core product, the Google Search engine, to allow Chrome users to search the web directly from the URL box. This lowered the friction to search - one of the core functions of Internet users. Lastly, they added a personalized home page with your most visited sites already on their home page. This saves users time by increasing navigational efficiency.

I think Chrome is fantastic, but if I could improve it, I'd add vertical tab displays. Similar to how Slack has channels listed vertically, adding this feature would improve the multi-tab experience.

Specifically, it would allow for clearer distinguishing between tabs at high volumes rather than squishing the width of each tab where they're no longer distinguishable.

My favorite product is Google Chrome - Google's web browser. Before Chrome, web browsers only fulfilled one function: searching the web, but Chrome was able to create a more personalized experience that enhances the web viewing experience. If I could improve it, I'd add vertical tab displays.

Key Takeaways

Don't be afraid of popular products. Popular products, like Google Chrome, are popular for a reason. If something popular is genuinely your favorite, don't shy away! Come up with a compelling reason why it's your favorite product.
Talk about improvements. How would you make this product better if you were the PM? This shows empathy for the user experience and not settling for the way things are.
Mention differentiation. This product is your favorite, but what about its competitors? How does it stack up to other similar products in the space?

Question 2: How would you improve Instagram Stories?

These types of questions are about product design.

First, identify user segments and their pain points. Then brainstorm ideas and create a product vision that prioritizes features for those users.

Describe a user interacting with the product to illustrate your vision.
Highlight tradeoffs to demonstrate a deeper understanding of the product.
Talk about KPIs and what success looks like.

Instagram already has a large user base, so the team should focus on enabling new features to keep users excited and coming back more often rather than acquiring more people.

Facebook (Meta) strives to connect users and provide a fantastic experience through interactions with friends, so this feature should be designed with that vision in mind.

We should focus on Content Creators as our customer segment. They are highly active, looking for new ways to impress their friends and provide the potential for virality.

We can brainstorm solutions and prioritize one, such as an AR feature where users can "wish" they were somewhere and post a story with their own image superimposed on a public image of that location.

This could be tied in with the existing avatar feature for added fun. Celebrities/influencers can be leveraged to promote the feature.

Success metrics should include:

- Acquisition: the number of users creating and watching these stories.
- Engagement: the number of times users create and watch these new AR-powered IG stories.
- Retention: the frequency of users returning to create and watch stories daily or weekly.

Question 3: Tell me about a time you made short-term sacrifices for long-term gains.

This is a behavioral question.

"Tell me about a time..." behavioral questions give insight into how you handle difficult situations and prioritize tasks.

Are you able to think strategically under pressure? What methodology do you use to make decisions affecting other team members?

Recently, I had to make a decision. I could automate part of a process that would reduce nine hours of manual work to one hour for a client.

The second option was to fully automate the end-to-end process, which would take four weeks to develop, but it could be used for everyone moving forward.

The process was to change a bank customer's contact preferences to paper mailings if their emails bounced more than three times. Currently, the process is manual.

It includes extracting bounced emails from a reporting tool, tracking the customers, changing their paperless preferences, and creating a notice with a given message.

This process takes up an entire day, so the operations team asked me to prioritize automating it.

I discussed the requirements with the lead developers and operations manager. After some effort versus impact analysis, or ROI, I found two options.

Option 1 was a short-term solution. It involved less effort but would take a week to develop. Option 2 was a long-term solution with higher impact and scalability, but it took more effort and four weeks of development.

Option 1 would continue existing practices at the organization. It would save development time and let us continue rolling out mobile app improvements. However, our email marketing wanted to start sending more emails to customers this year. Naturally, that would increase the bounce rate of emails and put more customers at risk of not receiving notices from us.

Option 2 had a higher return on investment, so it was the winner. I ensured it met the operations team's objectives and got the go-ahead from them.

Option 2 delayed updates to our mobile application. This slowed other product marketing and marketing teams from getting the data they needed for future campaigns.

However, the upside of fixing this process allowed us to run campaigns more smoothly.

Key takeaways

Detail the process. Set the stage for your interviewer. What position did you hold, what problem were you facing, and what options did you have to fix it.
Use KPIs. Mention how clear KPIs helped you decide which option to choose. Knowing how to act on data, even in times of uncertainty, is invaluable.
Deliver multiple solutions. Show your interviewer that you deliberated on multiple outcomes and that options were weighted methodically.

Product design interview questions

The most fundamental product manager questions, first and foremost, concern product design.

They're the backbone of PM interviews. Not only that, but they are usually the most fun to answer!

They focus on user experience, interface design, customer journey mapping, and A/B testing.

In these interviews, your interviewer is looking for:

creativity
knowledge of user-centric design principles,
understanding of industry-wide trends,
product vision,
product strategy,
and a passion for product management.

Common product design questions

How would you improve Headspace, the meditation app? Watch a Google PM answer.
How would you build a Facebook product for blood donation? Watch a Yahoo PM answer.
Design a product for drivers driving during rush hour.
Design a fire alarm for the deaf.
Design a shopping app to improve the in-store grocery shopping experience.
Design a better doctor search and visit experience.

Creating an effective product vision takes time. It takes time to develop into a skilled product manager who can think independently.

Watch a Meta product manager in a product design mock interview.

Behavioral interview questions

Behavioral interview questions focus on how well you work on a product management team.

Behavioral questions in tech interviews are typically framed around problem-solving, analytical thinking, teamwork, communication skills, resilience, and adaptability.

Interviewers may ask questions about scenarios where the candidate had to think quickly under pressure or demonstrate creativity when faced with obstacles.

As you answer questions, illustrate your commitment to professional development and team collaboration.

Behavioral interview questions are part of the interview process that assesses your past behavior and performance in your previous jobs.

Common behavioral questions:

Tell me about a time you made a mistake. Watch a Google PM answer.
Tell me about a time you raised the bar. Watch an expert answer.
Tell me about a time you solved pain points for customers. Watch an expert answer this question.
Tell me about a time you handled a difficult stakeholder.
Tell me about when you solved a complex problem and how you went about it.
What was your biggest failure as a product manager?
Tell me about a decision you made based on your instincts.
Tell me about a time when you had a conflict with someone. How did you resolve it, and what did you learn?
Tell me about a time you convinced someone to change their mind.

Estimation interview questions

Many Big Tech companies were well-known for their arduous "estimation" product manager interview questions—Fermi Problems are another name for these interview questions.

But while companies like Google are well-known for their estimation questions, they are being asked less 0ften in tech interviews.

The reason? They aren't always the best way to evaluate product managers and their leadership abilities. They don't do much to accurately depict the day-to-day work of a product management team.

Nonetheless, you should be prepared to answer them during your product manager interviews, just in case.

Common estimation interview questions

Estimate the number of Uber drivers in San Francisco. Watch a Google PM answer.
How many shampoo bottles are sold in the US annually?
Estimate the number of videos watched on YouTube per day.
Estimate the total dollar amount of online sales for fruits and vegetables per year in NYC.
How many quarters do you need to reach the height of the Empire State Building?
Estimate Google Photos storage for Pixel phones.
Estimate the total internet bandwidth needed for a campus of 1000 graduate students.

Product strategy interview questions

Like product design interview questions, strategy questions are another critical component of the product manager interview.

You should know how to conduct competitive and market analysis and create a product roadmap.

Great PM candidates have a strategic understanding of the products their company makes and sells.

Note: Google is famous for its strategy interview rounds.

Common product strategy questions

Should Google go into the ridesharing market? Watch a Capsule Pharmacy PM answer.
If you were the CEO of Microsoft, how would you increase usage for Internet Explorer? Watch a Microsoft PM answer.
How would you increase the number of bookings on Airbnb?
How would you react to a competing product?
Amazon is launching free storage for photos. If you're a Google PM for Photos, what would you do?
How would you monetize Facebook Dating?

This interview section examines a PM's ability to track the competitive landscape. It includes considering and making decisions about high-level product direction.

These questions are very business-focused.

Product sense interview questions

Product sense interviews are a mix of product design and strategy questions. The advice given above for those components applies here as well.

You should be comfortable understanding users, identifying needs, finding solutions, and placing them in the larger context of the company and market.

Common product sense questions

Design a Facebook product to encourage volunteering.
Design a product for drivers during rush hour.
How would you improve Google Maps?
How would you monetize WhatsApp?

Analytical interview questions

Generally speaking, Analytical and Execution product manager interview questions are grouped together.

But there are subtle differences between the two.

These questions concern reasoning with metrics and critical thinking about more abstract product problems.

You'll demonstrate your technical knowledge by listening to user feedback and fixing bugs.

In most cases, PM candidates will be asked these types of questions to assess their experience and competence:

metrics,
statistics,
debugging,
and A/B Testing.

Common analytical questions

Determine Success for Instagram Reels. Watch a Juul PM answer.
Measure LinkedIn Events Success. Watch a LinkedIn PM answer.
If you were the PM for Lyft, what dashboard would you build to track the app's health? Watch an expert answer.
Should Google incorporate “Ad quality” into YouTube videos?
What metrics would you focus on as the PM for YouTube?
Devise A/B tests to improve user frustration with Google Maps.
What should Airbnb's key north star metrics be?
How would you set a goal for FB reactions and measure it?

Execution interview questions

Execution questions are concerned with product execution and the shipping of products. They'll test your technical know-how and ability to explain technical concepts.

They're similar to analytical questions.

Specifically, they attempt to discern whether you can smoothly and efficiently develop and launch products.

These kinds of interview questions have a large scope. More than anything, your job in these interviews is to get the interviewer on the same page.

Explain product management concepts you may take for granted. Make it easy to follow your thought process.

You can expect each of them to assess your:

attention to detail,
your knowledge of the tech industry,
the shipping of products,
and general technical knowledge.

Common execution questions

TikTok usage is down. What do you do? Watch a Dropbox PM answer.
Friend requests are down 10%, what would you do? Watch a Facebook PM answer.
Should Uber Eats be a different app from Uber Rides?
TikTok usage is down. What do you do?
You're a PM at a food delivery app. There's been a 10% decline in restaurant supply over the past week.

Technical interview questions

You might not be asked any technical PM interview questions. They are becoming increasingly rare.

The reason these questions don't show up often is that the role of PM has shifted. Product managers use their time to conduct user research and develop product strategies.

Much of the heavy lifting and software development is passed to engineering teams. However, some product teams may ask that you bring technical skills.

Google, for example, is known for requiring more technical experience than many other companies.

Usually, these questions are very open-ended or abstract.

Typically, they will be based on product design questions. The interviewer will ask you to dive deeper into the technical aspect of the design.

Sample technical questions

How would you handle negative user feedback about YouTube, and how might you address it with the engineering team?
What are the top 3 technology trends that will change the landscapes in the next decade?
How would you explain cloud computing to your grandmother?
How does Google Maps compute ETA?
What happens when you navigate to a website?
How would you diagnose a connection issue with Instagram?
Why is Gmail search slower than Google search?

Interview tips

Every great answer in the PM interview will follow the same general format, regardless of the question.

Take notes

Always actively listen when the interviewer asks questions or lays out the parameters and constraints.

Make a note of the critical points as they go.

Slowing down and demonstrating that you can listen to directions and process information effectively is also beneficial.

Also, spend some time getting to know your interviewer.

Ask clarifying questions

Don't make the mistake of diving headfirst into the question.

Before proceeding, make sure to ask questions. Even if the question appears simple or straightforward, you should always ask your interviewer clarifying questions.

This way, you can determine the most important things to focus on.

Some clarifying questions you can ask your interviewer are:

Is this product targeting a specific set of users or customers?
Which platforms are our target users using?
Is this product being released on a global or domestic scale?

If you can't think of anything, you can always ask, "So, you're asking me to ?" Is that correct?"

Stop and think

Take a few moments to collect your thoughts before answering.

You would be surprised what an extra 10-20 seconds of reflection can do for the quality of your interview answer.

They'd prefer you take your time to organize your thoughts so that your answer is coherent and easy to follow.

As a product manager, you'll need to act quickly. But not so quickly that you wouldn't have a few seconds to collect your thoughts!

Structure your answers

Provide a structure to your answer. Present this structure to your interviewer or hiring manager before diving in.

This is especially true if there is no right or wrong answer to a question!

This is also an excellent chance to sketch this structure on the whiteboard if one is available.

Many PM questions can fit into a simple three-point structure.

For instance, you can begin your answer by saying something like:

“Alright, I’m going to explore three possible products that fit your question and cover the tradeoffs of each. These three products are X, Y, and Z."

Other questions may require a more complex structure. Either way, giving your interviewer a structure beforehand allows them to get a good read on your answer so they can redirect you if necessary.

Explain your answer

Use the whiteboard as much as possible, so long as you have one at your disposal—Every good product manager has a whiteboard, right?

Lastly, sit up straight and display confidence while answering. Don't forget to make eye contact too!

Check-ins

Given the complexity of PM interview questions, it is not uncommon for interviewees to veer off-track.

That's why it is always a good idea to check in with the interviewer and pivot wherever necessary.

One mistake some new interviewees make is trying to prepare answers ahead of time.

Generally speaking, there are three common scenarios when it comes to necessary pivots. These are:

The interviewer presents concerned body language. If an interviewer changed posture or makes gestures, it can indicate that you're off track. Check-in with the interviewer by asking if it's okay to move on to the next part of the answer: "I’ll now move on to the next portion of my answer. Is that okay?”
You realize your answer is wrong. Instead of getting nervous, the solution is to smoothly pivot by finding a way to redirect the answer. One way to do this is to say something like, "Let me rephrase that" or "Let me clarify my answer."
You forget your point. It's okay to ask for some more time by saying something like, "Can I have a moment to think through the rest of my answer?" This shows that you're taking the interview seriously and want to give your best answer.

Review and summarize

Provide a brief summary of your answer.

This doesn't need to be in-depth. Give a 30-second overview of your answer.

Structure this brief summary the same way you did your original answer.

Go slowly

Pretend that your interviewer is a complete stranger. Break down complex topics into easily digestible pieces.

Obviously, don't explain what a smartphone is or why people use apps! But don't be afraid to explain your product philosophy and how you can make a product team great.

While you're answering questions, talk about things like:

What are successful products you've launched as a product manager, and the knowledge you gained?
How do you talk to users and conduct user research?
How would you implement and plan for new features in a product's roadmap?
How do you define a successful product launch?
What metrics do you use to determine if a product is working well?
How do you work with other product managers on your teams?

Pitfalls and traps

Your product manager interview is emotional. Your head is probably buzzing with excitement and nervousness.

Avoid these common pitfalls.

Not finding KPIs

The interviewers want to see that you’re ahead of the curve.

Identify the key performance indicators (KPIs) that revolve around the business.

If you don’t know how the company measures success, how will you know what is best for the product?

While a subscription business will focus on user retention, an e-commerce business might look for repeat purchases.

Not Using the Product

Use the company’s product before the interview. Ask your interviewer for a free trial or beta access if it's behind a paywall.

You may be asked how the user interface or experience can be improved.

If you haven't checked out the product, you'll not only be stumped in the interview but also leave a negative impression on your interviewers!

FAQs

How do I prepare for a product manager interview?

Step 1: Research the company you're applying to. Learn the product manager interview loop for that company.
Step 2: Choose one type of interview question for that role (product sense, behavioral, analytical, strategy, execution, technical, etc).
Step 3: Review the most common interview questions. Create stories from your resume to prepare for your interview. Practice using the STAR method to answer each question.
Step 4: Compare your answers to the most popular answers to interview questions from people who landed the job.
Step 5: Move between interview question categories and repeat.

What makes a good PM interview?

Ultimately, your product manager interview will come down to three things.

Product Vision and Sense: How well can you envision future products to solve user pain points and needs?
Communication: Can you communicate your product ideas and vision to a product team and engineering team to execute?
Culture Fit: Do you align with the company's vision and the ethos of its workers?

Is product management a technical role?

Depending on the company, your product management role may be technical. Companies like Google encourage a solid technical and coding background to succeed in product management positions.

However, many companies don't require a technical background to lead technical teams.

Ace the Product Manager Interview + Questions (2023 Guide)

Top product manager interview questions