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Rubric for Execution Interviews

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Note: For more detail on how Exponent's interview rubrics work, check out this lesson.

Now that you know how to answer execution questions, let's look at how these are scored.

PM Execution Rubric

Core Skills to Show in Execution Interviews

Execution questions generally assess execution skills, critical thinking and culture fit. Companies often use a scoring system with five options ranging from "missing" or "very weak" to "very strong." Interviewers score core qualities on this five-point scale during each round, and take turns sharing their feedback during the hiring discussion.

Execution skills include the ability to isolate variables and data literacy (can you use data effectively to solve a problem?)

Critical thinking includes logic (both when diagnosing a problem and when communicating), and intuition for problem-solving.

Culture fit includes communication and collaboration.

Let's dive into each.

Ability to Isolate Variables

Isolating variables is key to effectively solving problems in a big tech context. It's easy to get carried away in the possibilities of what may be going wrong; it's up to you as a PM to tease out possible cause and effect relationships and execute a plan to investigate.

  • Very Weak or Missing: Failed to isolate variables when problem-solving.
  • Weak: Variable isolation was sloppy or had obvious errors.
  • Neutral: Isolated variables with reasonable skill, with a nudge or two.
  • Strong: Isolated variables effectively; accounted for likelihood, urgency, cost/benefit, testability, etc.
  • Very Strong: Isolated variables admirably; resulting action plan was elegant and robust.

Data Literacy

Execution questions have a lot in common with analytical questions, especially as they relate to working with data. Interviewers want to see you analyze data; how you identify patterns, suggest tests to run, and draw reasonable conclusions.

  • Very Weak or Missing: Failed to use data to answer the question.
  • Weak: Failed to identify obvious patterns in data.
  • Neutral: Fair ability to reason with data, but missed key points.
  • Strong: Used data effectively; asked good questions, made solid assumptions, formed logical conclusions.
  • Very Strong: Extracted valuable insights from data; identified key patterns, suggested reports/tests to run, made logical arguments.

Logical Thinking

It's easy to let assumptions and even fear get in the way when something's going wrong on-the-job. PMs must be logical thinkers in order to make good decisions -- and convince others. Interviewers want to see clear, logical thinking.

  • Very Weak or Missing: Failed to probe the origin of the problem; rushed into an answer.
  • Weak: Displayed some logical thought processes but made serious errors or needed significant guidance.
  • Neutral: Thought processes were somewhat logical despite a few errors.
  • Strong: Problem was effectively broken down and worked through in a logical way.
  • Very Strong: Flawless logic; no mistakes or oversights, and logical thought was articulated clearly throughout.

Intuition for Problem-Solving

Somewhat related to business acumen, "problem intuition" here means your sense of where the problem likely stems from, and what its impacts may be. This will aid you in prioritization and execution on-the-job. A word of caution - a strong intuition for problem-solving is an asset, but don't let it cloud your judgment. You need to validate every assumption you make, and back up your arguments with data -- both in interviews and in the real world.

  • Very Weak or Missing: Failed to consider context; showed no intuition for where problems are likely to originate.
  • Weak: Intuition was incorrect and / or not justifiable when pressed.
  • Neutral: Reasonable knowledge and intuition for where problems are likely to originate.
  • Strong: Strong sense of likely problem sources; able to test and confirm this intuition effectively.
  • Very Strong: Deep intuition for how the "system" works; plan & solution reflected this.

Communication

Communication is assessed in every interview.

  • Very Weak or Missing: Failed to communicate clearly despite repeated prompts.
  • Weak: Poor communication throughout; interviewer had trouble following despite prompts.
  • Neutral: Communication varied. Clear in some areas but vague / incomplete in others.
  • Strong: Good communication skills; articulated thought process clearly and consistently.
  • Very Strong: Clear, proactive communication; anticipated questions, articulated reasons for decision, "checked-in" throughout.

Collaboration

Execution interviews, just like analytical, require you to collaborate with your interviewer. Don't forget to make use of them as a resource!

  • Very Weak or Missing: Failed to take the lead, didn't respond to guidance.
  • Weak: Struggled to stay on track without guidance.
  • Neutral: Took the lead and performed well, but may have needed redirects or hints.
  • Strong: Effectively led the discussion, involved the interviewer throughout.
  • Very Strong: Took the lead and made exceptional use of the interviewer, discussion was more collaboration than interview.
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