Google product manager interview - really that hard?
My initial phone screen is coming up, and the recruiter told me that I will have a special prep call because the product manager interviews are extra hard and difficult. I read a bunch of stuff online, and every article seems to say about the same thing in terms of potential questions. Here's the thing: it doesn't seem that hard: do some product brainstorming using a framework, be able to do interesting analyses and experimentation design, be able to think of different business factors and forces impacting a product and company, and be able to come up with scalable, creative, and well-designed technical solutions to interesting problems. I'm a high-level high-performing GPM at Microsoft and I've been doing those things for a long time, and asking questions like those in the interviews I run. Am I being completely naïve? Is there something I'm missing around how intense this is going to be?
Its good you were offered that. Been through the phone interviews few times, few years ago. The challenge is PM is broad - can be one of many topics including system (technical) design, one doesn't know what the first screen interviewer will focus!
You are right the questions themselves are not that hard but then it comes to a lot of soft factors and googliness. With those questions there is no one answer, like a programmaining challenge, and what you say, how you answer, those are more important.
Does it include system design? The challenge is that it might be for designing something that we don’t have experience with or not a SME. They don’t ask from the past experiences so it’s good that the recruiter takes the time to go over. I would also ask from which team the interviewer from. Says, if it’s from assistant, it’s like they will ask system design related to assistant ecosystem (even though your role is not there).
I'll be curious to know how it actually went and if you end up getting an offer what level it will be for. If you're a great PM with experience and technical background I agree it shouldn't be too hard
OP - please do share the experience. Many people come and ask questions / clarifications, but dont update afterwards :(
Will do
It also depends on the competency of the interviewer and a bit of luck on picking/getting the right topics, which will give you the opportunity to demonstrate your strength.
What is an example system design? Program in json - hmm not like using json for data exchange? I think one needs good recruiter support who has experience and not misleading. Im told some recruiters underlay the Coding part.. I guess one has to just find out the hard way
I was asked about distributed systems design that I nailed and then another interviewer asked me to program in Json despite being told that programming was not a requirement for the role:(
I read “Cracking the PM Interview” and “Decode and Conquer” and while they helped, it really boils down to the randomness of what you get. I’m a solid PM who really tries to keep current with the industry and I have folks that I know at Google that vouch for my work, but it’s the damn interview process that’s the killer. First of all, it can take up to 6 weeks, and at every point you’re being scored, and if you don’t score high enough at any point, that’s it. Choose each word super carefully, as the interviewer will *NOT* try to steer you in any direction. They are friendly, but not helpful. You’re being scored on everything you say (and don’t say). It’s seemingly easy and friendly, but it’s actually very difficult, so just be prepared and don’t be caught off guard.
Personally, I think practicing PM interviews is far more helpful than just reading through frameworks. I'd recommend http://thepminterview.com as a fairly good free resource
Any updates OP ?
Sounds like you know what to do given your experience; doesn’t mean they’ll like all your answers! 😄 Good luck.
Agree