How to Answer ANY Product Management Interview Question

Summary

In this video, Steven, a former Google product manager and co-founder of Exponent, shares essential tips for acing product management interviews. He emphasizes the importance of active listening, asking clarifying questions, pausing to think, structuring answers, explaining your thought process, pivoting when necessary, and summarizing your response. These strategies ensure clear communication and a memorable impression on the hiring team.

Takeaways

• 👂 Active Listening: The script emphasizes the importance of actively listening and taking notes during an interview, noting keywords and important points.
• 🔍 Clarifying Questions: It's crucial to ask clarifying questions to understand the interviewer's expectations and details, even if the question seems straightforward.
• 🤔 Pause and Think: Before answering, it's recommended to pause for a moment to consider the approach, which can improve the quality of the response.
• 📝 Structured Answer: The script suggests structuring the answer in a clear way, possibly using a three-point format, and communicating this structure to the interviewer.
• 🖊️ Visual Aids: Using visual aids like a whiteboard or diagram can help in presenting a structured answer and make it easier for the interviewer to follow.
• 💡 Explain Thoroughly: Dive into the details of the answer, explaining the thought process clearly and confidently, making good use of eye contact and body language.
• 🔄 Pivot and Check-In: If the interviewer shows concern or if the answer seems flawed, it's important to pivot smoothly and check in with the interviewer to ensure alignment.
• 🕒 Request Time: If forgetting a point, it's acceptable to ask for more time to think, rather than rushing through a potentially flawed answer.
• 🔚 Summarize: At the end of the answer, summarize the key points in a concise manner, reinforcing the structure and points made earlier in the response.
• 📈 Follow-up Resources: The video offers additional resources for interview preparation, such as courses, coaching, and a community of experts through Exponent.
• 📺 Subscribe and Engage: Encourages viewers to like, subscribe, and engage with the content for better visibility and to support the channel's growth on YouTube.

Q & A

Why is it important to actively listen and take notes during a product management interview?

Active listening and note-taking are crucial for capturing keywords and important points in the question. This shows the interviewer that you are interested and excited to answer, which can make you memorable to the hiring team.

How can showing enthusiasm and interest benefit a candidate in a product management interview?

Enthusiasm and interest can make a candidate stand out as memorable to the hiring team when they compare notes, which is a significant factor in the interview process.

What is the significance of asking clarifying questions before answering in a PM interview?

Asking clarifying questions ensures that you understand the most important details and the interviewer's expectations, which helps in providing a more accurate and relevant response.

What are some sample clarifying questions one might ask during a product management interview?

Sample questions include inquiring about the product scope for a particular set of users, the platforms used by the users, whether the launch is international or domestic, or confirming the task at hand.

Why is it recommended to pause and think before answering a question in a PM interview?

Pausing for 10 to 15 seconds allows the interviewee to consider their approach, leading to a more coherent and cogent response, which is appreciated by interviewers.

What is the recommended structure for delivering an answer in a product management interview?

A simple and effective structure is a three-point answer, which can be communicated to the interviewer and visually represented on a whiteboard or diagram.

How can a candidate effectively explain their thought process during a PM interview?

By diving into the details of their answer, confidently explaining their thought process, making eye contact, and using visual aids like a whiteboard or diagrams.

What should a candidate do if they realize their answer is wrong during a PM interview?

They should figure out a smooth way to pivot mid-answer, acknowledging the flaw and shifting their response towards a corrected direction.

How can a candidate handle forgetting the point they were making during an interview?

If a candidate forgets their point, they should ask for a few moments to think, and if necessary, pivot gracefully to skip over the missing information.

Why is summarizing the answer at the end of the interview response important?

Summarizing helps to reiterate the key points made during the interview, ensuring clarity and reinforcing the structure of the response in the interviewer's mind.

What resources does Exponent offer to help candidates prepare for product management interviews?

Exponent offers in-depth interview courses, private coaching, and a community of experts to help candidates prepare for even the toughest PM interview questions.

Outlines

00:00

🗣️ Mastering Product Management Interview Techniques

In this segment, Steven, a former Google product manager and co-founder of Exponent, emphasizes the importance of active listening and note-taking during product management interviews. He suggests maintaining eye contact and showing enthusiasm to make a memorable impression. The video encourages viewers to like and subscribe to Exponent for more content. Steven outlines a seven-step strategy for interview success: asking clarifying questions, pausing to think, structuring answers, explaining in detail, pivoting when necessary, and summarizing at the end. He provides tips for each step, such as writing the structure on a whiteboard and using visual aids to enhance clarity. The segment concludes with a reminder to subscribe for weekly videos and to visit Exponent for further interview preparation resources.

05:00

📺 Join Exponent for Weekly Product Management Insights

The second paragraph serves as a call to action, inviting viewers to subscribe for new videos every week and to visit Exponent's website to become a member. It offers a platform for ongoing learning and community engagement, positioning Exponent as a valuable resource for those seeking to excel in product management roles. The paragraph ends with a simple 'Thanks for watching,' expressing gratitude for the viewer's time and engagement with the content.

Keywords

💡Product Management Interview

A product management interview is a process where candidates are assessed for their ability to manage and lead the development of products. In the video, it is the central theme, focusing on how to effectively answer questions in such interviews. The script provides strategies like active listening and note-taking, asking clarifying questions, and structuring responses.

💡Active Listening

Active listening is the process of fully concentrating, understanding, responding, and then remembering what is being said. The video emphasizes its importance in interviews, suggesting candidates should not just listen but actively engage by jotting down notes and maintaining eye contact to show interest.

💡Notes

Notes refer to the written records taken during an interaction, capturing key points or questions. The script advises candidates to take notes during the interview to help in recalling and addressing the specifics of the questions asked.

💡Clarifying Questions

Clarifying questions are asked to seek further information or to ensure understanding. The video suggests that candidates should ask such questions to grasp the interviewer's expectations and to confirm their understanding of the question, using examples like inquiring about the product scope or user platforms.

💡Pause and Think

This concept encourages interviewees to take a moment before responding to gather their thoughts. The video mentions that pausing for 10 to 15 seconds can significantly improve the quality of answers by allowing candidates to formulate a coherent response.

💡Structure

Structure in the context of answering interview questions refers to organizing thoughts in a logical and coherent manner. The video provides a tip to outline the structure before answering, such as a three-point answer, which helps in delivering a clear and concise response.

💡Whiteboard

A whiteboard is a tool used for visual representation of ideas during discussions or presentations. The script suggests using a whiteboard to diagram the structure of the answer, which can serve as a visual aid for both the interviewer and the candidate.

💡Pivot

Pivot in an interview context means to change direction or adjust the approach in response to feedback or realization of a mistake. The video discusses how to recognize when an answer may be off track and how to smoothly transition to a new point or correct an error.

💡Body Language

Body language includes the gestures, postures, and movements made by the interviewer that can indicate their reactions or feelings. The script advises candidates to pay attention to the interviewer's body language as a cue to pivot or check in on their understanding.

💡Summarize

Summarizing is the act of briefly restating the main points of a discussion or answer. The video emphasizes the importance of summarizing at the end of the response to reinforce the key messages conveyed during the interview.

💡YouTube Algorithm

The YouTube algorithm refers to the process by which YouTube selects and recommends videos to users. The script mentions it in the context of encouraging viewers to like and subscribe to help the channel grow and be more visible on the platform.

💡Coherent

Coherent means logically connected and easy to follow. The video stresses the importance of providing coherent responses during interviews, which can be achieved by pausing to think and structuring the answer before speaking.

💡Trade-offs

Trade-offs refer to the process of balancing competing priorities or making decisions that involve giving up one thing in order to gain another. The script uses this term when suggesting a structure for answers, implying that candidates should explain the pros and cons of different options.

Highlights

Importance of listening and taking notes during product management interviews.

Active listening and note-taking for capturing keywords and important points.

Making frequent eye contact and showing enthusiasm to be memorable.

Encouragement to like and subscribe to Exponent for YouTube algorithm benefits.

Asking clarifying questions to understand the interviewer's expectations.

Sample questions for clarification to ensure alignment with the interviewer.

The value of pausing and thinking before answering to improve answer quality.

Advising against rushing to answer and the benefits of a brief pause.

Structuring answers with a clear introduction and three-point format.

Suggestion to use visual aids like a whiteboard for structuring answers.

Explaining the thought process in detail during the interview.

Advice on maintaining confidence and making effective use of visual cues.

Pivoting and checking in with the interviewer to gauge the effectiveness of the answer.

Strategies for handling pitfalls such as incorrect answers or forgotten points.

The importance of summarizing the answer within 30 seconds.

Reiterating key points from the answer to reinforce the message.

Final advice on sticking to the structure and communicating changes clearly.

Promotion of Exponent's resources for interview preparation and community support.

Transcripts

in this video we're going to talk about

how to structure your answers to product

management interview questions my name

is Steven I'm a former Google product

manager and I'm the co-founder of

exponent

number one listen and take notes it may

seem obvious but the most important part

of napm interviews starts with listening

and taking notes don't just listen

actively listen jot down notes as you

hear the question for keywords or

important points make frequent eye

contact with the interviewer and show

that you're interested and excited to

answer the question showing enthusiasm

and interest in the interview process

will go a long way in being memorable

when the hiring team Compares notes by

the way be sure to like this video And

subscribe to exponent if you want to see

more content like this it goes a long

way on the YouTube algorithm to help

channels like ours grow number two ask

clarifying questions before answering a

question ask a question no matter how

straightforward the question is they

asked you ask clarifying questions to

understand the most important details

and your interviewers expectations if

you're unsure here are some sample

questions you might ask

is this product scope to a particular

set of users what platforms are our

users on are we launching

internationally or domestically or if

you have no other questions you can say

okay you're asking me to blank is that

correct fundamentally this step ensures

that you and your interviewer are on the

same page number three pause and think I

know it's tempting to jump into an

answer and to be honest most PM

interview candidates are great talkers

but stop don't speak yet as an interview

coach I notice huge increases in the

quality of PM interview answers when the

interviewee pauses for even just 10 to

15 seconds to consider their approach it

may feel like your interviewer expects

an immediate answer but trust me they'll

appreciate it much more when you have a

coherent and cogent response slow it

down number four structure your answer

after thinking you'll need to deliver a

structured answer to the question walk

through your structure before answering

Pro tip this is a great opportunity to

write the structure on a whiteboard or

diagram in a zoom chat as you speak the

simplest structure is a three-point

answer your intro sentence could be okay

I'm going to cover three potential

products that answer your question and

explain the trade-offs of each the three

products are one two and three

now your interviewer has a sense of your

answer structure and can redirect you as

needed number five explain here's the

meat of the interview question dive into

the details of your answer and explain

your thought process depending on the

interview question you want to structure

and present your answer differently it

might be a product design question or

perhaps an execution question generally

make sure to sit tall confidently

explain your answer and make eye contact

use the Whiteboard or visual cues

liberally it's a great visual aid for

your answer number six pivot and check

in now let's talk about how you can tell

if you're doing a good job if not learn

how to Pivot and change your answer to

still make the most of your interview

time here are some possible pitfalls on

how to Pivot out of them for instance is

your interviewer giving concerning body

language based on your interviewer's

posture or gesturing it seems like

perhaps you're not on the right track

pause where appropriate and check in

okay I've just answered the first part

of my question I'll now move on to the

next segment is that all right a second

scenario could be maybe you realize that

your answer is wrong this happens

frequently Midway through talking you

realize your answer is flawed in a

fundamental way and you want to change

your answer don't fret this is actually

really common during PM interviews

depending on your personal style figure

out a smooth way to Pivot mid answer for

instance as I discuss this point I

realize there are several flaws with my

answer I'd actually like to shift my

answer a bit toward XYZ another common

error is that you might forget the point

that you were trying to make ideally

this wouldn't happen because you've

already defined a clear structure but it

happens and if you blank out don't worry

nine times out of ten you just need a

bit more time to think about the answer

so ask for it here's how you might say

that okay I'll need a little bit more

intermediate time to think through the

second part of the question could you

give me a few moments and eventually if

you can't remember it gracefully pivot

to skip over that missing information

the key here is to calmly and smoothly

explain your answer be confident classic

mistake is that interviewees set up an

awesome structure but then somehow the

interviewee goes completely off track

and the interviewer is lost stick to

your structure or communicate your

changes clearly if a change is necessary

number seven summarize your answer

you're almost there but there's one

critical step left in no longer than 30

seconds reiterate what you've told your

interviewer using the same structure

that you defined in step four

in summary we've discussed X Y and Z and

there you have it the perfect structure

to any product management interview

question

I hope this video was helpful for more

interview prep content exponent has the

best resources to help you Ace your PM

interviews including in-depth interview

courses private coaching and a community

of experts ready to help you prep for

even the toughest questions hit that

subscribe button for new videos every

single week and go to try exponent.com

to become a member today thanks for

watching

thank you