How to Pass the Product Manager Interview

Product Management: It’s listed in the Top 10 Hottest Tech Jobs of 2016. You want to be one and you’re looking for advice on nailing that upcoming interview.

You came to the right place.

During my time at MongoDB I’ve interviewed countless candidates for a product role — only some really stood out. Some are completely forgettable. In a world where there are over 20 candidates applying for the same position, what can you do to make sure that you’re the one that really impresses your interviewer?

Research the product, target market and competition

Ok, this might sound obvious, but you’d be surprised at how many candidates haven’t done their homework.

For product manager candidates I look to test 3 key areas.

1. It’s important that you understand the product.

I want to see that you have at least a basic understanding of what the product is, what it’s used for, what problem it solves and how it solves it. It shows that you are able to understand the need for the product and understand any limitations in the way it is designed. I’m not expecting a detailed understanding, but hey, if you want to impress me then come at me with a list of things that you think could be improved in the product based on having played around with it.