Surviving the high-stakes game of product sense interviews
Imagine stepping into a dark forest. Each pathway leads to different outcomes; some to treasure, others to dead ends. Your task is to choose your path wisely, armed only with your knowledge and intuition. In many ways, answering open-ended questions in product sense interviews feels exactly like this: a high-stakes game of exploration and decision-making.
Over countless mock interviews, I’ve watched many fellow explorers, armed with their technical prowess and eagerness to impress, rushing headfirst down these pathways. They scramble to find a definitive answer, the “treasure” at the end of the path. Unfortunately, they often find themselves at a dead end, realizing too late that they’ve missed the essence of the game. But fear not, for I’m here to guide you through this challenging yet rewarding forest.
Principle 1: A two-way conversation
Imagine that each time you step onto a new path, the forest whispers hints to you. The forest here is the interviewer, guiding you subtly toward your destination. To hear these whispers, you must be willing to engage in a two-way conversation, maintaining an optimal talk time ratio of approximately 2:1 or 3:1, with you talking the most. Don’t be the explorer who forges ahead without pausing to listen!
Principle 2: Decipher the ‘what’ and ‘why’ before the ‘how’
When a path splits in two, do you randomly choose a direction, or do you first try to understand why one path might be preferable over the other? Jumping headlong into problem-solving without grasping the problem is like choosing a path at random. Understand the ‘what’ and ‘why’ before you decide ‘how’ to proceed.
Principle 3: The realm of trade-offs
The forest doesn’t hold one single treasure, but multiple ones, each with its pros and cons. Similarly, open-ended questions have many answers, each with its own set of trade-offs. You’re not searching for the ‘right’ answer but assessing which solution fits best given the conditions.
Let’s journey through two hypothetical scenarios:
Scenario 1: A gastronomic adventure
You’ve been tasked with planning a dinner. The forest offers you various paths: a fancy restaurant here, a homely diner there. Before you rush to recommend the fanciest option, consider your party’s needs. What’s their budget? How many people are attending? What’s the purpose of the dinner?
Scenario 2: The fake news conundrum
As we approach the thorny problem of assessing the percentage of fake news on Facebook, many explorers may rush to define fake news and propose a detection method. However, the forest asks you a crucial question: why do you need to understand the ratio of fake news?
Tackling this problem requires a careful exploration of the paths ahead, taking into consideration your available resources, and adjusting your definition of fake news accordingly. Through an open dialogue with the forest (your interviewer), you can show your understanding of the issue at hand and your willingness to work collaboratively towards a solution.
Let’s illustrate how to approach this challenge. Begin by asking the forest about the purpose of the question, the available resources, and the accessible data. Then, propose a strategy like random sampling and manual tagging, considering resource constraints.
After presenting your initial plan, engage in a deeper discussion about implementing machine learning to further refine your strategy. This approach not only showcases your technical skills but also exhibits your strategic thinking and adaptability.
Surviving the forest of product sense interviews involves much more than presenting a definitive answer. It’s about communicating effectively, understanding the underlying business problem, and recognizing potential trade-offs. You’re an explorer, navigating through a rich and complex forest, not merely a treasure hunter seeking a single prize.
Have any thoughts or questions? Let’s start a conversation in the comments below. I’m always excited to learn from you and to make future posts even more beneficial for our collective journey. Happy exploring!
This post is an edited transcript of a video on product sense interviews, adapted for a blog format.
