Finding the perfect product manager for your company can be intimidating. Knowing the right product manager interview questions to ask can increase your chances of finding a reliable and experienced candidate for your open position. Find the perfect product manager with these interview questions.
Values, Goals, and Mission
1. Who are our competitors?
A good product manager has a definitive idea about how to improve the company, but brand awareness is also an important part of the job. How do you measure up against your competition? What does your competitor do differently that make them more or less successful? These are some things that a product manager should know in order to be a great project manager.
2. What are your two main project management principles?
Principles lay the groundwork for any successful job. If this question leaves a candidate with doe eyes, it might be time to consider a different candidate.
3. Why do you want to work for the company?
This Charles Schwab interview question gives the interviewer the opportunity to weed out the people who are just looking for a job and find the ones who won’t make a career of building a better company.
Experience
4. Tell me about a product that you love. Why? How would you improve it?
How well does the candidate think on their feet? Experienced candidates will use relevant skills and prior knowledge to think innovatively and answer on the fly.
5. What technical skills do you have that set you apart?
This question gives the candidate the opportunity to discuss skills that may make them more valuable to the company. Whether that is an experience that forced them to creatively resolve a problem or a special certification; this question could make the difference between a good and great candidate.
6. How would you describe our product to someone else?
Has the candidate done their research? It goes without saying that a candidate’s familiarity and understanding of your product can mean better ideas on how to improve it. A candidate who is able to demonstrate their knowledge of the product also demonstrate their interest in the company and potential of the product.
7. How do you prioritize project work?
This Vanguard product manager interview question assesses the candidate’s experience in the field. The candidate demonstrates their capability to prioritize and disseminate tasks to successfully complete a project in a timely manner.
8. What is a difficult project that you worked on?
Was the candidate stopped by fear or did they pull all their resources together to solve the problem? This Dignity Health question allows the interviewer the opportunity to assess how well the candidate solves problems.
Leadership and Team Management
9. What leadership experience do you have?
Is the candidate capable of leading your team to success? Their experience and relevant certifications are tell-tale signs of whether they’ll sink or swim under the pressure of managing multiple people.
10. Tell me about a time where you had a team conflict – how did you resolve it?
A product manager oversees the success o his or her team’s product. The manager’s ability to resolve team conflict and get the team back on task is important for the success of the team and the product.
Finding an experienced and reliable candidate shouldn’t be hard- fill your position using these product manager interview questions!For more information on Arizona’s best companies and how to attract and retain long-lasting, innovative talent, click here!
