How NOT to interview a Product Manager

Picture this: you're a founder of a small startup, or maybe the hiring manager at BigTech Corp. You've been told you need a Product Manager (PM): someone magical who can simultaneously handle customer insights, design strategy, engineering drama, marketing dilemmas, and keep calm when the CEO bursts in saying, "Let’s pivot everything!" You're prepared, coffee in hand, notes ready. But are you truly prepared?

A friend recently had to deal with this exact situation. As I always do, I handed them my notes. They loved the "what not to do" parts so much we thought, why not share them with the world? And here we are.

The Junior PM: Save Them from Brain Teaser Trauma

You decide, "Let's keep it simple, pop quiz style!" You ask your fresh-faced junior candidate: "How many tennis balls fit in a Boeing 747?"

Junior PM panics. "Um... a million?" Wrong. Obviously, the correct answer is, "Why on earth are we doing this? Our product is a dating app."

Junior PMs are eager and impressionable, they'll answer absurd questions without blinking, but you'll learn nothing useful. Instead, ask about when they turned user feedback into an impactful feature and watch their eyes sparkle.

How to Avoid Facepalm Moments

• Ask about real experiences, not trivia.
• Evaluate curiosity and adaptability.
• Drop brain teasers—forever.

The Senior PM: Features Aren't Pokémon Cards

To your seasoned Senior PM candidate, you proudly ask: "Tell me every feature you'd add with an unlimited budget."

They cringe internally and reply politely, "First, I'd confirm your users actually want any new features."

Senior PMs navigate complexity, balance trade-offs, and prioritize ruthlessly. Asking for a wishlist is like inviting Gordon Ramsay over and insisting he cooks from ingredients you pulled from your sofa cushions. It's ineffective, messy, and irritating.

How to Avoid Facepalm Moments:

• Discuss strategic trade-offs.
• Explore their prioritization process.
• No wishlists. Seriously.

Director of Product: Blue Isn't a Strategy

Interviewing a Director of Product? You try: "Which shade of blue resonates more: Azure or Cerulean?"

They stare at you like you've just declared pineapple belongs on pizza (it doesn’t). At this level, it's about leading teams, aligning stakeholders, and setting clear strategic visions. They manage senior PMs flirting with silent mutinies and guide juniors away from existential crises.

How to Avoid Facepalm Moments:

• Focus on team leadership and alignment.
• Skip tiny irrelevant details.
• Discuss high-level product strategy.

Chief Product Officer (CPO): Gandalf Doesn't Do GPS

Finally, the CPO. You're whimsical: "Stranded on a desert island, how would you innovate our product to survive?"

They mentally draft their resignation from this imaginary scenario. CPOs think at organizational scales: culture, vision alignment, cohesive product ethos. Discuss culture-building, innovation frameworks, or their philosophy on agility vs. structure. Leave desert islands for Survivor auditions.

How to Avoid Facepalm Moments:

• Engage in discussions on organizational culture.
• Talk about high-level frameworks.
• No survival hypotheticals.

Startup vs Corporate: A Quick Reference

Mixing these expectations is like expecting Shakespeare at a WWE match, probably entertaining but definitely misguided.

The Finale: Drop the Act, Get Real

Interviewing PMs isn't about clever puzzles or hypothetical absurdities. It's about understanding how they think, decide, and inspire others.

Remember, PMs manage chaos daily, don’t add unnecessary stress during interviews. Keep it human, insightful, and authentic.

And for everyone’s sake, enough with the tennis balls.