1.
How to Crack the PM Interview by Gayle
McDowell
www.productschool.com

2.
Cracking the
PM Interview
Gayle Laakmann McDowell
Author, Cracking the PM
Interview

3.
The “Perfect” PM
& The Perfect Pitch

4.
The Perfect PM
Leadership
&
Execution
Technica
l
Product
Industry
Business

5.
------ the ------
Perfect PM
------ is a ------
MYTH

6.
What do you have? What do you need?
What do I assume?

7.
The “Good Enough” Pitch
● Quick walk through
● Demonstrations of
success
● Prompt the interviewer
● Hobbies

8.
The Great Pitch
● Tells an [engaging] story
● Addresses your “stereotype”
● Sends a message. Who are you, really?
The Great Pitch

9.
Behavioral Questions

10.
Your Response Should:
● Answer the Question
● Deliver a Positive Message
● Be Well Structured

11.
Job 1 Job 2
Leadership
Successes
Challenges
Mistakes
Conflicts
Developing Your Stories: Strategy 1:

12.
Developing Your Stories: Strategy 2
STRENGTHS:
● Data driven
● Risk taking
● Thoroughness
● Empathy
● Grit
WEAKNESSES:
● Not detail oriented
● Bluntness
● Sensitivity
● Impatient

13.
Well-Structured Responses
● State the “Nugget” First
● Situation, Action, Response

14.
Structure 1:
Nugget FirstA: I’m most proud of program
I set up to …
Q: What accomplishment are you
most proud of?
Nugget First

15.
S
A
R
What was the issue?
What did you do about it?
What was the impact?
What’s the message?
Nugget + ...
S.A.R.

16.
Story 1 Story 2
NUGGET
SITUATION
ACTION
What & Why & How
RESULT
THE MESSAGE
DO DIFFERENTLY
Diagram Your Stories

17.
3 Big Mistakes
● Too little action
● No message
● “We” instead of “I”

18.
Product Design

19.
How would you design an
alarm clock for the blind?
What’s your favorite app? Why?
Pick a Google product.
How would you improve it?

20.
What I’m Looking For
● Communication
● User Empathy
● Creativity
● Judgement
● Product Insight

21.
Designing /
Improving a
Product
1

22.
1. Ask questions
2. Identify users
3. Discuss use cases / motivations / goals
■ Discuss weak points of existing solutions
4. DESIGN
5. Wrap up
How to Tackle
Use the whiteboard!

23.
don’t forget the user

24.
How would you design a
bookcase for children?

25.
Favorite
Products
2

26.
What’s your
favorite __?
● Mobile App
● Website
● Physical Product
● Company Product
Never, ever walk into a PM interview
without prepping these!

27.
1. What problem does product solve?
■ Think about the USER
2. What makes it neat?
3. How is it better than alternatives?
4. [If applicable] How would you improve it?
How to Tackle

28.
Know:
● Why do you love it?
● Who are the users?
● Why do they love it?
● Who’s the competition?
● What are the alternative
products/solutions?
● What issues are there?
How would you improve it?

29.
show me insight.

30.
Other Resources
Gayle.com
CareerCup.com
CrackingThe
CodingInterview.com
Or, follow me online
• facebook.com/gayle
• twitter.com/gayle
• gayle.com
• gayle@gayle.com
• quora.com
More Resources

31.
Part-time Product Management Courses in
San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Los Angeles, New
York, Austin, Boston, Seattle, Chicago, Denver,
London, Toronto
www.productschool.com