You prepare for a product manager interview with the idea of “knocking it out of the park.” You hope that your performance leads to a second interview or a job offer. However, there’s no guarantee. Even if you impress the interviewer, it doesn’t always result in an offer.
Landing a product manager interview is no simple task. That’s especially true if you’re seeking a position at one of the world’s top tech giants, such as Amazon, Facebook, or Microsoft.
As you begin your search for your next product manager role, it’s helpful to have a shortlist of the companies that are actively hiring. This allows you to narrow your search and spend your resources in the best possible way.
Is it possible to become a product manager without a technical background? This one question is powerful enough to stop you dead in your tracks. And if that happens, you may never realize your goal of becoming a PM.
There’s no denying the fact that you can learn a lot on your own. This holds true in every walk of life, ranging from school subjects to sports. And that’s especially true in today’s day and age where knowledge of any subject is available online within a matter of seconds.
As an aspiring product manager, one of your primary goals is to land an interview with at least one company on your shortlist. And while that sounds easy enough — especially when you consider how many open PM jobs there are — it’s anything but that. Competition for these jobs has never been greater, which makes it a challenge to get your foot in the door.
What does the typical day in the life of a product manager entail?
While we answer this question below, there’s something you need to know. No two days are the same. Even if you have a basic structure to guide you, every day is different and every day is busy. And that’s why so many people love this career path.
Practice makes perfect. This saying holds true in almost every facet of life, and that’s definitely the case when it comes to preparing for a product manager interview. Without proper practice, you’ll find it difficult — if not impossible — to land a PM role.
In many ways, preparing for a product manager interview with a startup is the same as an established company (like Facebook, Google, and Microsoft).
For example, at a minimum, you should do the following:
Take it one category at a time:
Everywhere you go online (and off), it’s “crypto this” and “blockchain that.” Of course, this makes sense when you consider that the global cryptocurrency market is currently in the $2.52 trillion range. With a full-time job in crypto, I’ve personally experienced the growth of the industry across the board.
For many years, Amazon has been one of the most attractive companies for product manager applicants. There are many reasons for this ranging from competitive pay (with an average salary of $172k/year) to a continual expansion into new industries.
For example, Amazon is more than a leading online retailer.
There’s no simple answer to the question of how long it takes to get your first product manager job. It depends on a variety of factors, such as your work experience, education, and interview preparation — and that’s just the start.
