How to Speak to a Google Product Manager Recruiter

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The first step in becoming a product manager at Google is submitting your resume. From there, if your resume makes it past the first round of screening, you’ll soon move on to a phone screen with a recruiter.

This isn’t the “meat and potatoes” of a Google product manager interview, but it’s important nonetheless. If you come up short here, you won’t make it to the next stage. 

Before we dive into the finer details of how to speak to a Google product manager recruiter, there are some things you need to know:

• A phone screen is designed to confirm that you meet the basic requirements for a product manager position. This includes a focus on your skillset, qualifications, and role-related knowledge. 
• Expect to speak about your experience. The recruiter wants to know what you’ve done, what your career plans are, why you’re interested in Google, etc. 
• You may not have a phone screen with a recruiter. If Google is interested in you or you’re already an employee — if they want to move quickly before another company makes an offer — they may decide to skip this step and move directly to an on-site or video interview. This is a good sign that you’re trending toward an offer.

That’s the basics. Now, let’s get into what you need to know when actually speaking with a Google product manager recruiter.

1. Show your passion

A phone screen with a Google product manager recruiter is nothing to take lightly. If you don’t aggressively show your passion in this conversation, you’re harming your ability to move forward in the interview process.

Your goal is to prove to the recruiter that you’re someone who deserves to be considered. Remember, Google is a dream job for many PMs. You have a lot of competition and Google only hires the best of the best.

One of the top ways to show your passion and impress the recruiter is by having a good “tell me about yourself” answer. Use this time to prove that you’re analytical, that you can execute, and that you know Google as an organization like the back of your hand. 

2. Be honest about the next steps

If (and hopefully when) the recruiter talks about what comes next, be honest about where you currently stand in regards to your preparation. There’s nothing wrong with telling the recruiter that you need additional time to prepare for the rest of the interview process. In fact, they hear this all the time. This won’t be counted as a red mark against your candidacy. 

Remember, PM candidates at Google generally get three tries. Furthermore, after each rejection, you’re disqualified from interviewing for another year. Don’t fail to prepare. Move through the process only when you’re 100 percent ready for anything and everything that will come your way. 

3. Ask for information about the interview process

The Google PM interview process has the potential to change. Even though the overall approach remains the same, slight tweaks here and there are made to optimize for efficiency. The approach the company took in the past may not be exactly the same as in the future. So, you should ask for clarification on how the interview process will unfold. Not only does this give you the knowledge you’re seeking, but it also shows the recruiter that you’re passionate.

Our Google PM interview guide breaks down the timeline, but again, this is subject to change:

The entire Google product manager interview process is structured over a 4-8 week (on average) timeline. Over the course of this duration, you can expect to go through the following processes: 

• Resume and referrals
• Phone screens (2 interviews)
• On-site interviews (4-6 interviews)
• Hiring committee recommendation (Behind the scenes)
• Senior leader review (Behind the scenes)
• Compensation committee recommendation (Behind the scenes)
• Senior executive review (Behind the scenes)
• Job offer!

In an overall sense, you can expect the timeline to look something like this. But since it’s not written in stone, you’ll want to ask for clarification. 

4. Know what level you’re being evaluated on

It’s safe to assume that you know which type of PM job you applied for, but it’s still a good idea to verify this with the recruiter to determine what level you’re being evaluated on. 

When you ask about the level you’re being evaluated on, you’re likely to hear one of the following:

• A direct answer. For example, you’re being considered for an L4 – Product Manager 1 position in our Google Cloud group.
• An open-ended answer. For example, they may want to learn more about you before deciding which level you’re best suited for.

Neglecting to ask this question could lead to a surprise down the road — and that’s not what you want. For instance, you may think you’re interviewing for an L7 – Senior Product Manager position, just to find that it’s actually a Product Manager 3 opening. Maybe this will be a problem for you, maybe it won’t. Either way, it’s better to know up front than to be surprised as you move deeper into the interview process. 

Continue to prepare 

Don’t talk yourself into thinking that you “have it made” just because you’ve scheduled an interview with a Google product manager recruiter. This is an early stage step, so you must continue to prepare for what’s to come. Here’s what you should do:

• Become familiar with commonly asked Google PM interview questions (as well as potential answers). The more of these you review, the more prepared you’ll be as the interviewer asks you one question after the next. 
• Complete a product manager interview prep course. Our course has 100+ online lessons and 50+ video hours. 
• Regularly partake in mock PM interviews. With each mock interview, you’ll learn what you’re good at and the areas that require your attention. You can also receive feedback from your partner. 
• Sign up for group practice sessions. This helps you see that there are many ways to address a PM interview question. You can learn a lot even if you don’t actively participate. 

Now that you know how to speak to a Google product manager recruiter and the steps you must take to prepare for the interview process as a whole, it’s time to get down to business. You have everything you need to impress the people you interview with.