Bias in Interviewing

Anyone who tells you they have a 10 out of 10 example of an interview is likely exaggerating. They mean well, but the reality of PM interviews is that human bias is rife. And 10 out of 10 for L5 would be a fail for a leader. So, take everything with a grain of salt. 

There are some rules of thumb. But no two interviewers grade the same way, particularly at Google. At Meta/Facebook the training is more consistent. But there are still HUGE variations on what counts as passing. 

Generally speaking, companies are looking for: 

1. Comfort with Ambiguity

2. Strategic Insights (Users, Tech, Situational, etc)

3. User Empathy

4. Creativity

5. Structured by not Robotic or too formulaic.

Different companies have different cultural biases at play. For example, Google wants things to feel more conversational. And if you aren’t perfectly structured, they will still try to find your true intent. Meanwhile, Facebook/Meta is more focused on structure and clarity of thought and prefers structure over conversational. Many folks who nail Facebook fail Google. And the reverse is true as well. 

So, when someone claims they have a 10 out of 10 example, take it with a grain of salt. Every interview and every interview sample has imperfections.