Common Pitfall: Not Sharing Thought Process

Mar 15

Crisp communication is crucial during product interviews. The more senior PMs get, typically, the clearer their communications.

Lately, I see a lot more rambling in candidates. I think part of the issue is nerves as the number of opportunities dwindles while the pool of candidates increases. Most of the rambling comes from not expressing what they are about to say.

You should almost always be presenting some sort of introclusion during a PM interview case.

Tell them how you plan to proceed. Your high-level framework.
- Today I would like to share some quick thoughts on why this is an important problem to solve. Then segment some users. After identifying their pain points, I will come up with solutions. If time permits, I will share some metrics for success based on the goal we are seeking to achieve. Does that sound good? Or would you prefer a different approach?
Then drip your framework for each section.
- i.e. Now, I am going to focus on user segmentation. First I will identify some users. Then I will prioritize one group. WIth that in mind, I will identify some pain points as I think about their core journey.
In Execution Questions: Tell them why then what you will measure. Share your logic to remove the cognitive load from the interviewer’s mind.
- i.e. Because Instagram needs to consider both consumers and creators, I will not only could the number of videos uploaded per week, but also the number of unique creators uploading at least one video per week.

When you share your thought process, you get out ahead of the interviewer’s questions. You show them you are connecting the dots and not just rambling with the first thought that comes to your mind.

Challenge:

Next time you do a mock interview, listen to your partner.

Are they clear about where they are heading?
Or do they just sound as if they are rambling?
Do you know what they mean, but deep down, you know you are connecting the dots in your mind?
Have they clearly connected the concepts when presenting their thoughts to you?

The Common Interview Pitfalls Series

Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash