Grading Advice No. 11: Zero-to-One (0-1)

This is part of a series on how to be a good mock partner and ask the right questions. It is also great for thinking like a hiring manager to better prepare for your pending interviews.

To see the rest of the articles in the series, find the list here.

The Rationale

For companies big and small, hiring managers are looking for someone who has taken something from idea to implementation (bonus points for doing it quickly). We don’t get a lot of experience doing this from core ideation to actual launch in real life.

Five Stages

• Problem Identification

• The Plan

• Execute

• GTM

• Launch

Love-Hate Relationship

In a world where most of us move every 2 years or get re-organized (outside our control) before we can see the product launch most people don’t really own all five steps outside of startups. We typically get brought in to optimize or implement someone else’s plan. Most people who genuinely do repeat zero-to-one product launches are in startups for a reason.

This question is becoming more and more common, even outside startups. I am torn on the prompt. Part of me hates it; most people haven’t done zero-to-one again and again. But it is a great way to see if someone truly understands the abovementioned process. If you can do that, you can handle most aspects of building products and stay focused.

Because many people don’t have true zero-to-one experience, I will give you two ways to help your partner.

Zero-to-One Experience

If your partner has been through the above mapped-out process, grade them on illustrating all of the above.

Common Problems include:

• Rambling

• Getting too in the Weeds

• Not following the Rule of Three

• Taking too long

• Not being sure where to focus

• Trying to sell all of the aforementioned points

No True Zero-to-One Experience

My advice, ask the recruiter if this is a make-or-break requirement for the role. If it is and you don’t have the experience, they have 2 options

• Politely be honest and step back from the process

• Take it as a practice interview.

If you go for the practice interview route, be honest and say that you never have done something from absolute zero-to-one but you have owned X that had you owning from X to Y. Then tell why you think it illustrates what they need to see.