Prompt of the Day: Why this role at this company?
This is part of a series on product management interview prompts.
Question: Why are you interested in this role at this company?
Source: Various
Advice: This is typically asked when the interviewer either out of curiosity or to test your passion for the company.
I am sharing a general description of the challenges I am thinking about discussing. These are not proper introductions. I am sharing because sometimes my clients find knowing the general type of situation I use as an example is inspiring, helping them find an example from their own career to use during their interviews.
My (working) Answer: I tailor my answer based on the role and the company. I might say: I am excited to apply my experience as a coach to mentor the team while also getting the chance to role up my sleeves and own the execution of a core product within the company excites me. This will afford me the opportunity to both learn and give back. I will be challenged while still bringing a lot to the table.
This is where those who applied the ‘spray and pray’ method will fall flat on their faces. If you don’t know why you are interested in the role, you will sound flat, at best. You should be reading the job description before each interview in today’s competitive market. Know what they are looking for and sell yourself. (Note: Sometimes the job description and the recruiter pitch change and you will get caught off guard. But try your best anyway.)
