How to Pass any First-Round PM Interview

Hello PMs!

Today, I guide you on acing any initial tech interview, even in a challenging job market. I've probably interviewed more than 200+ candidates and coached 80+ individuals in the PM job hunts. Many of them secured positions at top-tier companies like Salesforce, HubSpot and Stripe, without exhaustive prep or relying on chance.

By the way, exciting news – catch me as a speaker at the Product-Led Alliance NYC Summit on March 21, 2024. Let's connect if you're around; more details coming soon!

For now, let’s dive in.

Today at a glance

• Deep Dive: First-Round Interview Framework

• Key Takeaways

• Juicy Weekly Picks

• PM Productivity Tools

Recent issues you may have missed

👉️ Can You Spot a High Agency Product Manager? (Link)
👉️ The Power of First Principle (Link)
👉️ Get in the head of a PM Hiring Manager (Link)

🧐 The science, why is it hard to job hunt?

That’s because you need to consume lots of new information for each employer in a short period. The Cognitive Load Theory explains that individuals have a limited capacity for processing information.

The process of preparing for a job interview involves company research, presentation strategies, CV personalization, behavioral examples, etc. The cognitive load associated with these tasks makes the preparation challenging.

So let me alleviate this stress so you can optimize your success to get your dream job faster!

What’s the REAL first-round interview?

I’m not talking about the HR or the recruiter that you can “easily” pass.

You don’t need me for that, do you?

I’m talking about the one with the hiring manager or a future team member.

First-round interviews commonly focus on behavioral questions, which inquire about your personal experiences, such as "Describe a situation when you faced a conflict with a colleague."

The common first-round interview focuses:

• Resume and online presence

• 1-2 key role competencies

• Cultural fit assessments (direct or indirect) e.g. “Describe your ideal team culture”

Now, let’s get tactical.

1- Get Your Story Straight & Use Mirroring

Understanding and managing your digital footprint is crucial for job seekers. Additionally, preparing for interviews involves knowing your reasons for wanting the role, and the job description alignment.

Action items

• Know your digital footprint

  • Regularly check and assess your online presence on platforms like LinkedIn, Medium, GitHub, and Twitter.

  • Modify content to align with how you want to present yourself professionally.

• Define compelling reasons for wanting the role

  • Clearly articulate strategic and compelling reasons for desiring the job. We just need 1-2 reasons not 5. Simple.

    E.g. For eight years, I've crafted large-scale systems for around 10 million users. Now, I'm eager to elevate my expertise by developing similar technologies for a billion-user scale.

  • Avoid generic reasons like compensation or I love your mission; focus on what you bring to the role/company and your career.

• Use Mirroring in your language (more info here)

  • Match the keywords to your experiences and speak the employer's language

    • Do not lie! Just mirror the jargon.

  • See the screenshot below for one of my PM jobs:

    • Mention those highlighted words and you’ll score more points than 80% of candidates, trust me.

    • E.g “[…] I will run some user research on DEA licensing regulation[…]”

2- Stroll through the Past

To handle interview questions, focus on three recent, significant projects instead of documenting every experience. This approach highlights your current capabilities and offers high-resolution details.

Action items