A technical product supervisor is a crucial piece of the product administration puzzle. It’s important to search out the proper profile to fill on this place. For that motive, realizing some frequent technical product supervisor interview questions will help – whether or not you’re a hiring supervisor or a TPM candidate.
From bigger tech firms like Google, Amazon, and Apple, to small Silicon Valley startups, technical product managers are rising in demand all over the place.
The profession path is actually profitable, with thrilling perks and good-looking pay packages, however it’s additionally a kind of jobs that not everybody can do.
Whether or not you’re a technical skilled making ready for a job interview or a recruiter refining the technical product administration interview course of, hold studying. On this article, I’ll record the most typical/anticipated technical product supervisor interview questions. If you happen to’re fascinated with studying through video, then watch beneath. In any other case, skip forward.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PldTh9nqa44&ab_channel=ProductManagerHQ
High 15 Technical Product Supervisor Interview Questions
Hiring a technical product supervisor isn’t precisely a stroll within the park.
As talked about earlier, it’s an especially vital function that may determine the very way forward for an upcoming (or an present) product.
Therefore, technical product supervisor interviews can final for so long as an hour (generally even longer).
However what may the recruiter probably ask? I took the freedom of gathering 15 of the most typical technical product supervisor interview questions, and splitting them up into the next classes:
- “Toe dipping” questions
- Technical questions
- Miscellaneous questions
Let’s see what they’re.
“Toe Dipping” Questions
Earlier than entering into the specifics, a hiring supervisor ought to ideally begin by discovering out whether or not or not the candidate is appropriate for the place.
I name these “toe-dipping” questions as a result of it’s just like checking the temperature of a pool to see if it’s proper.
That’s what they’d wish to do – see if the particular person they’re interviewing is correct, to keep away from losing their time on the incorrect particular person.
To do that, skilled recruiters will ask the next (or at the very least one thing comparable):
1. What features of product administration do you discover thrilling?
At first, this may occasionally sound like a super-generic and overused query.
However imagine me, it’s essential.
That is the prospect to gauge what product administration means for the candidate.
Recruiters will use this query to evaluate the priorities of the potential TPM. To be particular, they’ll wish to see if the candidate is captivated with:
- Inventive/Out-of-thinking
- Downside-solving
- Creating new issues
- Understanding buyer calls for
- Working with completely different groups
- Pushing their psychological limits to realize one thing nice
I feel we are able to all agree that all the pieces I discussed above is what makes product administration lovely.
If the candidate lists the incorrect causes, similar to respectable pay or the prospect to boss individuals round, the interviewer may mark it down as a pink flag.
If you happen to’re in search of technical interview questions extra in-depth, now we have a Technical Product Supervisor Certification that goes over these questions and extra.
2. Clarify the function of a technical product supervisor as in the event you had been speaking to a 7-year-old.
A straightforward technique to inform if an individual is skilled of their discipline is to ask them to elucidate what they do.
An individual with little expertise will present a protracted job description, sprinkled with jargon that even they in all probability don’t absolutely perceive.
Alternatively, an skilled skilled will share a considerably shorter description with out utilizing any business jargon.
Hiring managers usually slip on this request of their record of technical product supervisor interview questions. It’s a intelligent (and reasonably unorthodox) means of testing whether or not they actually perceive what the job is all about and what it precisely entails.
You’d be shocked to know that even some gifted candidates battle with merely describing their JD. Some may even go so far as protesting that it’s not possible, as a result of purely technical nature of the job.
Nonetheless, that’s not the case.
In case you’re questioning, right here’s how I’d describe the technical product administration function to a 7-year-old: “I assist create stuff that makes life simpler.”
3. How does your function differ from a typical product supervisor?
As you may in all probability inform, issues are getting a bit extra particular at this level.
The interviewer isn’t in search of an correct response or a textbook definition.
Ideally talking, the candidate’s reply shouldn’t replicate that they’d prohibit themselves to the technical facet of issues (if chosen for the function).
Positive, they’ll record down among the most important obligations, however they need to additionally perceive that in tight deadlines and intense phases, everybody finally ends up doing all the pieces.
That is their likelihood to step up and present that they’d be keen to go above and past the decision of responsibility and assume extra obligations of product administration, that are often not part of the job description.
4. Inform me a couple of product that you simply love.
The essential a part of this query — or the reply to it — just isn’t the product itself, however the candidate’s clarification of why they love that product.
It will inform the interviewer quite a bit concerning the candidates’ understanding of what’s behind good product growth and about their ardour for the sphere.
Mentioning one thing they’d change on the product is a plus. This demonstrates a way of crucial pondering that any good technical product supervisor should have.
5. What’s it about our product(s) that excites you?
Needless to say the interviewer may select to ask this query proper at first (in truth, these questions have been listed in no explicit order – they’ve merely been categorized).
Strong preparation is the mark of a robust candidate.
In the event that they don’t know the product they’d be engaged on, it’s going to look dangerous.
In case they’re not conscious of the venture they’re being interviewed for, they need to at the very least do a little analysis about their potential employer.
Technical Clarification Questions
That is the place issues get a little bit thrilling (or intimidating – relying on the place you stand and who you might be on this scenario).
With the assistance of the next questions, the interviewer can gauge the candidate’s technical background, expertise, and related life experiences of the candidate:
1. What technical expertise do you could have that set you aside?
This query is a chance for candidates to focus on their strengths and description what technical expertise will assist them succeed on the job. The candidate’s expertise in answering technical questions should align with the place necessities. It will present recruiters that the potential rent understands what it takes to achieve the function.
The best way that this query is answered may make the distinction between a great and an awesome candidate clear for recruiters.
2. Do you could have expertise with XYZ methodologies?
Growing a brand new product from scratch – whether or not it’s a light-weight B2C SaaS or a complete suite for enterprise managers – takes time.
However product groups don’t have on a regular basis on this planet. There are deadlines to satisfy and opponents to beat.
To maintain up with all of these technical challenges, and make sure the product’s success, individuals have provide you with completely different methodologies through the years.
Probably the most widely known is the agile methodology.
To check the candidate’s technical know-how and degree of hands-on expertise, a recruiter may ask if they’ve ample expertise with any of the methodologies.
3. What’s it about our product that you’d change? (Or any favourite product)
This goes again to the significance of preparation and judging the candidate’s potential to carry out below strain.
Recruiters ought to search for candidates who can take a great product and switch it into an awesome product, and never simply create one thing mediocre.
In the event that they’re in a position to counsel some new promising product options through the interview, they have already got one foot contained in the door.
On the very least, they need to have some recent concepts for brand new product options for any of their favourite merchandise (apart from what their potential employer is aiming for).
4. How would you deal with a technical hiccup?
This query considerably overlaps with the earlier one.
That’s as a result of the recruiter needs to know the way the candidate would deal with a hectic technical scenario. It might be something – a bug within the code, an issue with the design, buyer suggestions, and others.
Moreover, they’d wish to see if they’d use the perfect practices to beat the technical problem. with their staff(s).
Whereas technical particulars of the solutions might range, the absolute best means is to sketch out a tough roadmap or the step-by-step course of they’d take to deal with the scenario.
Moreover, the candidate must also provide you with a good reiterative resolution/framework to forestall that technical error from taking place once more.
5. Would you be extra comfy managing an engineering staff, gross sales/advertising and marketing division, or each?
One other one of many generally requested technical product supervisor interview questions is expounded to teamwork.
Product administration is a really hands-on discipline.
Communication, collaboration, and consistency – or as I wish to name them, the “3 Cs of product” – are key to successful the race.
Whether or not you’re a daily PM, a TPM, or a PMM (product advertising and marketing supervisor), it is advisable to have a knack for teamwork.
Working in silos and resisting collaboration with different departments is a traditional recipe for catastrophe.
Positive, a TPM would primarily be concerned with the engineering/design staff, however they’d additionally should work intently with gross sales, advertising and marketing, and different departments to make sure the product’s success.
6. Let’s say you get a finances reduce. How would you deal with such a scenario?
When creating a brand new product, prioritization issues quite a bit.
The power to “prioritize duties” is usually included within the required skillsets of TPM job descriptions.
A sudden finances reduce (or only a tight finances proper from the start) can hamper progress and drive growth groups to chop corners.
Nonetheless, it might additionally encourage inventive pondering.
To gauge the place the candidate stands, the recruiter may pop this query through the interview.
Not solely will this assist inform concerning the candidate’s mindset, but additionally their potential to cope with executives.
Miscellaneous Questions
The remaining technical product supervisor interview questions don’t fall into any particular class.
They primarily lean a bit in direction of private territory.
Let’s check out what they’re.
1. Do you could have any expertise managing a staff?
Once more – a recruiter might select to ask this query proper at first.
Whereas managing a staff is a big plus, it’s actually not a prerequisite.
If the candidate has ample expertise of their discipline, spectacular data, and a confirmed monitor file, it doesn’t matter in the event that they by no means bought the chance to supervise a staff.
2. What’s essentially the most thrilling venture you’ve ever labored on?
This query has the identical essence because the very first one.
The interviewer can use the information and aggressive evaluation on this query to see the kind of work the candidate enjoys (and whether or not their pursuits align with that of their group).
3. How would you work together with customers and clients?
The reply to this query will reveal candidates’ expertise dealing with consumer interviews and the way they leverage customers’ suggestions. Totally different from what many suppose, technical product managers should even have robust communication expertise.
Hiring managers ought to search for structured processes that contain particular person and group interviews, consumer boards, analytics, and surveys.
4. Your staff makes a crucial mistake. How would you deal with the scenario?
Lastly, the recruiter would wish to check maybe a very powerful mushy talent wanted to turn into a technical product supervisor – management.
When issues go south, an awesome chief doesn’t throw their engineering staff members below the bus.
As a substitute of pointing fingers, they settle for the duty for the failure.
They usually don’t simply cease there – they go one step forward and provide you with a technical resolution to forestall this from taking place once more.
If the candidate’s reply ticks each of these bins, they’re golden.
Ultimate Remarks
Everybody is aware of the perfect practices and the unwritten guidelines of morality, however when deadlines shut in and feelings run excessive, some individuals crumble below the strain.
Nonetheless, with the precise questions and solutions, recruiters can filter candidates proper from the start, making certain a clean product launch.
FAQS
Listed here are solutions to the questions concerning the technical product administration interviews:
What ought to I count on in a technical product supervisor interview?
In a technical product supervisor interview, count on questions that assess your technical experience, understanding of engineering processes, product lifecycle data, technical prowess, and talent to resolve complicated product-related issues.
How do I put together for a technical PM interview?
To arrange for a technical PM interview, strengthen your technical data related to technical features of the product, follow explaining complicated technical ideas clearly, and put together case research that display your problem-solving and venture administration expertise.
What’s the function of a technical product supervisor?
The function of a technical product supervisor includes bridging the hole between engineering groups and enterprise groups, managing product roadmaps, analyzing key efficiency indicators, defining technical necessities, and making certain that technical options align with enterprise targets.
How can I be a great technical product supervisor?
To be a great technical product supervisor, develop a robust technical basis, improve your problem-solving expertise, preserve wonderful communication expertise to translate between technical groups and non-technical stakeholders, and keep agile to adapt to new applied sciences and market calls for.
Need to ace your technical product supervisor interview? Enroll in our Technical Product Supervisor Certification course.
