Cracking the FAANG PM Interview

EP 3008 This podcast episode provides a guide for individuals preparing for product management (PM) interviews, particularly those seeking roles at FAANG companies based on the advice of a Meta PM. ABOUT JEFF ALTMAN, THE BIG GAME HUNTER People hire Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter to provide No BS job search coaching and career advice globally because he makes job search and succeeding in your career easier. You will find great info and job search coaching to help with your job search at ⁠⁠JobSearch. Community⁠⁠ Connect on LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/T⁠⁠heBigGameHunter⁠ Schedule a discovery call to speak with me about one-on-one or group coaching during your job search at ⁠www. TheBigGameHunter.us. We grant permission for this post and others to be used on your website as long as a backlink is included to ⁠www. TheBigGameHunter.us⁠ and notice is provided that it is provided by Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter as an author or creator. Not acknowledging his work or providing a backlink to ⁠www. TheBigGameHunter.us⁠ makes you subject to a $1000 penalty which you proactively agree to pay. Please contact us to negotiate the use of our content as training data.

• 0:00Speaker 00

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• 0:30Speaker 01

  Hey, everyone. Welcome back. Today, we're diving into a topic I know a lot of you have been requesting, tech PM interviews. You know, those really competitive product manager roles at like Google, Amazon, Facebook, all those big companies?

• 0:43Speaker 02

  Yeah, they're tough, for sure.

• 0:46Speaker 01

  Right. So to help us break it all down, we're taking a close look at this YouTube video, Cracking the FAANG PM Interview, led by this meta-product lead, Emmanuel. And let me tell you, this guy's been through it. Over 100 applications, he said, something like 90 rejections.

• 1:02Speaker 02

  Wow.

• 1:03Speaker 01

  Before finally landing his role.

• 1:05Speaker 02

  That's wild. It really shows how important it is to be resilient, right? To not give up.

• 1:12Speaker 01

  Yeah, definitely. And I think that's something he really emphasizes in the video. Like, each rejection, instead of being a setback, he saw it as a learning opportunity, you know, to kind of analyze what went wrong and improve for the next one.

• 1:22Speaker 02

  Right. And I think it's so important, that mindset shift.

• 1:25Speaker 01

  Yeah, totally. Instead of getting discouraged, he used it as fuel.

• 1:30Speaker 01

  Now, getting into the actual content of the video, he really digs deep into what these companies are looking for in PM candidates. And, maybe surprisingly, it's not all about being a coding whiz.

• 1:42Speaker 02

  Yeah, technical skills are obviously important, but like you said, it's almost assumed at a certain point.

• 1:46Speaker 01

  Right. They expect some baseline, but it seems like what they really care about is how you think, you know? Your problem-solving skills, how well you can communicate your ideas.

• 1:55Speaker 02

  Exactly. Like, he talks about structured thinking, clear communication. Can you put yourself in the customer's shoes, understand what they need, and then, this is key, translate that understanding into actual product solutions.

• 2:08Speaker 01

  And he uses this phrase, I think it's Product sense. What does that actually mean in the context of these interviews?

• 2:14Speaker 02

  It's a good question. So product sense, I think the way he explains it is all about having this deep understanding of what makes a product really work, what makes it great, like identifying what users need, maybe even needs they don't even realize they have yet, anticipating trends in the market.

• 2:29Speaker 01

  So it's kind of like having your finger on the pulse of what users want.

• 2:32Speaker 02

  Yes. And then, of course, being able to design solutions that are actually doable.

• 2:36Speaker 01

  OK, so it's not just about coming up with cool ideas. It has to be grounded in reality.

• 2:41Speaker 02

  Exactly. And it's not always easy.

• 2:43Speaker 01

  So how do you actually show that you have this product sense in an interview? Like, how do you prove it?

• 2:49Speaker 02

  Well, Emmanuel talks about these really specific types of questions that they ask, and they often use these hypothetical situations, like, OK, design a grocery delivery service for, say, senior citizens, or imagine you're integrating a dating feature into TikTok.

• 3:06Speaker 01

  Oh, wow.

• 3:06Speaker 02

  Yeah.

• 3:07Speaker 01

  I'm already getting nervous just thinking about this.

• 3:08Speaker 02

  Right. So he says the key is not to panic, right? It's not about having some perfect, brilliant answer. They really want to see your thought process. Like, can you take this big problem, this complex idea, and break it down into smaller, manageable steps?

• 3:23Speaker 01

  So it's more about how you approach it, not necessarily the solution itself?

• 3:27Speaker 02

  Exactly. And that's where, you know, having frameworks can be helpful. He talks about this step-by-step process. Like, first, you ask clarifying questions.

• 3:38Speaker 01

  So you make sure you understand the problem before you even try to solve it?

• 3:42Speaker 02

  Right. And then you think about the company's goals, who they're targeting. You really need that solid foundation.

• 3:48Speaker 01

  Like building a house, you got to have a blueprint.

• 3:50Speaker 02

  Exactly.

• 3:51Speaker 01

  OK, that makes sense. So you've got your blueprint, you understand the problem, now what? How do you actually come up with ideas for a solution?

• 3:58Speaker 02

  Well, this is where it gets really interesting. This is where, as Emmanuel describes it, user empathy comes in. Like, you really have to put yourself in the shoes of the people who are going to be using this product.

• 4:10Speaker 01

  Right. What do they want? What do they need?

• 4:11Speaker 02

  What are their pain points? What are they trying to achieve? You know, you have to really understand that before you can even begin to design something that's going to be useful and successful.

• 4:20Speaker 01

  So it's kind of like, I don't know if this is too cheesy, but like, walk a mile in their shoes.

• 4:26Speaker 01

  But you're designing a product for their feet.

• 4:28Speaker 02

  Exactly. And once you have a good grasp on that, then you can start thinking about solutions. And he's a big proponent of thinking outside the box. Like, don't be afraid to challenge the status quo. Don't be afraid to come up with something truly new.

• 4:41Speaker 01

  So you're not just trying to recreate something that already exists. You're trying to innovate, right?

• 4:44Speaker 02

  Yeah. You want to find a fresh approach, a better way of doing things. But, and this is important, it can't just be some crazy idea that could never actually work in the real world. It has to be grounded in reality.

• 4:58Speaker 01

  But you can't just say teleportation and call it a day.

• 5:02Speaker 02

  Exactly. You have to be able to back it up. Why is this the best solution? How will it benefit the users? Is it actually feasible?

• 5:09Speaker 01

  So it's like finding that balance between being creative and being strategic at the same time.

• 5:13Speaker 02

  Exactly. And I think that's part of what makes product management so interesting. It's that combination of like left brain, right brain thinking.

• 5:21Speaker 01

  And speaking of interesting, I wanted to ask you about something else you mentioned in the video. The whole mock interview thing. Forty, he did over forty mock interviews to prepare.

• 5:29Speaker 02

  Yeah, he, uh, he went all in. And honestly, it's not unheard of, especially when you're aiming for these top tier companies.

• 5:36Speaker 01

  Okay, so forty mock interviews later. What did he learn? What's the takeaway for someone like me who maybe doesn't love the interview process?

• 5:47Speaker 02

  Well, he emphasizes how valuable they are for a couple of key reasons. First, just getting comfortable with the format. Like anything else, the more you practice, the more natural it becomes.

• 5:55Speaker 01

  Yeah, get those nerves out of the way before the actual interview.

• 5:58Speaker 02

  Exactly. And the second thing is feedback. He talks about recording his mock interviews, watching them back, getting feedback from mentors, from peers.

• 6:08Speaker 01

  So you're not just going through the motions, you're actively trying to improve each time.

• 6:12Speaker 02

  Exactly. He even mentions applying to companies he wasn't that interested in just to get more interview practice.

• 6:18Speaker 01

  Wow, dedication. Okay, so we talked about product sense. But he also mentions other types of interview questions like estimation questions. What are those?

• 6:26Speaker 02

  Ah, yes, those. Those are designed to see how you think on your feet. Like, can you make reasonable guesses with limited information?

• 6:33Speaker 01

  Give me an example, I'm curious.

• 6:34Speaker 02

  Sure, a classic. One is like, how many piano tuners are there in Chicago? Obviously, no one just knows that off the top of their head.

• 6:41Speaker 01

  Not unless they've done a very specific census.

• 6:43Speaker 02

  Right, but you can use what you do know, like population size, maybe how often pianos need to be tuned, things like that, to come up with a reasonable estimate.

• 6:52Speaker 01

  So it's like a logic puzzle disguised as an interview question?

• 6:56Speaker 02

  Yeah, kind of, and it's about demonstrating your ability to think it through, even if you don't have all the information.

• 7:02Speaker 01

  Okay, that makes sense. And what about those, you know, behavioral questions? Where they ask you about specific situations from your past?

• 7:10Speaker 02

  Ah, the tell me about a time you failed question. Yeah, those can be tough, but they're really a chance for you to show self-awareness, how you learn from mistakes, things like that.

• 7:20Speaker 01

  So how do you even prepare for that? Like, should I just start listing out all my biggest work disasters?

• 7:25Speaker 02

  That's one way, but he suggests using the STAR method for structuring your answers.

• 7:30Speaker 01

  STAR method, remind me what that is again?

• 7:33Speaker 02

  Yeah, so it stands for Situation, Task, Action, Result. It's basically a framework for telling stories in a way that highlights your skills and experience. So you set the scene, describe the task you were given, the action you took, and the outcome.

• 7:48Speaker 01

  Oh, right, yeah, the STAR method, I've heard of that.

• 7:51Speaker 02

  Yeah.

• 7:51Speaker 01

  It's all about showing, not just telling. But, you know, easier said than done when you're in the hot seat.

• 7:58Speaker 02

  Right, for sure, and that's why, like he says, you really have to practice. And not just memorize these frameworks, but actually internalize them, make them second nature.

• 8:08Speaker 01

  So you're kind of training your brain to think in a structured way, even when you're stressed?

• 8:13Speaker 02

  Exactly, it's like learning a new language, you know? At first, you're translating everything in your head, but eventually you just start to think in that language.

• 8:19Speaker 01

  Okay, that's a good analogy.

• 8:20Speaker 02

  Yeah.

• 8:21Speaker 01

  So we've talked about a lot here, frameworks, different types of questions, the importance of practice. But I want to circle back to those product sense questions for a second. Can we maybe walk through one together, just to really solidify that framework you talked about?

• 8:33Speaker 02

  Sure, absolutely. Um, how about we go back to that TikTok dating feature one? That was a good one.

• 8:39Speaker 01

  Yeah, that one was interesting. Because you don't really think of TikTok as a dating app, do you? It's like dance challenges, funny videos, not exactly romance central.

• 8:48Speaker 02

  Right, and that's what makes it a good question, right? It forces you to think differently. Okay, so using the framework, what's the first step?

• 8:56Speaker 01

  Clarifying questions.

• 8:57Speaker 02

  Right, exactly. Like, what exactly do they even mean by a dating feature? What are we talking about here?

• 9:03Speaker 01

  Like, are they trying to compete with Tinder and Bumble? Or is it more about like connecting people with shared interests?

• 9:10Speaker 02

  Yeah, good question. And how does this align with TikTok's overall mission? We have to understand that, too.

• 9:16Speaker 01

  Makes sense. So, once we have that clear in our minds, what's next?

• 9:20Speaker 02

  Thinking about the target user. Who is this feature actually for?

• 9:24Speaker 01

  So, we're not just thinking about every single TikTok user, but like, who specifically would be using this dating feature?

• 9:31Speaker 02

  Right. What are their demographics? What are their pain points with existing dating apps?

• 9:35Speaker 01

  Like, maybe they're tired of just swiping left and right? Or they want something that feels more genuine, less superficial?

• 9:40Speaker 02

  Exactly. So now, the fun part. Brainstorming solutions. How could we actually use TikTok's existing features to create a unique dating experience?

• 9:53Speaker 01

  Okay, so we're not just adding a find-your-match button and calling it a day. We have to think about how it all integrates.

• 9:59Speaker 02

  Right, like, what if users could create short video profiles? Or use live streams to connect in real time? There are a lot of possibilities.

• 10:08Speaker 01

  This is actually making me want to use this hypothetical dating app. Okay, this has been amazing. I feel like I have a much better understanding of not just how to approach these interviews, but also how to think like a product manager.

• 10:19Speaker 02

  Yeah, and I think that's the key takeaway here. These skills, these ways of thinking, they're valuable even outside of the interview context.

• 10:27Speaker 01

  Totally. Well, on that note, I think it's time for us to wrap up this deep dive. But before we go, we want to leave you all with something to think about. Think about a product that you use every day, something you either love, or maybe even one you absolutely hate, and ask yourself, what makes it work? Or why doesn't it work? Who are the users? And could you design a better solution? That right there is Product Sense in action. Until next time, keep those brains buzzing and we'll catch you in the next deep dive.

• 10:54Speaker 00

  Shop Black Friday appliance savings and get up to an extra $1,250 off select appliance purchases like GE Profile. Plus, free delivery on appliance purchases of $398 or more. Make life easier with the fridge that doubles as your personal kitchen assistant. Or upgrade your laundry room with the UltraFresh Vent System Plus Front Load Washer. So your clothes stay fresh after every single wash. Shop Black Friday appliance savings with fast free delivery at The Home Depot. Offer valid November 4th through December 2nd at participating stores and at HomeDepot.com. U.S. only. See store online for details.