Common PM Questions at Tapia Conference Career Fair

I recently had the privilege of volunteering at the Tapia Conference Career Fair as part of the Google crew. This was my second time attending the conference, having previously assisted with the PhD special event under the Youtube Diversity Program. As I transitioned from Engineering to Product Management, I initially believed students would be more interested in Software Engineering (SWE) and research roles than in Product Management; but I was wrong.

During my time at the Google booth, I engaged in numerous conversations with students eager to learn more about PM roles. I fielded a variety of questions, many of which were recurring. In this article, I’ve summarized these common inquiries to provide general insights.

Disclaimer: these are my personal opinions and Gemini editorial, and of course it doesn’t represent Google :).

What is your role as a PM?

This was a popular question, and students were keen to understand the behind-the-scenes workings of PMing. I often began by asking them what they knew about the role, then built upon their existing knowledge.

There is no specific definition for a PM. My favorite one is that a PM acts as a bridge between different parts of the development lifecycle. They listen to user needs, translate them into requirements, collaborate with design and engineering teams to build solutions, and work with business organizations to ensure successful product landing. Essentially, PMs are responsible for a product’s entire journey, from ideation to implementation.

Engineering vs. Product Management?

Given that many attendees were CS majors, this was a common comparison. My initial response was always to ask,”What do you truly enjoy?” I emphasized that SWE and PM are not just different roles but also require distinct skill sets. The choice between the two depends on individual preferences and aptitudes.

I advised those interested in PM to consider starting with an entry PM role, even if they have a background in software engineering. But if you are still in doubt, I suggest starting with entry level SWE then transitioning into PM if you see it’s a better fit as transitioning from PM to SWE might be more challenging. It’s essential to choose a path that aligns with your passion and strengths.

One common misconception I hear from students is that they believe Product Management is easier than Engineering because coding is difficult. However, this is a misconception. While coding can be challenging, Product Management also comes with its own set of significant stressors and demands.

How can I get into an entry-level PM role?

Based on my Google experience, there are four potential paths depending on your circumstances:

1. APM Internship: If you’re still in school and eligible for an internship program, applying for an APM rotation is an excellent option. This 3-month internship involves working on a real product within a team. Based on the team, the feature could be small to own end to end or your host will own part of it to prep-it or finish-it for you. The best option is to search on Google careers website for Associate Product Management Internship role; create an alert if it’s not available yet.
2. **APM Rotation:** If you’re nearing graduation, an APM rotation is a full-time position that typically lasts 18 months. During this period, you’ll rotate between two teams and have the opportunity to transition into a full-time PM role. Google APM rotation is cohort based, so make sure you have an alert on Google careers to know when it will open.
3. Full-time PM: If you have prior PM experience, you can apply directly for a full-time PM position.
4. SWE then PM: While this is my least preferred path, especially if you’re ultimately aiming for a PM role, it’s an option if you lack PM experience or have years of engineering and are unsure about PM.

Is my resume strong enough to apply to Google?

While I’m not a resume expert, I shared my observations on what I look for in resumes to make a strong impression.

• Work Experience: I’m most keen to understand the candidate’s past experiences, especially those related to product development. This could include internships, involvement in startups, or any other activities that demonstrate a practical understanding of product management.
• Education: For candidates with less experience, their academic achievements and relevant coursework become more significant.
• Leadership Skills: A strong product manager is also a leader. Therefore, I value any signs of leadership potential, such as leading a student organization, initiating new projects, or organizing events.

Even if you don’t have any previous PM experience, I encouraged students to practice PMing for a non-profit organization, a student club, or a side project. Something that they can drive users pain points into a successful product.

While these are my personal preferences, experienced recruiters likely have more sophisticated methods for evaluating candidates.

What is APM and how do I apply?

The Associate Product Management role offers a unique, 18-month, full-time opportunity within two teams. Participants in this cohort-based program receive intensive training, coaching, and mentorship designed to fill skill gaps and cultivate successful PMs. The collaborative nature of the program fosters a sense of community and support among participants as they navigate their PM journeys together.

Participants gain an invaluable opportunity to try diverse PM specializations such as business-to-business (B2B), consumer, hardware, software, external, and customer-facing roles — experiences that might not be readily available in traditional full-time PM positions. It’s important to note that the ABM program has only two cohorts per year, the program is very competitive, be ready to submit your application when it opens and prepare yourself for the interviews.

How do I prepare for PM interviews?

This was one of the main questions that I received about how I could prepare for the PM interviews. Candidates struggle to structure their preparation, so I advise focusing on two key areas.

Firstly, product insight questions typically involve building or improving a hypothetical product, from Instagram for Kids to a spaceship. The goal here is understanding your problem-solving framework. While many frameworks exist online, they share core principles: identifying the goal, target users, pain points, solutions, and impact measurement. Search online for your favorite framework and ensure your practice it a lot to be a handy tool.

Secondly, metric-based questions might ask you to define success metrics for a product or strategize around a hypothetical dashboard drop. I challenge students to consider the right impact metrics and move beyond surface-level answers, a few times I discuss with the students how to track the impact of this conference such as attendee numbers or event days.

Regardless of question type, I encourage practice interviews, setting targets for how many to complete before the real thing. Interviewing demands thinking under pressure and time constraints, so familiarization with both the process and content is crucial. There are many online forums and communities providing mock interviews.

What is the PM interview process?

While I didn’t provide specific details, I recommended researching the latest interview processes online or asking the recruiters onsite.

Resources for aspiring PMs

My favorite resource is Product School.

Challenges of being a PM

Oh, this was a tricky question because PM is not always the Rosie stories that we spoke about. There are the top challenges in my opinion for a PM.

• Stress and work-life balance: PMs are responsible for the entire product, which can lead to stress and negatively impact mental health without proper coping mechanisms.
• Interpersonal communication: Effective communication skills are crucial for PMs, as they constantly interact with various stakeholders.
• Lengthy meeting times: PMs spend a significant portion of their time in meetings, discussing various aspects of the product.

Conclusion

I thoroughly enjoyed answering these questions and sharing my knowledge with aspiring PMs. I hope this summary provides valuable insights for anyone considering a career in Product Management.

I will use this as a live document, if you have any other questions or recommended answers, please add it to the comments or send it to me and I can add it to the main article