Written by Dong, 2021 Cohort
I have to say sorry to my readers this week, for I’ve just changed my topic temporarily (sequels for previous topics will be back next week). Currently, finding a job related to product looks more important to me. Since my teacher Aida is editing my portfolio this weekend, I think it’s urgent to think about how to prepare for a fierce interview when applying for a position of product designer or product manager. Ready for your EPI? Let’s take off.
1. Single or multiple interviewees?
If you are lucky enough to participate in a group interview, rule number 1, don’t try to persuade other people who are against you intentionally. A good product manager is to cooperate with different departments problem solve instead of create a problem. Besides, keep smiling and be nice to your teammates, but also pay attention to time management.
I personally am cool with the group interview, but my adrenal glands can become overactive if there is only one interviewer sitting in front of me. The self-introduction must be bound up with the job information. Except for name, education and working experience, I prefer not to add too many personal hobbies. As for language style, all I can think of is to speak accurately and keep it brief after I fully understand the questions. Nonverbal language is important as well, stop fidgeting and try to show you are confident.
2.Professional questions?
Basically, product manager is a managerial position that requires many soft skills including but not limited to communication, cooperation and leadership. Most companies recognize them by the years of working, which means that in the beginning years we need to master a great deal of hard competency. Grab any books concerning product making, and maximize your understanding of the trade. You’ll learn a lot from this. Plus, I also strongly recommend checking out written experiences from sophisticated ask-answer communities( https://www.nowcoder.com/ for Chinese, and https://www.quora.com/ for English), which is exactly what I am working on.
I listed some questions below for references:
– What’s the difference between operating and product making?
– Say something about your favorite features of our product? Why do you like them?
– Can you list both advantages and disadvantages of social platforms on the market?
– Can you imagine how to run a business around your house?
3.Trap questions?
These are mainly about your weaknesses. For example, have you done something wrong and how did you fix that? Remember, do not follow your inner demons that may discourage your uplifting and positive expression. You can build up your personal image (don’t be a perfectionist) like this:
– Rookie (you don’t want to make things complicated when it comes to teamwork, so express your thoughts shortly, but accurately)
– Improver (you used to be not so good, but you’ve changed it by timely actions)
– Anxious guy (you care about what you have done so much, so you couldn’t sleep very well before the interview.)
Those are some essential questions I could think of off the top of my head, even though it’s far from enough. I am also planning to apply for a relevant internship no matter whether I stay in China or move to Canada during this summer vacation. When I was writing this passage through my imagination, I almost freaked out and I gradually realized most of them have been already taught in pre-MDM. But as you know, practice makes perfect! So try to stimulate as possible as you/I can! And, you, our readers, are not enrolled in the pre-mdm program, so a glimpse into it won’t hurt.