Cracking the PM Interview: How to Land a Product Manager Job in Technology (Cracking the Interview & Career)

Book Synopsis: How many pizzas are delivered in Manhattan? How do you design an alarm clock for the blind? What is your favorite piece of software and why? How would you launch a video rental service in India? This book will teach you how to answer these questions and more. Cracking the PM Interview is a comprehensive book about landing a product management role in a startup or bigger tech company. Learn how the ambiguously-named "PM" (product manager / program manager) role varies across companies, what experience you need, how to make your existing experience translate, what a great PM resume and cover letter look like, and finally, how to master the interview: estimation questions, behavioral questions, case questions, product questions, technical questions, and the super important "pitch."

The Product Manager Role

1. What is a PM?
2. Functions of a PM
3. Top Myths about Product Management

Project Managers and Program Managers

1. Companies
1. How the PM Role Varies
2. Google
3. Microsoft
4. Apple
5. Facebook
6. Amazon
7. Yahoo
8. Twitter
9. Startups

2. Getting the Right Experience
1. New Grads
2. Making the Most of Career Fairs
3. Do you need an MBA?
4. Why Technical Experience Matters
5. Transitioning from Engineer to Product Manager
6. Transitioning from Designer to Product Manager
7. Transitioning from Other Roles
8. What Makes a Good Side Project?

3. Career Advancement
1. Tips and Tricks for Career Advancement
2. Q & A: Fernando Delgado, Sr. Director, Product Management at Yahoo
3. Q & A: Ashley Carroll, Senior Director of Product Management, DocuSign
4. Q & A: Brandon Bray, Principal Group Program Manager, Microsoft
5. Q & A: Thomas Arend, International Product Lead, Airbnb
6. Q & A: Johanna Wright, VP at Google
7. Q & A: Lisa Kostova Ogata, VP of Product at Bright.com

4. Behind the Interview Scenes
1. Google
2. Microsoft
3. Facebook
4. Apple
5. Amazon
6. Yahoo
7. Twitter
8. Dropbox

5. Resumes
1. The Second Rule
2. The Rules
3. Attributes of a Good PM Resume
4. What to Include
5. Real Resumes: Before & After

6. Cover Letters
1. Elements of a Good PM Cover Letter
2. The Cover Letter Template
3. A Great Cover Letter

7. Company Research
1. The Product
2. The Strategy
3. The Culture
4. The Role
5. The Questions

8. Define Yourself
1. “Tell Me About Yourself” (The Pitch)
2. “Why do you want to work here?”
3. “Why should we hire you?”
4. “Why are you leaving your current job?”
5. “What do you like to do in your spare time?”
6. “Where do you see yourself in five years?”
7. “What are your strengths and weaknesses?”

9. Sample Strengths and Weaknesses
1. Behavioral Questions
2. Why These Questions Are Asked
3. Preparation
4. Follow-Up Questions
5. Types of Behavioral Questions

10. Estimation Questions
1. Approach
2. Numbers Cheat Sheet
3. Tips and Tricks
4. Example Interview
5. Sample Questions

11. Product Questions
1. About the Product Question
2. Type 1: Designing a Product
3. Type 2: Improving a Product
4. Type 3: Favorite Product
5. Preparation
6. Tips and Tricks
7. Sample Questions

12. Case Questions
1. The Case Question: Consultants vs. PMs
2. What Interviewers Look For
3. Useful Frameworks
4. Product Metrics
5. Interview Questions

13. Coding Questions
1. Who Needs To Code
2. What You Need To Know
3. How You Are Evaluated
4. How To Approach
5. Developing an Algorithm
6. Additional Questions & Solutions

14. Appendix
1. Top 1% PMs vs. Top 10% PMs
2. Be a Great Product Leader
3. The Inputs to a Great Product Roadmap
4. How to Hire a Product Manager

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