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How to Win the Facebook Product Manager Interview

There are four key steps to follow to win the Facebook Product Manager job offer:

  1. Optimize
  2. Apply
  3. Convert
  4. Learn

To nail the interview with the Hiring team at Facebook, we’ll focus on step three: Convert.

Like the other FAANG companies, Facebook has an extensive interview process to ensure that it’s hiring the best of the best. Remember: if you’re prepared, you have no reason to be intimidated. Facebook is a generalist when it comes to hiring, meaning that they hire Product Managers for no particular team. They decide where to place the candidate after receiving the offer. Therefore, the Facebook Product Manager interview is more or less the same for the Rotational Product Manager Program and the regular Product Manager positions.

What Does a Typical Facebook Job Posting Look Like?

Before we dive into what to expect from the Facebook PM interview, let’s take a look at a typical Facebook Product Manager job posting to see what the company is looking for:

Like many other job postings, this section gives a general overview of a Facebook Product Manager’s responsibilities. In addition to driving the product from ideation to release, a Facebook Product Manager must utilize data to lead the creation of products that align with Facebook’s business.

Let’s also take a look at the qualifications listed to see if there are any hints about the interview content:

Interestingly, for a highly competitive role, the qualification list is very short. While there is a “5+ years of experience” requirement, we know that this is just a number. Everyone who feels comfortable about their professional background should apply, regardless of how long they have been working.

What Is the Facebook Product Manager Interview Process and Timeline?

First, you’ll go through the typical HR phone screen. In the call, you will talk about yourself, why you want to work at Facebook, and why you believe your professional background fits well.

Then, if you pass the HR phone screen, you will have two phone interviews with Facebook PMs. According to our members who interviewed with Facebook, the recruiter will be very transparent and specific about the interview process.

 The Facebook Product Manager interview is divided into three themes:

  • Product Sense
  • Execution
  • Leadership & Drive

One phone interview will ask you a product sense question, and you will have 45 minutes to answer it. For the second phone call, you will answer an execution question.

If you pass the two phone interviews, the interviewers will invite you for an onsite interview. Here, you’ll have three interviews, one for each of the themes discussed above.

How Are You Evaluated in the Facebook Product Manager Interview?

Thanks to the feedback we have received from Product Gym members who interviewed at Facebook, we know the evaluation system is very objective. Numerous steps are carried out before a decision is made.

According to IGotAnOffer, here’s what happens behind the scenes:

  • After the two PM phone interviews, the interviewers you spoke to are given 24 hours to submit an internal rating and notes detailing how well you did. Depending on their feedback, the recruiter decides whether you are qualified for the onsite interview or not.
  • After the on-site interview, the three interviewers will make a recommendation on whether to hire you or not. The recruiter will compile the interviewers’ decisions, along with a packet including your interview feedback, resume, cover letter, and referrals.
  • The hiring committee, consisting of senior leaders, will review this packet and make a final decision. Note that this committee also decides your level and compensation.

How Do You Get a Product Manager Interview at Facebook?

As with any other job posting, you are expected to submit your resume and cover letter through their website. Unlike other companies, however, Facebook receives thousands of applications from extremely talented individuals.

There are two things that you can do to set yourself apart from the competition. The first action item is to write a rockstar Product Manager resume. This is no easy task: it requires you to think, research, and write out your professional experiences from the perspective of a Product Manager. For more tips, check out our walk-through of how to write the best Product Manager resume:

Facebook PM Interview Question Types

As we mentioned above, there are three themes that the questions are centred around:

  • Product Sense: As a Facebook Product Manager, you are expected to roll up your sleeves and work cross-functionally to create a product. You’ll be given a hypothetical scenario and asked about your approach to solving it.
  • Execution: This part of the interview assesses your ability to identify and prioritize opportunities for your product. Interviewers will ask about your prioritization strategy and relevant metrics to measure your success. They will expect you to state the trade-offs in your responses clearly.
  • Leadership & Drive: This is where your people skills will be put to the test. You’ll need to impress the interviewers with how you communicate with your stakeholders and teammates.

Product Sense Sample Questions and Preparation Tips

In this part of the interview, you should display your customer-centric skills. The questions are all about product design and strategy, meaning that you will have to clearly explain how you would gather client requirements, design your product, and prioritize which features to build depending on the market needs.

Here’s what Facebook is looking for and a list of sample questions to get you started:

It is essential to focus on:

  1. establishing a meaningful value proposition
  2. customers and business areas
  3. what kind of impact this product has
  4. and how you can maximize that impact.

You should also be able to answer questions on how you will segment the customers and audience. Based on your segmentation decision, tie this back to impact.

The interviewers will likely give you a product to answer your questions. Whatever product they give you, here are some things to keep in mind:

  1. Segment your customers and audience (as the customer). For example, if there’s a question on a “Sports App,” who would be your target customer? Why would you target them?
  2. Prioritize your product areas around your segments.

Also, note that you will not need to address goals and metrics since your Execution interview will assess those.

Here are a few extra resources that you can check to answer Product Sense questions:

Execution Sample Questions and Preparation Tips

This section of the interview is all about choosing the right success metrics and prioritizing features accordingly. Interviewers will assess your analytical thinking skills. You will also face questions about troubleshooting problems or adapting to changes in customer requirements.

Here’s a look at what Facebook is after, along with a list of sample questions to get you started:

You will talk about metrics and goals. For metrics questions, your answer should address the following:

  • What metrics did you pick out, and why?
  • How do they relate to the problem statement?
  • How would you measure the success of those metrics?

The interviewers will poke holes in your metrics. You should be able to defend them to the best of your abilities. You should also be able to identify trade-offs and metrics to measure your trade-offs.

In summary, you should be as structured as possible. This includes being able to take a problem statement and end goal, and create metrics that tie back to the goal. Identify the dynamics of the product and any trade-offs you make along the way, and lay out decision criteria for everything.

Make sure you check out these resources to prepare for Execution questions:

Leadership & Drive Sample Questions and Preparation Tips

Next, you will need to answer a range of behavioral questions asking you to talk more in-depth about your professional experiences. For these, you’ll need to show how you trust and support your teammates and that you have a mechanism for handling challenging situations.

Here’s what Facebook is looking for in this interview:

We know that these questions seem easy at first, but they may quickly destroy your chances of qualifying for the next round of your interview if you’re not prepared for them.

How to Get a Product Manager Job at Facebook

At Product Gym, we apply a simple four-step framework to landing our members the Product Manager job they’re looking for. With this structure and the support of the PG community, both aspiring and veteran PMs have increased the number of calls they receive for interviews. The process also leads to more interviews converted into offers.

Here’s how the magic works:

1. Optimize

From the best techniques for writing a cover letter to building an attractive Product Manager resume, the first step is to boost your credibility and professional branding. To get the offer from Facebook, you’ll need:

  • A resume designed to beat the ATS
  • A cover letter that shows your culture fit
  • An optimized LinkedIn profile that aligns with the above
  • A 30-second personal pitch that sells you as the best possible candidate

At Product Gym, we provide branding workshops, resume reviews, and the tools you need to take your professional branding to the next level

2. Apply

Product Gym members apply for 20+ Product Manager jobs weekly, and often average 9+ interviews in any given week. But how’s that going to help you get the job at Facebook? Simple: by perfecting your application strategy and interview approach through practice and experience, you’ll build the confidence and expertise you need to wow the recruiter and interviewers at your dream company when the time comes.

Of course, our tried and tested application framework is paired with tools, tips, and interview support that all come together to form a job-hunting strategy that really works.

3. Convert

Once you’ve lined up your interviews, it’s time to zero in on converting those round ones into round twos, and so on, all the way to the Uber job offer. It’s no secret that we focus on the Product Manager interview process here at Product Gym: we’re there to help our members learn how to ace every step and every question — including behavioral questions, technical questions, case studies, salary negotiation, and more.

4. Learn

When should you start building your product management skillset? Before you apply? When you’re on the job? Honestly, transitioning into product management can be a long journey. We encourage Product Managers (whether you’re a first-timer or an industry vet) to start learning at the beginning and continue on past the finish line.

You likely already have skills that translate well into a Product Manager role: keep sharpening them, and find the gaps where you can learn, grow, and practice new skills to become a better Product Manager every day.

We want to make sure our members show up skilled and prepared for their interviews and their first day on the job, which is why we offer 20+ technical and business courses taught by industry experts.

Want to learn more about getting hired as a Product Manager at a well-known company like Facebook? Schedule a free consultation with one of our in-house career coaches: we’d love to help you take the first step.