{"id":1618,"date":"2022-06-14T21:37:20","date_gmt":"2022-06-14T21:37:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/blog\/?p=1212"},"modified":"2025-04-24T11:34:29","modified_gmt":"2025-04-24T11:34:29","slug":"complete-guide-behavioral-interview-questions-for-product-managers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/blog\/complete-guide-behavioral-interview-questions-for-product-managers\/","title":{"rendered":"Complete Guide for Behavioral Interview Questions for Product Managers"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_72 ez-toc-wrap-left-text counter-flat ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Article Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/blog\/complete-guide-behavioral-interview-questions-for-product-managers\/#What_is_the_purpose_of_asking_behavioral_interview_questions\" title=\"What is the purpose of asking behavioral interview questions?\">What is the purpose of asking behavioral interview questions?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/blog\/complete-guide-behavioral-interview-questions-for-product-managers\/#Common_Mistakes_to_Avoid\" title=\"Common Mistakes to Avoid\">Common Mistakes to Avoid<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/blog\/complete-guide-behavioral-interview-questions-for-product-managers\/#Most_Popular_Behavioral_Interview_Questions_at_PM_Exercises\" title=\"Most Popular Behavioral Interview Questions at PM Exercises\">Most Popular Behavioral Interview Questions at PM Exercises<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/blog\/complete-guide-behavioral-interview-questions-for-product-managers\/#How_should_a_Product_Manager_prepare_for_a_behavioral_interview\" title=\"How should a Product Manager prepare for a behavioral interview?\">How should a Product Manager prepare for a behavioral interview?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/blog\/complete-guide-behavioral-interview-questions-for-product-managers\/#Behavioral_Interview_Questions_with_a_Google_PM\" title=\"Behavioral Interview Questions with a Google PM\">Behavioral Interview Questions with a Google PM<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/blog\/complete-guide-behavioral-interview-questions-for-product-managers\/#Summary\" title=\"Summary\">Summary<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Today we tackle behavioral interview questions for product managers including common mistakes, popular questions asked during PM interviews, and tips on how you can respond with confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s always a big plus for any aspiring product manager to have a good set of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/blog\/product-manager-hard-skills\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">hard skills<\/a> on their resume. But a good set of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/blog\/6-soft-skills-every-product-manager-needs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">soft skills<\/a>, which involve interpersonal and behavioral skills, should not be put in the back seat since they are just as important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&nbsp;\u201cWinging it\u201d and schmoozing just won\u2019t work anymore. You need to be ready to answer questions that will gauge how you handled past situations as well as assess your day-to-day professional behavior.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"what-is-the-purpose-of-asking-behavioral-interview-questions\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_the_purpose_of_asking_behavioral_interview_questions\"><\/span>What is the purpose of asking behavioral interview questions?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Complete-Guide-for-Behavioral-Interview-Questions-for-Product-Managers-1-1536x864-1-1024x576.webp\" alt=\"What is the purpose of asking behavioral interview questions\" class=\"wp-image-4561\" style=\"width:768px;height:432px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Complete-Guide-for-Behavioral-Interview-Questions-for-Product-Managers-1-1536x864-1-1024x576.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Complete-Guide-for-Behavioral-Interview-Questions-for-Product-Managers-1-1536x864-1-300x169.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Complete-Guide-for-Behavioral-Interview-Questions-for-Product-Managers-1-1536x864-1-320x180.webp 320w, https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Complete-Guide-for-Behavioral-Interview-Questions-for-Product-Managers-1-1536x864-1-768x432.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Complete-Guide-for-Behavioral-Interview-Questions-for-Product-Managers-1-1536x864-1-400x225.webp 400w, https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Complete-Guide-for-Behavioral-Interview-Questions-for-Product-Managers-1-1536x864-1-800x450.webp 800w, https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Complete-Guide-for-Behavioral-Interview-Questions-for-Product-Managers-1-1536x864-1-1160x653.webp 1160w, https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Complete-Guide-for-Behavioral-Interview-Questions-for-Product-Managers-1-1536x864-1.webp 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a nutshell, behavioral interview questions aim to see how PM candidates handle specific situations.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Interviewers would like to learn about past workplace behavior and the applicant\u2019s general demeanor. These types of questions are the quickest way to know who the job-seeker is beyond his or her resume.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As a product manager, the interviewer is going to find out if you can:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Handle high-pressure situations<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Communicate with and manage stakeholders&#8217; expectations<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Influence teams without being aggressive with authority<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whatever your responses are, they will be good indicators of your future performance with the company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"common-mistakes-to-avoid\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Common_Mistakes_to_Avoid\"><\/span>Common Mistakes to Avoid<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"813\" src=\"https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/2-1.webp\" alt=\"Complete Guide for Behavioral Interview Questions for Product Managers | Common Mistakes to Avoid | PM Exercises\" class=\"wp-image-4560\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/2-1.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/2-1-300x238.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/2-1-320x254.webp 320w, https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/2-1-768x610.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/2-1-400x318.webp 400w, https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/2-1-800x635.webp 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you are unprepared, you\u2019re likely to make some of the most common mistakes a product manager makes when answering behavioral questions.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To most, practice and preparation are unnecessary because they\u2019re banking on their communication skills and their ability to solve problems. It\u2019s possible to do but if one of the questions catches you off-guard you could:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"give-answers-that-are-too-vague-or-too-general\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Give answers that are too vague or too general.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Interviewers need specific answers from you. You need to learn how to structure your response so don\u2019t divert from the main idea of your solution. If you don\u2019t have a structure in place, you will likely give answers that sound vague and plain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"deliver-a-response-thats-too-long-you-ramble\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Deliver a response that\u2019s too long (you ramble).<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Applicants tend to ramble when they don\u2019t know exactly what to answer. It\u2019s a kind of coping mechanism to make ourselves seem like we know what we\u2019re talking about. Seasoned interviewers will see right through your answer no matter how lengthy it is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"give-an-answer-thats-not-directly-related-to-the-question\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Give an answer that\u2019s not directly related to the question.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You have to listen actively. If there\u2019s something that\u2019s not clear to you, be sure to let the interviewer know. Politely ask him or her to repeat the scenario or the question. Ask clarificatory questions if needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It&#8217;s also common for candidates to miss the point when asked &#8220;Tell me about a time when&#8230;&#8221; questions. One example of this question is: &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/4113\/understand-several-information-valuable-information-problem\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Tell me about a time you were trying to understand a problem on your team and you had to go down several layers to figure it out.<\/a>&#8220;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can read the response of our PM Community <a href=\"https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/4113\/understand-several-information-valuable-information-problem\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a>.&nbsp; <strong>Note:<\/strong> For some questions, you need to upgrade your account to view the complete answers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"not-answer-at-all\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Not answer at all.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During a behavioral interview, one of the worst things you can do is not answer at all. It\u2019s possible that the specific scenario the interviewer is painting doesn\u2019t apply to you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In this case, be honest. Let the interviewer know that you may not have experienced the situation before but you can always present a hypothetical solution to it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"give-an-answer-that-reflects-negatively-on-you\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Give an answer that reflects negatively on you.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you give an answer that sheds a negative light on yourself, you might not end up with the product management job of your dreams.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example, if the interviewer asks: \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/2543\/layman-terms-describe-your-day-activities-product-manager\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Describe your day-to-day activities as a Product Manager<\/a>.\u201d Then, you give an answer that makes it seem like you\u2019re all over the place, it can\u2019t be good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Preparation is one of the keys to getting through this process successfully. Take time to review the questions that you think might be asked during the interview.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At PM Exercises, we have a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/product-manager-interview-course\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">product management interview course<\/a> that you can check out. It includes an introduction to behavioral questions for product managers. It also discusses typical general questions asked in companies like Google and Meta.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"most-popular-behavioral-interview-questions-at-pm-exercises\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Most_Popular_Behavioral_Interview_Questions_at_PM_Exercises\"><\/span>Most Popular Behavioral Interview Questions at PM Exercises<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Complete-Guide-for-Behavioral-Interview-Questions-for-Product-Managers-2-1536x864-1-1024x576.webp\" alt=\"Most Popular Behavioral Interview Questions at PM Exercises\" class=\"wp-image-4559\" style=\"width:768px;height:432px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Complete-Guide-for-Behavioral-Interview-Questions-for-Product-Managers-2-1536x864-1-1024x576.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Complete-Guide-for-Behavioral-Interview-Questions-for-Product-Managers-2-1536x864-1-300x169.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Complete-Guide-for-Behavioral-Interview-Questions-for-Product-Managers-2-1536x864-1-320x180.webp 320w, https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Complete-Guide-for-Behavioral-Interview-Questions-for-Product-Managers-2-1536x864-1-768x432.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Complete-Guide-for-Behavioral-Interview-Questions-for-Product-Managers-2-1536x864-1-400x225.webp 400w, https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Complete-Guide-for-Behavioral-Interview-Questions-for-Product-Managers-2-1536x864-1-800x450.webp 800w, https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Complete-Guide-for-Behavioral-Interview-Questions-for-Product-Managers-2-1536x864-1-1160x653.webp 1160w, https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Complete-Guide-for-Behavioral-Interview-Questions-for-Product-Managers-2-1536x864-1.webp 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The PM Exercises questions database has about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/interview-questions\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">3,000+ interview questions and sample answers<\/a> for product managers. We sorted the questions to reflect the five most popular behavioral interview questions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"in-layman-terms-describe-your-day-to-day-activities-as-a-product-manager\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>In layman terms, describe your day-to-day activities as a Product Manager.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Each day is never the same when you are in product management. So how do you explain the kind of work you do to someone who may not understand technology?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One approach is to give simple examples. Liken yourself to a building contractor who builds houses based on the preferences of their client.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can check how our PM Community answered this question <a href=\"https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/2543\/layman-terms-describe-your-day-activities-product-manager\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a>. <strong>Note:<\/strong> For some questions, you need to upgrade your account to view the complete answers<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"how-would-you-keep-developers-working-on-a-product-motivated-and-turning-out-quality-work\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How would you keep developers working on a product motivated and turning out quality work?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Plenty of product managers can probably relate to this problem. It\u2019s one of the questions in our database that has the most engagement. Each of our community members has their take on how to solve the problem but it always boils down to making the developers understand their role within the bigger picture.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A good product manager will focus on communicating with the developers, ensuring that their strengths are leveraged and that they\u2019re not overloaded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can check how our PM Community answered this question <a href=\"https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/625\/would-developers-working-product-motivated-turning-quality\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a>. <strong>Note:<\/strong> For some questions, you need to upgrade your account to view the complete answers<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"what-are-you-looking-for-in-your-next-role\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What are you looking for in your next role?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to one of our resident coaches, this is one question that causes the most anxiety among product managers. Our coach suggests giving an open, vulnerable and thoughtful answer.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She gave a very insightful answer to the question. She answered it according to the different phases in her career. We highly recommend reviewing her response <a href=\"https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/6334\/what-are-you-looking-for-in-your-next-role\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a>. <strong>Note:<\/strong> For some questions, you need to upgrade your account to view the complete answers<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"if-there-are-3-different-items-on-top-priority-for-a-release-and-the-client-is-insisting-on-getting-all-3-delivered-in-the-same-release-as-a-pm-you-know-there-is-not-enough-engineering-capacity-what\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>If there are 3 different items on top priority for a release and the client is insisting on getting all 3 delivered in the same release. As a PM you know there is not enough engineering capacity. What will you do?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As a product manager, you have to know to prioritize. In your career, there will be situations where you have to choose one main priority over the others. You can use prioritization methods like Important VS Urgent. Then, talk to the engineering team to discuss their actual capacity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can check how our PM Community answered this question <a href=\"https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/9521\/different-priority-insisting-delivered-engineering-capacity\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a>. <strong>Note:<\/strong> For some questions, you need to upgrade your account to view the complete answers<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"you-are-a-pm-and-you-are-about-to-enter-the-product-launch-meeting-with-all-stakeholders-how-would-you-prepare-for-that-meeting\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>You are a PM and you are about to enter the product launch meeting with all stakeholders. How would you prepare for that meeting?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To answer this question appropriately, you have to know certain details like what the product is and who the specific stakeholders are. As soon as the interviewer gives you the details, you can proceed with:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Identifying the objective for the meeting<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Determining how long the meeting will be<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Listing the agenda that you\u2019re going to tackle during the meeting<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can check how our PM Community answered this question <a href=\"https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/1075\/about-product-launch-meeting-stakeholders-prepare-meeting\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a>. <strong>Note:<\/strong> For some questions, you need to upgrade your account to view the complete answers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"tell-me-a-time-when-you-influenced-engineering-to-build-a-particular-feature\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Tell me a time when you influenced engineering to build a particular feature.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This question was asked in companies like Amazon, Walmart, Paypal, and more. The \u201cTell me about a time when\u2026\u201d questions are usual behavioral interview questions. It\u2019s always good to share experiences that resulted in a good outcome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One of our community members shared her experience about their engineering team wanting to take out some fields on their platform. She wasn\u2019t the happiest with the recommendation but she went on a deep dive to see why this was the direction the engineering team wanted to go.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She analyzed the circumstances and suggested some alternatives that wouldn\u2019t affect the number of their existing customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can check how our PM Community answered this question <a href=\"https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/3061\/tell-time-influenced-engineering-build-particular-feature\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a>. <strong>Note:<\/strong> For some questions, you need to upgrade your account to view the complete answers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"how-should-a-product-manager-prepare-for-a-behavioral-interview\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_should_a_Product_Manager_prepare_for_a_behavioral_interview\"><\/span>How should a Product Manager prepare for a behavioral interview?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"813\" src=\"https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/3-1.webp\" alt=\"Complete Guide for Behavioral Interview Questions for Product Managers | How to Prepare\" class=\"wp-image-4558\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/3-1.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/3-1-300x238.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/3-1-320x254.webp 320w, https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/3-1-768x610.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/3-1-400x318.webp 400w, https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/3-1-800x635.webp 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One of the best ways for you to be ready for a behavioral interview is to prepare and practice as much as you can. As cliche as it sounds, \u201cpractice makes perfect\u201d is an age-old saying that applies to product management interviews. Here are a few tips to consider:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"practice-by-yourself\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Practice by Yourself<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Go through the popular behavioral interview questions above and record yourself answering the questions. Usually, you will learn a lot from listening to your voice and your answer. From your recording, you can hear what you sound like, and you can review if your answer sounds right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"get-others-feedback\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Get Others\u2019 Feedback<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On Product Management Exercises, we have a section called \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=gdGRhlmjW04\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Practice<\/a>\u201d where you can find mock interview partners. There are plenty of other members of the community who are also preparing for their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=gdGRhlmjW04\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">PM interviews<\/a>. Their feedback, and vice versa, can be very valuable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"prepare-three-answers-for-each-situation-based-question\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Prepare Three Answers for Each Situation-Based Question<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sometimes, an interview might ask you to give an example of a situation that\u2019s similar to the last question they asked.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are also other times when interviewers ask two similar questions. You want to show off your vast experience and use the answers that you have already practiced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"give-real-examples\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Give Real Examples<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Interviewers will see right through your examples if they\u2019re made up. Always draw from your past experience. It\u2019s never a good idea to make something up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"be-honest\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Be Honest<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As mentioned, if the interviewer is asking for an example or situation that you don\u2019t have experience with, be sure to tell the interviewer. Instead, you can share what you might do if you were put in that situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"behavioral-interview-questions-with-a-google-pm\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Behavioral_Interview_Questions_with_a_Google_PM\"><\/span>Behavioral Interview Questions with a Google PM<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Below is a video of Alicia, one of the members of our community who used PM Exercises to prepare for her Google PM Interview. Her interview was successful so now she shares some insights into answering behavioral interview questions effectively. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Mock Behavioral Interview with a Google PM\" width=\"1130\" height=\"636\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/cqh6vMaHxFo?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"summary\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Summary\"><\/span>Summary<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Interviewers use behavioral interview questions to gain a better understanding of who you are and if you&#8217;re a good fit for their company. These types of questions will see how you react to stress, leverage your existing skills, and handle delicate situations professionally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lessen your anxiety and gain more confidence in answering behavioral questions by preparing and practicing. Make use of available resources like the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/product-manager-interview-course\/introduction-to-behavioral-questions\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">PM Exercises prep course<\/a> and our database for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/interview-questions\/behavioral\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">behavioral interview questions + sample answers<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lastly, don&#8217;t forget to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/register\">join the PM Exercises community<\/a> so you can <a href=\"https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/practice\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">find a partner to practice with<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Today we tackle behavioral interview questions for product managers including common mistakes, popular questions asked during PM interviews, and tips on how you can respond with confidence.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":4556,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"ub_ctt_via":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[47],"class_list":["post-1618","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pm-interview-questions","tag-behavioral-interview"],"acf":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/39.webp","author_info":{"display_name":"Bijan Shahrokhi","author_link":"https:\/\/www.productmanagementexercises.com\/blog\/author\/bijanpm\/"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.5 - 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