Cracking the PM Interview

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
•  What is a PM?
•  Functions of a PM
•  Top Myths about Product Management
•  Project Managers and Program Managers
 

Companies
•  How the PM Role Varies
•  Google
•  Microsoft
•  Apple
•  Facebook
•  Amazon
•  Yahoo
•  Twitter
•  Startups

•  Getting the Right Experience
•  New Grads
•  Making the Most of Career Fairs
•  Do you need an MBA?
•  Why Technical Experience Matters
•  Transitioning from Engineer to Product Manager
•  Transitioning from Designer to Product Manager
•  Transitioning from Other Roles
•  What Makes a Good Side Project?

Review

“I wish this book had existed when I first found my way into product management. Gayle and Jackie don’t just help you land a PM job; they show you what it takes to be great once you’ve got one. Finally there’s a game plan for charting your career as a product manager.”

–Ken Norton, Partner at Google Ventures (former PM at Google)

“If you were looking for a comprehensive, well-researched book about how to get a job in product management, look no further than Cracking the PM Interview. Gayle and Jackie break down the entire process of landing your dream PM job, while bridging a wide range of perspectives that aspiring PMs may bring to the table. This is a no-brainer resource to leverage during your job search.”

–Jason Shah, former Product Manager at Yammer/Microsoft & instructor of How to Get a Job in Product Management

“Impressed by Jackie and Gayle’s thorough interview walkthrough, from defining your skills, to resumes and all the way to product questions. A definite handbook for hopeful product managers.” 

–Ritu Jain, Organizer of PM Fast Track Community & CEO of LearningJar