Why interviewers ask the favorite product question

“What’s your favorite product and why?” is a common question asked during PM interviews at top tech companies. Interviewers ask this question to assess:

  • You understanding of product design
  • Your ability to deliver constructive criticism
  • Your knowledge of a specific product

First, one of your tasks as a PM is to help design new product features and improve existing ones. So, you’ll need to be able to explain what differentiates an excellent product from its competitors.

Second, PMs work closely with designers, so you’ll be expected to deliver criticism on designs with a high degree of emotional intelligence. Interviewers will therefore want to see that you can provide clear and constructive feedback when answering the question.

Third, PM’s often have to make important design decisions with little time and lacking data. So a good PM knows the product they own inside and out, which helps to make better choices in these difficult scenarios. This is why certain companies will expect you to have a solid understanding of their products from your first day as an employee.