Hiring the right product manager for your company can be a daunting task. The product manager is a critical hire as they are responsible for leading the product development process, ensuring that the company's product roadmap aligns with business objectives, and ultimately delivering a product that meets customer needs. To ensure that you hire the right person for the job, there are several key steps you can take to vet and hire a product manager.

Define the Role and Responsibilities

The first step in vetting and hiring a product manager is to define the role and responsibilities of the position. This will help you identify the skills and experience required for the job, as well as the specific qualities you are looking for in a candidate. Some of the key responsibilities of a product manager may include:

• Developing and executing a product strategy that aligns with business objectives

• Identifying market opportunities and defining customer needs

• Conducting market research and competitive analysis

• Prioritizing product features and creating a product roadmap

• Working closely with cross-functional teams such as engineering, design, and marketing

• Analyzing product metrics and making data-driven decisions

Evaluate the Candidate's Experience and Skills

Once you have defined the role and responsibilities of the position, you can begin evaluating candidates based on their experience and skills. Look for candidates who have a proven track record of success in product management, particularly in the tech industry. You may want to consider candidates who have experience with a similar product or market, or who have experience working with a similar size and stage company.

In addition to experience, look for candidates who possess the following skills:

• Strong thought leadership and communication skills

• Analytical and strategic thinking

• Ability to work well in a team environment

• Attention to detail and focus on results

• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects simultaneously

Conduct Interviews and Assessments

Once you have a candidate pool, it's time to conduct interviews and assessments to evaluate their fit for the role. Interviews can help you assess a candidate's communication skills, leadership abilities, and overall fit for the company culture. In addition to interviews, you can evaluate candidates by conducting assessments such as:

• Problem-solving exercises

• Case studies

• Role-playing exercises

• Product demos or presentations

• Simulated product launch exercises 

These assessments can help you assess a candidate's ability to think strategically, prioritize tasks, and work under pressure.

PM Sample Interview Questions

Open Ended:

• What do you know about our company?

• Why do you want to work at our company?

• Why do you want to be/what do you love about being a Product Manager?

• What do you see as a Product Manager’s main role within product development?

• How do you see your career developing in the next 5 years?

• How would you improve your favorite product?

Product Management and Opportunity-Specific Questions:

• What do you think would be the biggest challenge in this role?

• What main changes would you make to our product?

• How do you conduct user research and how often?

• How do you prioritize tasks?

• From conception to launch, how do you manage a new product or new product features?

• What makes a successful product launch?

• What criteria do you use to evaluate if a product is well-designed?

• Would you redesign our product? Why and how?

• How do you integrate new features into an existing product roadmap?

• How do you gather feedback from users? How does that feedback shape your product roadmap?

• How do you evaluate if users are satisfied with your product?

• What’s the most challenging problem you’ve faced as a Product Manager?

Check References

Before making a final decision, it's important to check references to ensure that the candidate has a strong track record of success and is a good fit for the company culture. Reach out to former colleagues and managers to ask about the candidate's work ethic, leadership abilities, and overall performance. These references can provide valuable insights into the candidate's strengths and weaknesses, and help you make an informed decision.

Evaluate Cultural Fit

It's important to evaluate a candidate's cultural fit for the company. The product manager will be working closely with cross-functional teams, so it's important to ensure that they are a good fit for the company culture and values. Consider factors such as:

• Work style and preferences

• Communication style

• Values and beliefs

• Personality and demeanor

By evaluating a candidate's cultural fit, you can ensure that they will thrive in the company environment and work well with other team members.

Vetting and hiring a product manager requires a thoughtful and strategic approach. By defining the role and responsibilities, evaluating candidates based on experience and skills, conducting interviews and assessments, checking references, and evaluating cultural fit, you can find the right person for the job and set your company up for success.