interview prep no. 72
Changes in Big Tech Interviews | Burnout | Goals | Pain Points | Product Sense Shopify Fail | Coach's Recording
Juggling non-FAANG interviews and burnout, so my 3-month prep plan is on hold for now. The reminder still stands: (1) have a plan, (2) stay flexible, (3) everyone is different, and (4) there’s no one-size-fits-all. I’ve said this for years; sharing my own journey drives it home. Also, I am observing changes in interview requirements in Big Tech, faster than I expected.
This Week’s Highlights
Goals | Business vs. User
Pain Points | Refreshed POV
Product Sense | Shopify Miss
Paid Subscribers ONLY
Interview Trends | Google and Meta
Coach’s Mock DoorDash Prioritization
Debrief Notes
Goals
Business vs User Goals
Different companies weigh user and business goals differently. Most PM candidates focus too much on business goals and not enough on user goals. I often push back and emphasize user goals more. As more companies show clear preferences, I’m coaching you to cover both.
If you know what the company prefers, index on that.
If you don’t, mention both.
Where does this come from? Meta PMs are exhausted by “the goal is engagement.” Instead, in plain English, describe what the user is trying to accomplish. (Think: I need to get my kid to school on time and not be late for work.)
I coach simple, concrete user goals—then layer the business lens. At other companies, they want to see that you understand when a space is, for example, a retention or an engagement play.
When you know or think something is a pet peeve at a particular company, tread carefully. Too many people drop “engagement” when it’s obvious, which can come off as lacking insight, at best, or clueless at worst.
When in doubt: mention both user and business goals.
Pain Points
Rule of Thumb
Years ago, an interviewer didn’t like my pain points (all 7+) because I missed the one that seemed “obvious” to them but not to me. Since then, I’ve kept prioritization tight—usually 3–4—but I’ve often listed more during the user journey analysis.
Last week, I spoke with a PM who has done 200+ interviews where prioritization mattered; they said five pain points is typically the sweet spot. Not a guarantee it fits every interviewer, but it’s a healthy rule of thumb.
Product Sense
Shopify Renewal Hellscape
A product I love pushed me to cancel—because the subscription flow was a trap. Vague copy, a buried confirmation, a useless chatbot, and a three-day renewal window (two on a weekend) created a perfect storm. I thought I’d delayed the shipment. I hadn’t. It shipped to an address I couldn’t access, and support was nowhere.
This isn’t a “bad merchant” story; it’s a “Shopify defaults don’t scale” story. In the post, I break down the exact failure points and propose dead-simple fixes: one-click delay from email, smarter reminders for infrequent renewals, and proactive address checks. Retention tricks might work once. Clear, humane UX keeps customers.
I highly recommend you stop and deconstruct your next bad product experience, no matter how small, to help you improve your product sense.
