program manager interview case study

Top 30 Program Manager Interview Questions (+ Example Answers)

Mike Simpson 0 Comments

By Mike Simpson

The world of business is like a spider’s web. Different pieces connect through a series of delicate threads. Sometimes, the pattern is logical. In other cases, it’s visual cacophony. But, regardless of how it appears, it’s the connections that matter. And those connections are what define the world of a program manager.

Program managers oversee an interconnected chunk of a business, allowing them to steer it toward a brighter future and help it achieve its goals. Without program managers, projects that share threads might not account for the efforts of another, causing everything to become disjointed. To put it simply, without a program manager’s guidance, it could be chaos.

Because of that risk, hiring managers are diligent about selecting highly skilled program managers. If you want to prove that you’re the amazing candidate you know yourself to be, nailing your program manager interview questions is a must. Otherwise, you won’t stand out from the pack; and that means missing out on the opportunity.

Sure, you could simply head to the interview and hope for the best. But is that really the best way to go?

No, of course not.

Being prepared is what it should always be about. Luckily, making sure you can shine isn’t challenging. We have your back. So, come with us as we take a deep dive into what it takes to leave the competition in the dust.

How to Answer Program Manager Interview Questions

First, don’t confuse program managers with project managers or product managers . While the job titles look ridiculously similar, and the roles do have quite a bit in common, they aren’t actually the same. Technically, they all oversee projects, but the niches can vary.

Product managers focus on (surprise, surprise) products. Project managers might work in any niche, depending on their employer. But their work tends to focus on the project at hand, and not on the big strategic picture.

Program managers usually oversee a group of projects (and, potentially, a team of project managers), and each one is connected by a common element, like a single company goal. Additionally, they are responsible for guiding strategy, keeping everyone moving toward the right target.

Oh, and project and product managers earn an average of $76,683 and $83,617 a year, respectively. For program managers, the annual salary average is $134,620 .

Now that’s out of the way, but before we go over the program manager interview questions, let’s pause for a moment to talk strategy. You need the right approach. That way, if the hiring manager asks you something unexpected, you can adapt.

Start by doing some research.

The program manager job description is a great place to start, as it spells out what the company considers must-haves. Couple that with a look at the company’s mission and values statements, and you can find out a lot about the skills and traits the hiring manager wants to find.

When an interview question is straightforward – like, the “do you have skill X?” kind of straightforward – answering is a breeze. You assert that you do and provide a relevant example that proves it. Or, if you don’t, you admit it, but then go a little further, discussing your interest in acquiring the skill or any efforts you’re taking to improve in that area. Done.

But, when you’re facing behavioral interview questions , it’s a bit trickier. These require more than a “yes” or “no,” for one. For another, there usually isn’t a “right” or “wrong” answer. Sure, some answers may be better than others, or a better fit in the eyes of the hiring manager, but it isn’t cut-and-dry.

In most cases, behavioral interview questions ask you to navigate a scenario and provide examples of what you’ve done or what you would do. While that isn’t always easy, there is a technique that works. By combining the STAR Method and the Tailoring Method , you can craft a compelling, story-driven answer that’s as relevant as possible. It’s a great way to stand out from the crowd, so make sure you really get to know those strategies as you prepare for your interview.

We also wanted to let you know that we created an amazing free cheat sheet that will give you word-for-word answers for some of the toughest interview questions you are going to face in your upcoming interview. After all, hiring managers will often ask you more generalized interview questions along with their program manager specific questions!

Click below to get your free PDF now:

Get Our Job Interview Questions & Answers Cheat Sheet!

FREE BONUS PDF CHEAT SHEET: Get our " Job Interview Questions & Answers PDF Cheat Sheet " that gives you " word-word sample answers to the most common job interview questions you'll face at your next interview .

CLICK HERE TO GET THE JOB INTERVIEW QUESTIONS CHEAT SHEET

Top 3 Program Manager Interview Questions

As with all interviews, the exact questions you face vary depending on the precise role. Every employer is different, so their needs, priorities, and preferences won’t precisely match their competitors. However, certain ones are pretty common. Here’s a look at the top three program manager interview questions, and some example answers.

1. When you’re overseeing multiple projects, how do you determine which is a priority?

Since program managers are responsible for several projects at once, they have to set priorities. This allows them to allocate funding appropriately, as well as direct their energy in the best possible way.

The hiring manager wants insights into your strategy. You need to clue them in to how you think, so provide details into what you assess when making a decision.

EXAMPLE ANSWER:

“If I need to set a priority, my first step is to examine any dependencies. In some cases, certain projects have to reach specific stages before another can move forward, making this a critical factor. Beyond that, I examine several project facets, including the goals, budget requirements, level of risk, resource constraints, and potential strategic value. Additionally, I’ll speak with the various sponsors and stakeholders to get their perspective. Typically, that process allows me to prioritize the projects in a way that yields the most benefit for the company.”

2. What steps do you take to avoid scope creep?

In the world of projects, scope creep is like the ax-wielding maniac lurking in the shadows in horror movies; it can spring out at you quickly and completely destroy everything. Since program managers oversee several projects at once, keeping scope creep in check is essential. Otherwise, a project can careen out of control.

Hiring managers want to know that you actively prevent scope creep. That way, the odds favor you finishing on-time and on-budget.

“For managing scope creep, vigilance is key. However, it also requires critical thinking. After all, every project shifts a bit along the way, so having the ability to separate scope creep from genuine necessary adjustments is essential. For every project, I make sure all of the parameters are well-defined before it moves forward. Additionally, I keep the lines of communication open, both with team members and stakeholders, establishing myself as a primary point of contact for questions and change requests. This allows me to remain informed of any requests that fall outside of the original scope, enabling me to step in and assess the situation as quickly as possible. Then, we can work together to determine whether a change is appropriate or needed, and, if it isn’t, I can address the situation appropriately.”

3. What is the most common reason projects fail?

Hiring managers want to avoid failure. That means hiring a program manager that understands what can cause it, allowing them to sidestep it to the best of their ability.

“If I had to pick a single reason, I’d have to say poor communication. When the lines of communication breakdown, the resulting situation invites failure. For example, team members may not be on the same page, causing one group to prioritize one aspect while others concentrate in a different direction. Details about changes might not be properly shared, slowing progress and potentially requiring some to redo work simply because they weren’t informed that they needed to take a new direction. All of this elevates costs and lengthens the timeline, increasing the odds of failure. But, with solid communication, much of this can be avoided.”

27 More Program Manager Interview Questions

Here are 27 more program manager interview questions the hiring manager may ask during your meeting:

• How is a program manager different from a project manager?
• What value is created by grouping several projects into a single program?
• What is the biggest challenge you’ve ever faced when overseeing a team of project managers? How did you overcome it?
• If you’re working on a project and the company changes its goals, how do you adapt?
• Tell me about a time when one of your projects fell behind schedule. What did you do to recover?
• What steps do you take to make sure you can meet tough deadlines?
• How do you prevent communication breakdowns among team members?
• Tell me about a time where you and a project manager you were overseeing disagreed. How did you handle it?
• Which metrics do you use to determine success?
• How do you make use of technology to keep a program on target?
• Describe your experience with program charters.
• Do you believe that change management is critical for program managers? Why or why not?
• What resources do you use to stay on top of industry trends?
• Describe your risk analysis process.
• Tell me about your biggest project success. What about your biggest project failure?
• Have you ever had to negotiate with a difficult stakeholder? How did you handle it?
• Can you tell me about your management style?
• Tell me about your delegation strategy.
• Do you use a different approach for small programs than large ones? Why or why not?
• What steps do you take to determine how to allocate a program’s budget?
• When you have a chance to build your own team, how do you put one together?
• Once you identify project risks, how do you mitigate them?
• If two team members disagree about how to proceed, how do you get them both on the same page?
• What steps do you take to get the best deal from a critical vendor?
• How do you ensure the quality of the program’s results?
• If two stakeholders provide you with conflicting requirements, how do you determine how to proceed?
• Which of your traits do you feel best equip you to work as a leader?

5 Good Questions to Ask at the End of a Program Manager Interview

When the sun begins to set on your program manager interview, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to ask the hiring manager a few questions of your own. This is a critical opportunity that you shouldn’t pass up. Not only does it make you seem more interested in the job, but it also lets you learn more about the role and the company’s culture.

Sometimes, you’ll be able to choose some questions on the fly. If you don’t learn something important during the interview, consider asking about it. But, if that doesn’t happen, we have your back. Here are five good questions to have in your back pocket.

• Does your company use a specific approach, toolset, or methodology for managing projects?
• How many projects are typically occurring simultaneously?
• Can you describe the typical day for a program manager here?
• What is the biggest challenge this position solves for the company?
• What do your most successful program managers have in common?

Putting It All Together

Ultimately, by embracing the tips above, you can show those program manager interview questions who’s boss. Just make sure to practice your answers ahead of time, ensuring you can discuss your capabilities with ease. That way, you’ll showcase yourself as the amazing candidate you know you are, increasing the odds that you’ll get the offer when all is said and done.

FREE : Job Interview Questions & Answers PDF Cheat Sheet!

Download our " Job Interview Questions & Answers PDF Cheat Sheet " that gives you word-for-word sample answers to some of the most common interview questions including:

• What Is Your Greatest Weakness?
• What Is Your Greatest Strength?
• Tell Me About Yourself
• Why Should We Hire You?

Click Here To Get The Job Interview Questions & Answers Cheat Sheet

Co-Founder and CEO of TheInterviewGuys.com. Mike is a job interview and career expert and the head writer at TheInterviewGuys.com.

His advice and insights have been shared and featured by publications such as Forbes , Entrepreneur , CNBC and more as well as educational institutions such as the University of Michigan , Penn State , Northeastern and others.

Learn more about The Interview Guys on our About Us page .

About The Author

Mike simpson.

Co-Founder and CEO of TheInterviewGuys.com. Mike is a job interview and career expert and the head writer at TheInterviewGuys.com. His advice and insights have been shared and featured by publications such as Forbes , Entrepreneur , CNBC and more as well as educational institutions such as the University of Michigan , Penn State , Northeastern and others. Learn more about The Interview Guys on our About Us page .

Copyright © 2024 · TheInterviewguys.com · All Rights Reserved

• Our Products
• Case Studies
• Interview Questions
• Jobs Articles
• Members Login

Program manager interview prep (relax, start here)

Program manager interview preparation is a big challenge. There are a variety of question types you'll need to master, and tech companies like Facebook, Amazon, and Google don’t always focus on the same ones. 

So, what do you do? And where do you start? 

That’s where we come in. From analyzing 250+ program manager interview questions reported by real candidates on Glassdoor, we’ve got a good idea of how to crack program manager interviews at top tech companies. Below, you’ll find an interview timeline, a breakdown of the three most common question types, practice examples, and links to resources for extra prep.

To begin, here’s a quick overview of our step-by-step guide:

• Learn the program manager interview process
• Practice with example questions
• Study these top tips and resources
• Do mock interviews

Click here to practice 1-on1 with ex-FAANG interviewers

1. learn the program manager interview process.

We'll be giving a general overview of the program manager interview process here, but if you need insight into a particular company, refer to one of our company-specific preparation guides below.

• Facebook program manager interview guide
• Amazon program manager interview guide
• Google program manager interview guide

So, what’s the general interview timeline? It normally takes between 4 and 8 weeks in total but can take longer.

It typically follows these steps:

1.1 What interviews to expect

• Recruiter phone screen: one interview
• Writing exercise (Amazon only)
• First-round interviews: one or two interviews
• Onsite interviews: four to five interviews

Let's look at each of these steps in more detail below:

1.1.1 Recruiter phone screen

After your application is accepted, you'll generally start your interview process by talking to a recruiter on the phone. They are looking to confirm that you've got a chance of getting the job at all, so be prepared to explain your background and why you’re a good fit for the company. You should expect typical behavioral and resume questions like "Tell me about yourself", " Why this company? ", etc.

If you get past this first HR screen, the recruiter will then help schedule your next interview. At this time, they’ll also walk you through the next steps in the hiring process, and they’ll likely share some company resources to help you prepare. If you need clarification on your incoming interviews, this is a good time to ask.

1.1.2 Writing exercise (Amazon only)

If you’re interviewing at Amazon, there’s a chance you’ll have a written test. This is the one major tech company out of the three we’ve analyzed ( Facebook , Google , and Amazon ) that uses them.

The exact nature of this test can vary depending on the role you’re applying for. It could take the form of a two-page essay on a given topic such as, "Talk about an experience in which you were able to simplify the lives of your customers", or it may aim to test your numerical skills or another skillset important to the role.

In case you are asked for this, keep a lookout in your inbox (we’ve seen reports of candidates not realizing they had a written test because the request went into their spam folder). If in doubt, you can always double-check with your recruiter. They are there to help you navigate the interview process.

1.1.3 First-round interviews

Before the onsite round, you'll go through one or two more interviews. These will either be with a hiring manager, a program manager, or both. It will usually take place over the phone or via video chat.

The types of questions you'll be asked in this round are roughly the same as the questions you'll encounter in your onsite interviews. In particular, you'll want to be well prepared for behavioral and program management questions. More on this in section 2.

The role of this step is to make sure it's worth bringing you onsite. Your interviewer will therefore try to make sure there isn't an area where you are particularly weak and don't stand a chance of meeting the hiring bar.

1.1.4 Onsite interviews

If you pass the initial interviews, you'll be invited onsite. These final interviews are the biggest test for program management candidates. During this interview loop, you'll have five or six one-hour interview rounds, in addition to lunch in the company cafeteria.

You'll mostly be interviewed by current program managers. But, depending on the company, role, and circumstances, you may also have interviews with an HR rep, a senior executive or, in Amazon’s case, the “ Bar Raiser .” We’ll get into the questions you’ll be asked in section 2.

[COVID Update] Given the Covid-19 pandemic, your onsite interviews will likely be conducted virtually. You can ask your recruiter for the latest information on their Covid-19 adjustments.

Right, ready to get into the interview questions? 

Let's go.

2. Practice with example questions

You can expect three broad types of questions in your program manager interviews. 

Here's a breakdown of the frequency with which these question types generally appear during program manager interviews at leading tech companies. The numbers and categories below are based on real interview data from Glassdoor , along with our analysis here at IGotAnOffer:

• Behavioral questions (48% ) test your ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams. You'll be asked questions about how you overcame team conflicts, troubleshot issues, etc.
• Program management questions (41%) test how good you are at delivering programs. You'll be asked questions about program management processes and skills, like planning and leading project teams.
• Role-specific / technical questions (11%) test your role-specific knowledge and experience. The exact questions you'll face here depend on the role and functional area where you'll be working and could include questions that test your technical depth.

For a full breakdown across top tech companies, refer to the graphic below.

You'll notice that there is considerable focus on behavioral and program management questions across all the companies listed above. However, you'll also notice that some companies emphasize different questions more than others. For instance, Facebook and Amazon tend to focus more on behavioral questions, whereas Google focuses more on program management questions.

Now that you have the high-level view of the question types that are asked in program manager interviews at leading tech companies, let's dig deeper into each type of question.

2.1 Behavioral interview questions

Program managers are the glue between product, design, marketing, engineering, and other teams. They need to be able to communicate clearly, work well with others, and resolve project issues.

Your ability to perform these functions will be assessed using behavioral interview questions. Be prepared to talk about your top accomplishments, situations where you've resolved conflict, and your motivation for applying to the specific company and role.

Now, here are the example questions:

Example behavioral questions

• Why do you want to work at this company?  ( sample answer  from Amazon interviews)
• What are your strengths and weaknesses?
• Walk me through your resume
• Tell me about a time you had a disagreement with a coworker 
• Give me an example of an uncertain situation at work and how you dealt with it
• Tell me about a time you had to act with limited information
• When did you take a risk, make a mistake, or fail? How did you respond, and how did you grow from that experience?
• Tell me about a situation where the problem was really difficult but you came up with an easy solution
• Define your ideal work environment and manager
• Tell me something you've learned that made you better at your job
• Take me through a scenario where you went above and beyond your job responsibilities
• What would you say is your superpower?

2.2 Program management interview questions

The second most frequently asked questions on program manager interviews are those focusing on program management processes and skills. 

Depending on your specific role or functional area, the day-to-day program manager responsibilities can vary significantly.  Sometimes you might work at the program level (i.e. across a few different projects). In other situations, your work could look very similar to that of project managers or product managers .

And just as the role itself can vary, the questions you'll be asked during your interviews will also vary. As a result, we'd suggest practicing two broad categories of program manager questions:

• Partnership

As you can see, each category has some sub-categories within it. But don't worry, they're actually fairly easy to remember when you understand what each category represents. 

Let's begin by digging into the process questions all at once, and then we'll cover the skill questions. You should get a feel for the categories as we work through them. 

2.2.1 Program management process questions

If you're familiar with project management, you may notice that the 5 categories listed under program management processes are roughly aligned with the PMBOK project management process groups . For our purposes, essentially all this means is that "process" questions are aligned with the lifecycle of a project (e.g. kick-off, planning, execution, monitoring, and then closing). 

Below, we've provided example interview questions for each of these project processes. These are all roughly aligned with the PMBOK process groups . We'd encourage you to practice answering at least one question from each sub-category.

Example program management process questions 

• How do you kick off a new project?
• Tell me about a program that you managed from kick-off through execution
• What steps would you take to launch X product?
• What is critical path and what happens if it changes?
• Tell me about a time you had a plan, but you encountered some obstacles. What did you do about it?
• You have 12 months to roll out a new product. Describe in detail how you would manage the process
• Tell me about a problem you faced when going from strategy to implementation
• How do you manage a complex program that consists of multiple projects?
• Your entire team can only use one spreadsheet. How would you optimize the design of the spreadsheet to make sure it works well for everyone?
• Describe a time you sacrificed short term goals for long term success
• Tell me about a time where you had to work on a tight deadline
• How will you handle reporting multiple projects when some of them are falling behind in schedule?
• Tell me about a project you managed. What were some of the metrics you used to determine the success of the project?
• How would you derive metrics?
• Tell me about a time you used analytics to make a decision.
• How do you know if a project is done?

2.2.2 Program management skill questions

While the program management process questions covered the PMBOK process groups, the "skill" category covers commonly-asked questions that assess other key skills: leadership, partnership, estimation, and a few others.

For leadership questions, you can expect these to sound very much like behavioral interview questions. However, we've separated leadership questions from behavioral questions because they tend to focus on leadership areas that are particularly important for program managers.

The primary focus for partnership questions is to evaluate your ability to work with a variety of stakeholders to move programs and projects forward. To do this, you'll need to build good working relationships and influence other people’s priorities without direct authority over them. 

Estimation questions are a bit different than the others, as they will test your l ogic, mental math and problem-solving skills . Regardless of the subject of the question, you'll need to show that you can break down the question into logical pieces and come to a reasonable conclusion.

Finally, there are a few other types of questions that get asked in program manager interviews, such as brain teasers and prioritization questions. Note: some companies like Amazon and Google have confirmed that they no longer use brain teasers in interviews. If you’re unsure whether to expect one from the company you’re interviewing with, try out one of the examples below to work out an approach in case any come up.

Example program management skills questions 

Leadership questions

• How do you advocate for a commitment to a priority, when that priority is not high on someone else's list?
• Tell me about a time you had to disagree with an executive
• Imagine you are working with a lot of engineers in this role. Given that engineers speak a slightly different language, how would you approach communications?
• Tell me about a time when you used feedback about your team to drive a change. How did you gather or receive feedback on your team's performance? What was the outcome?

Partnership questions

• Have you ever collaborated with multiple teams? What challenges did you face?
• Describe a time when you had to earn the trust of your project team and break their resistance to change. How did you do it, and what was the biggest challenge?
• Give an example of how you've worked with cross-functional teams. What role did you play?
• Tell me about a time someone changed your mind on a topic. How did you feel about it?

Estimation questions

• How much revenue does YouTube make per day? ( Solution )
• Estimate the costs of building a subway system
• What is daily collection at the busiest toll road in [name of local city]?
• How many cars are registered in [name of local city]?
• What is the daily revenue for a Jamba Juice location?

Other (brain teasers, prioritization, etc.)

• How do you prioritize competing projects, goals, or stakeholder requests?
• How many ways can you choose 3 desserts from a menu of 10?
• What is the angle between the hour hand and the minute hand on a clock at 4:20?
• Tell me about a program you’ve managed before

2.3 Role-specific / technical interview questions

Program manager interviews tend to focus primarily on behavioral and program management questions. However, not all program manager jobs are the same, so you should also do your homework on the job description and any other details about the role that you can find.

You'll want to be prepared to speak intelligently about the functional area where you'd be working. If your role would be in a technical area, or if you'd be working closely with engineers, then your interviewers may also decide to ask you a few technical questions to evaluate your depth of knowledge and your ability to communicate about technical details.

The below example questions are focused on technical topics and specific product or functional areas. This should give you a sense for how these questions tend to be asked. When you begin practicing for your own interviews, you'll want to customize the questions below to a product or topic that is relevant to your target role.

Example role-specific / technical questions

• What are some challenges facing cloud technology?
• Suggest 5 ways to improve Google Maps & Gmail
• Describe the logic for writing a doubly linked list
• Explain how TCP works
• Explain what happens in the back-end network when you use Facebook
• Suggest a new product or market segment that Google should develop
• Tell me the difference between AC and DC power transmission  

3. Study these top tips and resources

Now that you’ve seen the practice questions, let’s get into some resources and tips that should help you answer them.

3.1 Behavioral questions interview prep

For behavioral interviews, we recommend consulting our leadership  and people management primers for tech interviews, then learning our step-by-step behavioral interview method and creating a bank of 10+ personal stories that demonstrate your qualifications and top skills. You'll find this method in our Facebook behavioral interview guide, but it can apply to any company. For a company like Amazon , you’ll want at least one story that matches each of its 16 leadership principles .

Once you've got a bank of stories, you can practice using them to answer the behavioral questions we've listed above. Emphasize different aspects of your story depending on the exact question asked so that, with practice, you'll get used to tailoring your stories to fit different questions.

3.2 Program management interview prep

To prepare for the program management questions you'll face during your interviews, it's important to brush up on program management basics . A big part of a program manager's role actually comes back to project management skills. As a result, we also recommend brushing up on project management fundamentals using a free guide, like this one published by Wrike .

This will give you an opportunity to refresh your memory on the key aspects of project management, like scope, schedule, resources, stakeholders, etc.

In addition, you should make sure you're on top of common concepts used in Agile project management. A great resource for this is Atlassian's Agile project management guide . In particular, we recommend brushing up on the difference between Kanban and Scrum, and the common structures used in Agile projects (e.g. epics, stories, themes, etc.).

For leadership and partnership questions, you can use a similar approach to behavioral questions, with an emphasis on program management skills. On the other hand, for estimation questions, we'd recommend reading our separate guide on estimation questions (note: this guide is written for product managers, but the contents will still be relevant for this type of question).

Once you've refreshed your memory on these topics, you should go through the list of program management questions we've listed in section 2 and draft answers for those.

3.3 Technical interview prep

You should also make sure you're well prepared for role-specific questions by learning as much information as you can about the role, industry, and/or functional area to which you're applying.

You can begin by doing online research and carefully understanding each part of the job description. It's also a great idea to reach out to any connections you have that are involved in similar roles. Your recruiter may also be able to provide you with some additional information in advance.

If you anticipate that you'll have a technical role, or you just want to make sure you're prepared for any technical questions that may arise, then our Technical Program Manager guide would be another helpful resource.

4. Do mock interviews

Learning the question types and the specific interview process for your favorite company will go a long way in helping you prepare. But this information is not enough to land you a program manager job offer. 

To succeed in your program manager interviews, you're also going to need to practice under realistic interview conditions so that you'll be ready to perform when it counts. 

The easiest way to start practicing under simulated interview conditions is to practice interview questions out loud or with peers.

4.1 Practice by yourself

A great way to practice all of these different types of questions is to interview yourself out loud. This may sound strange, but it will significantly improve the way you communicate your answers during an interview. 

Play the role of both the candidate and the interviewer, asking questions and answering them, just like two people would in an interview. Trust us, it works.

4.2. Practice with someone else

After you've started to get the hang of some program manager interview questions by practicing by yourself, then a great next step is to do mock interviews with friends or peers.

This can be especially helpful if your friend has experience with program management interviews, or is at least familiar with the process.

4.3 Practice with ex-interviewers

At some point, you'll start noticing that the feedback you are getting from peers or friends isn't helping you that much anymore. Once you reach that stage, we recommend practicing with ex-interviewers from top tech companies.

If you know a program manager or someone who has experience running interviews at a big tech company, then that's fantastic. But for most of us, it's tough to find the right connections to make this happen. And it might also be difficult to practice multiple hours with that person unless you know them really well.

Here's the good news. We've already made the connections for you. We’ve created a coaching service where you can practice 1-on-1 with ex-interviewers from leading tech companies like Google, Facebook, and Amazon. Learn more and start scheduling sessions today .

Related articles:

How to Nail your next Technical Interview

You may be missing out on a 66.5% salary hike*, nick camilleri, how many years of coding experience do you have, free course on 'sorting algorithms' by omkar deshpande (stanford phd, head of curriculum, ik), help us with your details.

Microsoft Program Manager Interview - 80 Sample Questions, Process, and Prep

Last updated by Abhinav Rawat on Sep 25, 2024 at 10:45 PM | Reading time: 15 minutes

The fact that it's difficult to find someone who hasn't been influenced, directly or indirectly, by a Microsoft product says a lot about the tech behemoth. It's no surprise that you're aiming for the coveted position of Microsoft Program Manager. All you have to do is conduct research, plan ahead of time, and answer the Microsoft project manager interview questions.

Program Managers or PMs are also known as Technical Program Managers or TPMs. At Microsoft, PMs are expected to deep-dive into technical aspects when planning, designing, and outlining the roadmap of a product, in addition to performing all the duties required of a product manager.

In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about the Microsoft Program Manager interview and its hiring process. The points we’ll look at are:

Microsoft Program Manager Interview Process and Timeline

Topics to prepare for microsoft program manager interview.

• How to Prepare for Microsoft Program Manager Interview
• 80 Sample Questions for Microsoft Program Manager Interview

Roles and Responsibilities of Microsoft Program Manager

• Microsoft Technical Manager Salary

FAQs on Microsoft Program Manager Interview Questions

A typical Microsoft Interview Process for a Program Manager can take anywhere between 4-8 weeks to complete. This is because the volume of applicants is vast, and timelines vary with different divisions at Microsoft.

The Microsoft PM interview steps are:

1. Getting the Interview

2. phone screening, 3. on-site interviews, 3.1. face-to-face technical interview, 3.2. systems design round.

3.3. HR Interview

The first step in the Microsoft Program Manager interview process is to bag an interview with the company. You will need:

• A compelling cover letter
• A resume fine-tuned to the expectations of the PM job description
• As many reliable referrals as you can get

If your resume is shortlisted for a Microsoft PM interview, a recruiter will call you to test the waters and get to know you better. It may or may not include a video call.

A Microsoft Technical Program Manager phone interview is a mix of behavioral questions to see if you are a good culture fit and a product design coding assessment on a remote online editor to gauge your technical skill levels as a software developer. This round lasts for around 45-50 minutes.

Find out how to face phone screen interviews with ease.

Once you pass the phone screening and preliminary technical interview, you get called for an on-site interview. These Microsoft Program Manager on-site interviews are based on product design, technical knowledge, behavioral aspects, and strategy. Each of the rounds lasts about an hour.

In this round of Microsoft PM interviews, you are given a real-life problem that you need to solve with code on a whiteboard. The assignments are usually related to data structures and algorithms. Recruiters want to see how you approach a given problem, how you plan your code, and how you execute your plan.

This round is conducted for more experienced software engineers. You will be asked to build a system design around a given problem. System design interviews test your ability to design large systems with various constraints and requirements.

3.3 HR Interview

This round focuses on evaluating whether you are culturally a good fit for Microsoft or not. It involves behavioral questions . Check out the following articles for sample interview questions:

• Microsoft Interview Questions
• How to Answer the “Why Microsoft?” Interview Question

This is the final act! The HR department will contact you with an offer if you have been selected. This time varies, as data aggregation and making the final call take time and depend on several factors.

A program manager is expected to be well-versed in data structures and algorithms as well as systems design. You can plan your prep for Microsoft Project Manager interview questions around the following topics:

• Sorting Algorithms
• Trees and Graphs
• Graph Algorithms
• Dynamic Programming
• Hash Tables and Queues
• Linked Lists
• Product Design
• Systems Design
• Product Improvement

Sample Questions for Microsoft Program Manager Interview

Practicing is the key to cracking any interview, and the same goes for Program Manager interviews at Microsoft. In this section, we have listed some of the frequently asked questions at Microsoft TPM interviews. We have categorized them for your convenience.

Most-Asked Program Manager Interview Questions at Microsoft :

• How would you improve Microsoft Outlook?
• How can Microsoft integrate LinkedIn with its core products?
• Design a mobile app for Microsoft Teams.
• How will you explain collaborative filtering to a five-year-old?
• Design an elevator system.
• Design a door for the visually impaired.
• Should company X create a product Y for children?

General/End-to-End Microsoft TPM Interview Questions:

• Describe a time when you had to manage an end-to-end technical program.
• Describe how you would manage a hypothetical project XYZ.
• What makes a successful technical program manager, according to you?
• Elaborate on the difference between program management and technical program management.
• What is your methodology for approaching projects and programs?

Microsoft TPM Interview Questions on Prioritization:

• Describe a typical day at work.
• How would you manage a hectic work inbox?
• Which tech tools do you find most useful?
• Describe an instance when you delegated a task successfully.
• What would you do in case you missed a deadline?
• What is your response to unexpected project changes?

Kick-off/Sunset Microsoft TPM Interview Questions:

• How will you kick off a program?
• How will you sunset a program?
• How will you respond to a project with no timeline or kick-off?

Microsoft TPM Interview Questions on Planning:

• How will you create a strategic roadmap for your program?
• How will you handle additional requirements that may come up unannounced in the middle of a project?
• How will you build a forecasting tool?

Microsoft TPM Interview Questions on Risk:

• What is your take on handling risks in a project?
• Describe an instance when you had to manage a major risk in a program?

Microsoft TPM Interview Questions on Agile Methodologies:

• How will you draft an Agile project?
• How will you compare agile and waterfall methodology?
• What will you do if you find a bug in your program just before it is time to release it?
• Tell us about some of the agile methodologies you are familiar with.
• What core components of Scrum are the most and least valuable according to you?
• In a planning meeting, which sizing methodology will you use?
• How will you prepare for a sprint planning meeting? How will you decide the sprint length?

Microsoft TPM Interview Questions on Technical Systems Design:

• How would you design a search engine?
• How would you design a shared drive?
• How would you design Twitter?
• How would you design a messaging system?
• How would you design a vaccine rollout system?
• Design a URL shortening service like bit.ly.
• Design your own traffic control system.
• Design a limit order book for trading systems.
• Design a platform like Instagram.
• Design a universal file-sharing app like Dropbox.
• Design a secure ATM.
• Redesign Facebook’s feature Newsfeed.
• Design a platform like Airbnb.
• Design a parking lot.
• Design an autocomplete feature for a search engine.
• Design a vending machine in Java.
• Design an API rate limiter.
• Design a video streaming service like Netflix.
• Design a ticketing management system for the zoo.

Microsoft TPM Interview Questions on Explaining Tech Concepts:

• How does Agile work?
• How do satellites work?
• How does the Internet work?
• How does a TV’s remote control work?
• How does an AC’s condenser work?
• How does the clutch system of an automobile work?
• How do Instagram filters work?
• How does a web crawler work?

Microsoft TPM Coding Interview Questions:

• Find the missing number in a given integer array of 1 to 100.
• Find the largest and smallest number in an unsorted integer array.
• Find the duplicate number in a given integer array.
• How will you remove duplicate nodes in an unsorted linked list ?
• Find the middle element of a singly linked list in one pass. ( Solution )
• How will you print duplicate characters from a string?
• How will you print the first non-repeated character from a string?
• How will you check if two strings are anagrams of each other?
• How is a string reversed using recursion?
• How will you perform preorder traversal in a binary tree?
• How can you implement a binary search tree ?
• How will you traverse a binary tree in preorder without recursion ?

Microsoft TPM Interview Questions on Leadership:

• How are your responsibilities different from those of your project manager?
• Which tools do you rely on to successfully perform your duties?
• What are your top metric choices for measuring success?
• What can you tell us about program charters?
• How will you define and control program goals?
• What is your strategy for keeping up with the latest tech trends?
• Tell us about your most recent program.
• Describe a role where you had to deal with budgeting and resource allocation.
• Have you ever fallen behind schedule in a project?

How to Prepare for Microsoft Program Manager Interview ?

Microsoft Program Managers are responsible for designing and executing end-to-end programs. You must have a knack for planning, prioritizing features, and delivering on time. Program Management will include project kick-off, planning ahead of time, effective execution, monitoring closely, and finally, closing the project properly. Let’s discuss a few points that will help you prepare for the various rounds at the Microsoft PM interview:

Technical Interview Preparation for the Microsoft TPM Role

In a Microsoft Technical Program Manager interview, you will be expected to demonstrate your technical knowledge. You should be able to explain every aspect of your coding assignment solution. This is also a test of how well you communicate technical details as you will be working closely with designers, engineers, and cross-functional teams.

When practicing, make it a point to think out loud and explain your thought process.

Leadership Interview Preparation for the Microsoft TPM Role

You may be asked standard Microsoft Technical Program Manager interview questions such as describing past experiences of leading a project, collaborating with cross-functional teams, handling difficult associates, and more behavioral questions.

When answering such open-ended questions, use the STAR or CAR method to structure your responses. We have covered these methods in detail in the Amazon Behavioral Interview Questions article.

Systems Design Interview Preparation for the Microsoft TPM Role

Systems design interview questions are meant to test your understanding of large distributed systems that are scalable, reliable, and cost-optimal. Questions about systems design can be tricky as they are often ambiguous, and you will have to deal with the unstructured nature of the discussion. While practicing for Microsoft Product Manager interview questions on systems design, follow these steps to ensure you’re covering all ground:

Step 1: Define the key assumptions about the system

Step 2: Define the key features of the system

Step 3: Define the scale of the system

Step 4: Define the data model of the system

Step 5: Design the high-level system

Step 6: Look for bottlenecks in the system

Step 7: Go in-depth on the subsystem

Step 8: Acknowledge the trade-offs

Check out System Design Interview Preparation Tips for more.

To answer the Microsoft Product Manager interview questions suitably and to understand your recruiter's expectations from this role, we must first look at what a PM at Microsoft is expected to do:

• Craft a future-proof product roadmap
• Carry out competitive analyses and map out strategies to take on the market
• Foresee which features to build on priority
• Effectively communicate with customers
• Collaborate with design and engineering teams
• Double down the growth curve post-launch and track related metrics

What Exactly Does Microsoft Look for in Program Managers?

In a Microsoft Program Manager interview, the recruiter is looking for potential associates who bring more to the table than just product management skills. Staying true to their core value of finding excellence in simplicity , Microsoft looks for the following two qualities in their TPMs:

• Candidates who genuinely believe in Microsoft’s products and align with its mission.
• Candidates with high potential as compared to those who already come with significant accomplishments on paper.

Microsoft Technical Program Manager Salary

According to Comparably, a Microsoft Program Manager’s average compensation is $145,360 per year. The annual salary can range from $113,000 to $195,000. Your offer, however, will depend on various factors, such as your experience and the value you bring to the organization. How you perform during the Microsoft PM interview and how well you negotiate will decide your final package.

Tips to Negotiate Microsoft Program Manager Salary

• Do not share the current compensation you are receiving.
• Do not share the compensation you are expecting.
• Invest in building a good rapport with the hiring manager.
• Do not insist on receiving offers in writing.
• Ask for a relocation package if it applies to your case.
• Compare your offer with publicly available data.

Salary negotiation is a must-have skill. Read The Ultimate Guide to Salary Negotiation at FAANG for Software Engineers to hone your negotiation skills and get an offer that matches your value.

Q1. How to prepare for the Microsoft project manager interview ?

Thoroughly research the company. Go over your fundamentals. Come up with a dependable method to answer PM interview questions. Practice as much as you can, by yourself or with your peers.

Q2. How do I prepare for the Microsoft program manager interview ?

You can follow an interview prep plan that tackles every TPM recruitment round in detail. Practice as many Microsoft program manager interview questions as you can. You can also go for an interview prep bootcamp like Interview Kickstart that offers a one-of-its-kind, tailor-made prep interview course for Product Managers.

Q3. How many interview rounds are there in Microsoft for TPMs, and how long does it take?

The Microsoft Program Manager hiring process consists of job application, phone screening, coding assignment, and a set of on-site interviews. A typical process can take up to 2 months or more, depending on which Microsoft segment you have applied in.

Q4. What can be expected in a project management interview ?

Be prepared to answer questions related to your organizational skills, experience heading projects, familiarity with the required software, and so on.

Q5. How many rounds can you expect in a Microsoft interview?

Typically, you can expect five rounds - 1 screening interview and 4-5 on-site interviews.

Ready to Nail the Next Microsoft TPM Interview?

Cracking interviews at FAANG and Tier-1 Tech companies like Microsoft require dedicated and strategic prep. Interview Kickstart provides the most comprehensive curriculum and teaching methodologies that have helped over 9,000 engineers crack the most challenging tech interviews.

With IK, you get the unique opportunity to learn from and practice mock interviews with actual hiring managers and tech leads from FAANG+ companies. What’s more? Our programs are tailored to specific domains, including product management, which will help you hone your domain skills further and stand out from the competition.

Join our FREE webinar to learn how we can help you uplevel your career!

Recession-proof your Career

Recession-proof your program management career.

Attend our free webinar to amp up your career and get the salary you deserve.

Attend our Free Webinar on How to Nail Your Next Technical Interview

Back-End Developer Interview Questions

Top security engineering interview questions, cloud engineer interview questions - basic, intermediate, and advanced, top embedded software engineer interview questions you should learn, top programming interview questions for microstrategy, top programming interview questions for coursera, top python scripting interview questions and answers you should practice, complex sql interview questions for interview preparation, zoox software engineer interview questions to crack your tech interview, rubrik interview questions for software engineers, top advanced sql interview questions and answers, twilio interview questions, ready to enroll, next webinar starts in.

Get  tech interview-ready to navigate a tough job market

• Designed by 500 FAANG+ experts
• Live training and mock interviews
• 17000+ tech professionals trained

Meta Program Manager Interview Guide

Detailed, specific guidance on the Meta Program Manager interview process - with a breakdown of different stages and interview questions asked at each stage

The role of a Meta Program Manager

Program managers typically handle a set of projects (and in some situations, a team of project managers) that are related by a common aspect, such as a single company aim. They are also responsible for strategy, making certain that everything is moving in the right direction and on time.

An effective program manager will aid in the formation of a more cohesive and successful team. Therefore, when organizations seek candidates to manage various projects and teams, they go through a thorough screening process to ensure that the candidate has a good impact on individuals as well as the company.

This guide will walk you through the Meta Program Manager interview process, including useful tips and tricks to help you ace the interview. You might also benefit from reviewing the Amazon Program Manager and Google Program Manager guides.

The interview process at Meta normally takes 4 to 6 weeks, although it can easily take longer if there are a large number of people applying for the post. You will go through the following steps:

• Application
• Phone screen with a recruiter
• Phone screen with a hiring manager
• On-site interviews

Meta Program Manager : Application

To begin the interviewing process, you must first apply online at Meta's careers page or through a recruiter on LinkedIn. To be considered for an interview, you'll need to have a strong resume and cover letter, as Meta is never short of brilliant applicants.

When you have all of your documents in order, you are ready to apply. Also, if at all feasible, get an employee or contact at Meta to refer you to the internal recruiting department.

Relevant Guides

Meta program manager : round 1.

In most scenarios, you'll begin your interview with Meta by speaking with an HR recruiter over the phone. They want to know if you have a possibility of landing the job, so be prepared to discuss your past experiences and why you'd be a good fit at Meta.

If you pass the first HR screening, the recruiter will assist you in scheduling an interview with the hiring manager. One wonderful thing about Meta is that they are quite clear and straightforward about their recruiting process, and once you pass this initial screening, they will usually offer you further information on the remaining phases in the hiring process by sharing a PDF that covers the interview procedure for the role.

What the interviewer will assess

• Your experience with program management.
• Your flexibility to fit in the profile.
• Your role-related knowledge and experience.
• Cultural fit.
• This round is entirely based on your previous experiences. Make a point of revising all of your achievements and projects in the industry and being prepared to talk about them in a concise and clear manner.
• You'll typically work in cross-functional teams, and different team members are expected to stand up and lead at various stages throughout a project's lifetime when their abilities are required. So make sure to demonstrate to the interviewer that you have a strong leadership style.

Interview Questions

• Tell me about yourself and why do you think that you are a good match for this position?
• Do you have a reason for leaving your current job?
• How often do you come up with new ideas that actually seem to be feasible?
• What is an ideal work environment for you?
• If you were an interviewer, what skills would you look for in a Program Manager?

Meta Program Manager : Round 2

Following the recruiter’s call, you'll normally have an interview session with the hiring manager for the position. The questions you'll be asked during this interview will be similar to those you'll be asked at the onsite interviews.

 The main goal of this interview is to assess your essential abilities and expertise in the field and determine whether it is worthwhile to proceed with the onsite interviews. Stretching for about 45 minutes, this interview will focus more on technical and situational questions.

• Your technical and core knowledge.
• Your knowledge and research about Meta.
• Your potential to come up with ideas in a short period of time.
• Your efficiency in putting forward innovative ideas and questions.
• When you're thinking about what you want to emphasize in your interview, don't forget to include facts. This allows your interviewer to comprehend not only your total achievements like meeting but also the scope of your influence.
• Bring any questions you have to the interview. This reflects not only your interest in Meta and the position you're going for but also your attentiveness in researching the company. This is also your opportunity to interview them.
• We recommend researching how Meta handles program sense interviews. Consider reading numerous blog entries and experiences offered by others on the internet as a beginning point. Consider reviewing the Meta Technical Program Manager and Google Technical Program Manager guides.
• How do you strategize a new project?
• You are given 12 months to come up with a new product. Explain how you would do it and what steps you would take to launch the product in the market.
• How would you evaluate the success of Meta events?
• Tell me about a moment when someone persuaded you to change your view on something. What were your thoughts on it?
• Would you consider increasing the expiration period for Instagram stories if you are a PM? What metrics would you use to make your decision?
• How would you set and track a goal for Meta reactions?
• In a heavily matrixed environment with no top-down authority, how would you manage timelines?
• Tell me about a time when you failed and what you learned as a result of it.
• Tell me about your experience in program management.
• Tell me about a program that you oversaw from start to finish.

Read these articles

Meta program manager : round 3.

The onsite interviews are the final significant part of the interview process. You'll normally spend a full day interviewing with Meta for this. Each interview will run approximately 45 minutes and will most likely cover one of the following subjects:

• Program sense : You'll be tested on your program management and execution skills in this section.
• Partnership : Here, you must demonstrate your capacity to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams.
• Leadership : You'll need to showcase that you've actively and efficiently led teams in the past.
• Technical : You will be asked questions about the functional area for which you have applied, as well as technical questions.

Expect your interviews to be heavily focused on program management abilities like meeting deadlines and juggling competing aims; and cooperation abilities like working cross-functionally and communication. 

In addition to these interviews, you will have lunch with another program manager while on site. The lunch interview is intended to be an opportunity for you to ask questions about what it's like to work at Meta. During this time, the interviewers will not be micro-analyzing you, but it’s helpful if you appear as if they were.

For additional preparation, look into the Amazon Technical Program Manager guide.

• Your core PM competencies (product ideation, brainstorming, prioritization, MVP thinking, execution, metrics, and iteration skills), as well as your experience in the field.
• If you can express your ideas and opinions well.
• How innovative your ideas are.
• When the interviewers are discussing your job and the role in question, express your opinions, ask questions, and don't be hesitant to work through the situation with them.
• Try utilizing the STAR technique to answer the questions. The STAR approach is an organized way of responding to a behavioral-based interview question by detailing the exact situation, task, action, and result that you are describing.
• Pause for a minute if necessary before offering your solution. Don’t ramble. Make sure your concept is clear and well-thought-out before presenting it to the interviewers.
• What dashboard would you create if you were Lyft's product manager to monitor the app's health?
• Give an example of how you've collaborated with cross-functional teams and what role you played.
• What do you do to keep yourself motivated?
• Suggest 2 ways to improve the engagement of older people with Meta.
• How would you calculate the total number of gas stations in the USA?
• If you were the Meta Live Product Manager, what features would you prioritize?
• Tell me about an issue you encountered while transitioning from strategy to implementation.
• What next update would you want to bring in WhatsApp?
• Do you follow an ethical code that allows you to be a better manager?
• What distinguishes your obligations from those of your project managers?
• What is your background in program charters?
• What technology and tools do you believe are required for you to succeed in your role?
• What would you do if an interviewer failed to appear?
• Do you think it’s time for Meta to step into the employment and dating market?
• How do you handle tension and ambiguity in an ongoing project?
• What do you think others will describe you as?
• What project are you most proud of?
• What is the best compliment you've ever gotten in your current position?

Decision and Hiring Process

Following the onsite, the five interviewers will make a recommendation on whether or not to hire you, and the recruiter will assemble your "package" (interview feedback, resume, referrals, etc.). If they believe you have a good chance of getting the job, they will submit your case at the next candidate evaluation meeting.

Candidate review sessions are held to evaluate all candidates who have recently completed their interview loops and are on the verge of receiving an offer. Your material will be reviewed, and any issues that arise will be addressed.

After the candidate review meeting, a hire/no hire recommendation is provided for the hiring committee's consideration. If it’s a yes, you get the offer letter within 2 working days! 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the typical interview process for a Program Manager role at Meta in the U.S.?

What qualifications and skills are typically required for a Program Manager role at Meta?

What project management and leadership topics are commonly covered in Meta's Program Manager interviews?

Is there a case study or problem-solving component in the Program Manager interview process?

How can I prepare for the technical and leadership interviews in the Program Manager interview process at Meta?

Relevant interview guides