Hiring A Product Manager
A seed-stage founder I advise recently asked me, "What is the best way to assess a prospective product hire." Most find hiring for product roles challenging because they rely so heavily on soft skills instead of hard skills; stakeholder management, leadership, prioritization, creative solutioning/ abstract thought, etc.
The truth is that there is no perfect 'test' for these skills; however, here are some of the things I do when I'm trying to hire world-class product people.
I begin by understanding their approach and the mental models they use to tackle problems using a short exercise I have developed after years of hiring and mentoring product people. This method is called the 'Three Product Minds' *Let me know if you want me to write a post about this process*
I typically run through some thought experiments to measure their adaptability.
They present a deck with metrics and solutions based on a REAL business pain-point. I'm not looking for the best solution here, only how they approach a problem, so they need to explain their thought process in detail.
I test their fortitude by pushing on them during the question & answer phase - I want to see how they handle an unreasonable stakeholder and if they can make a sound argument. In my experience, most will agree with me and try to make my unworkable 'vision' fit instead of standing firm and offering alternatives.
The last phase, and the most crucial, is to meet the team and have them assess whether they could work with this individual. The culture fit interview is the most important aspect because a positive attitude can uplift people and attract A-players, while a negative attitude/fit can have the opposite effect. I have left companies based solely on the environment created by bad actors in the workspace, so I subscribe to the notion that we shouldn't "Don't hire brilliant jerks."
If the individual has passed the culture interview, I negotiate an offer and start date to be onboarded.
You would think that would be it ...but, this is only the start.
'Hiring' doesn't end at the point of having the offer letter signed by both parties. This endeavor is a journey that requires a post-hire plan and a review process.
Once the individual is onboarded and they have had a chance to meet the team and learn about our product suite, I set-up a workshop with them to define the following;
30/60/90 plan. This plan is a mutually agreed-upon deliverable, and outcomes document to assess whether the individual can operate in our highly agile and dynamic environment.
I walk them through my broader 'vision' for the team, the product & the company. I also use this time to help them understand our way of work and communication channels.
I set up touch-points to review this plan with them; typically, this is every two weeks to see if they need any support or if they are starting to fall behind. I also use this time to get to know the new hire and provide proactive feedback based on the work.
In parallel, I'm collecting feedback from their colleagues about their fit.
What happens if;
After the 90 days, if things aren't working out? Let them go.
After the 60 days, if things aren't working out?
The team has complaints within the first 30 days, and the individual's output is sub-par?
The person might be the best fit on paper, but damaging your team's morale in real-life or even have sub-optimal output. My biggest advice to anyone hiring for any role is this;
Hire slow, fire fast.
It might sound cold but be surgical about it; it'll be better for both parties in the long-term.
If you're interested in learning more about product hiring, product management, or executive product leadership, please feel free to contact me at hello@nabiawada.com or on Twitter @nabiawada.