Interview questions for TPMs¶

This page is part of the Career Path section.

Folks often ask how to prepare for interviewing a candidate for a TPM role. This section will cover a recommended approach -- behavioral interviewing -- and some sample interview questions you might ask the candidate.

Do you have ideas for interview questions? Or other feedback on interviewing TPM candidates? Use the anonymous feedback form to submit ideas.

If you would like help practising interview questions as either an interviewer or candidate, consider working with me as your mentor and coach.

Behavioral interview technique¶

The premise behind the behavioral interview technique is to gather information the candidate's ability to approach future challenges based on their past behavior. This is less about testing the skills of the candidate and more about assessing their approach to problem solving, challenges, opportunities, and impact. In short, behavioral interview stays away from questions like, "So, how well do you know Azure?" and reframes them as "So, tell me about a time you used a public cloud provider to build a customer-facing platform?"

See the difference? The first one is a closed question. The candidate can answer it with a few words and it doesn't lead to a conversation. The second one is called an open-ended question: it allows the candidate to talk more about their past behavior, and leads to a back-and-forth where the interviewer and candidate can talk in more detail about the situation.

Behavioral interview frameworks¶

There are two recommended frameworks to help prepare and guide the interviewer as they ask behavioral questions. One is the SHARE method and the other is STAR. Both are useful and choosing one is more a matter of preference and interviewing style. STAR and SHARE share similar goals, focusing on structured storytelling, but they differ slightly in emphasis on reflection and learnings. Here's how they work.

SHARE behavioral interviewing framework¶

SHARE stands for:

(There are some variations on the exact words out there but they mean essentially the same thing.)

Let's dive into each word and explore why we use it in this framework. Note that each subsequent word of the mnemonic builds on the previous one. You typically ask all five questions, or more, for one situation you're exploring with the candidate.

1. Situation
   • Example question starter: "Tell me about a situation where you had to..."
   • Intent: You're setting up the conversation by asking the candidate about a situation in their past work, school, or volunteer work that relates to the TPM job function. This is the essence of behavioral interviewing: You're assessing past behavior of the candidate to see if it's a match for the behaviors you need in the role you're hiring for.
   • Assessment: Look for the candidate’s ability to clearly communicate context and provide relevant background. The clarity and relevance of their chosen example show their experience with similar situations and their understanding of contextual setup, which is essential for effective communication in a TPM role.
2. Hindrance
   • Example question starter: "What roadblocks or speed bumps did you encounter when you were trying to accomplish that?" (Note here that roadblock and speed bump might be too culturally aligned to Western world candidates. Replace with your own words to represent hindrances, blocks, or other impediments.)
   • Intent: With this question, you're going a layer deeper into the situation and asking directly what problems the candidate had and how they solved them. Or maybe didn’t solve them, which is a valid response too, as long as they learned something. See "Evaluation" for more of this type of question.
   • Assessment: Evaluate if the candidate can identify obstacles and analyze them thoughtfully. Consider their problem-solving ability, adaptability, and openness to discussing both successes and failures, which shows resilience and a learning mindset.
3. Actions
   • Example question starter: "What actions did you personally take to complete this situation?"
   • Intent: Here, you're trying to separate the actions of the individual (the candidate) from the work that the team did; from the contributions of others. This is important because you are assessing the candidate to be hired, not the team that worked together on the situation.
   • Assessment: Focus on the candidate’s ownership of their actions and ability to take initiative. You’re looking for specific contributions rather than generalized team efforts, which helps reveal the candidate’s personal effectiveness and hands-on approach to responsibilities.
4. Results
   • Example question starter: "What was the impact to the business (project team, volunteer organization, etc) when this situation was finished?"
   • Intent: Impact is important. More important than the activities in most cases. You're asking the candidate to think about how their actions (solving the problem) led to impact (building a business, getting a great grade on a school project, etc.)
   • Assessment: Assess if the candidate can articulate measurable outcomes or significant results from their actions. Look for alignment between their impact and organizational goals or team benefits, showing that they understand how to achieve meaningful, goal-oriented results.
5. Evaluation
   • Example question starter: "If you were faced with a similar situation now, what would you do differently? What would you do the same way?"
   • Intent: This is a critical question to assess the growth potential of the candidate. You're asking them to reflect on what they learned and how they would apply that in future situations.
   • Assessment: Gauge the candidate’s self-awareness and commitment to continuous improvement. Their ability to identify and articulate personal growth and future strategies shows a reflective mindset and adaptability, which are valuable in TPM roles that require ongoing development.

You'll see when you practice this framework that a single question can lead to a great, involving, and informative conversation that could last 15 minutes or more. And you'll understand the candidate's potential future behavior in your team's context much better as a result.

STAR behavioral interviewing framework¶

STAR stands for:

The STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) provides a structured way for candidates to explain past experiences in a behavioral interview. Here’s a breakdown with example questions for each letter:

1. Situation – Set the scene for the experience.
   • Example question starter:
     • "Can you describe a challenging project where you had to navigate complex requirements?"
     • "Tell me about a time when you faced a significant obstacle at work."
     • "Describe a scenario where you had limited resources but needed to meet a high standard."
   • Intent: The Situation questions aim to see if candidates can clearly set up a scenario, which demonstrates their ability to communicate context effectively. It also helps interviewers assess the complexity and scale of situations the candidate has handled, which is crucial for TPM roles where managing high-stakes projects is common.
   • Assessment: Candidates should describe the specific context, including the project, team size, constraints, or any background necessary to understand the scenario.
2. Task – Explain the responsibility or goal you were assigned.
   • Example question starter:
     • "What was your specific role or objective in that situation?"
     • "What were the primary goals you needed to achieve in this project?"
     • "Describe your responsibilities and what was expected of you."
   • Intent: Task questions help interviewers evaluate if candidates can define their responsibilities within a broader project, showing accountability and goal-setting skills. This section reveals the candidate's understanding of their role in achieving an outcome, which is crucial for technical program managers who need to manage cross-functional goals and dependencies.
   • Assessment: Here, candidates should clarify what they were accountable for in the situation and outline the key objectives they needed to meet.
3. Action – Detail the steps you took to address the task.
   • Example question starter:
     • "What actions did you take to address the challenge?"
     • "Walk me through your process for handling that situation."
     • "How did you approach the problem, and what specific steps did you take to resolve it?"
   • Intent: The Action questions uncover how the candidate approached the problem, their decision-making process, and whether they can work through challenges systematically. For a TPM, this is critical since they need to demonstrate not only technical acumen but also initiative, collaboration, and strategic thinking.
   • Assessment: This part focuses on the candidate's actions, choices, and problem-solving strategies. Ideally, they should highlight how they individually contributed to the project or task.
4. Result – Describe the outcome of the actions taken.
   • Example question starter:
     • "What was the final outcome of your efforts?"
     • "How did your actions impact the project or team?"
     • "What did you learn from this experience, and how did it influence your future work?"
   • Intent: Result questions help determine the outcome of the candidate’s actions and their ability to quantify and reflect on success. This part reveals if they prioritize measurable results and learn from experiences, which is especially relevant for TPMs who need to drive project success and continuously improve processes.
   • Assessment: Candidates should share the results, emphasizing positive outcomes, quantitative improvements, or lessons learned. It’s an opportunity to show the impact of their work, ideally with data or specific examples.

Each part of the STAR method is designed to reveal specific competencies and insights into a candidate’s skills, behavior, and potential.

Sample interview questions for TPM (Technical Program Manager) candidates¶

Here are five sample "Situation" interview questions that fit the STAR and SHARE frameworks, complete with interviewer prompts, insights into what to look for, and examples of strong and weak responses.

Question 1¶

• Prompt: "Tell me about a situation where you led a project with limited resources or a tight deadline."
• Looking For: You're assessing the candidate's resourcefulness, prioritization skills, and ability to deliver under constraints—key competencies for TPMs who often operate within tight timelines and budgets.
• Great Response: "In my previous role, I led a project with a two-week deadline and a limited team of just two engineers. I broke the project into prioritized tasks and focused on essential features to deliver a functional MVP. By communicating closely with stakeholders and adjusting our roadmap, we met the deadline and launched successfully."
• Poor Response: "We were short on resources, but I delegated tasks and tried my best to meet the deadline. It was challenging, but we did our best with what we had."

Question 2¶

• Prompt: "Describe a time when you had to manage multiple priorities in a high-stakes project."
• Looking For: Here you want to evaluate the candidate's ability to multitask and manage competing priorities, which is crucial for TPM roles involving complex project dependencies.
• Great Response: "During a high-priority product launch, I was juggling multiple initiatives: bug fixing, final testing, and coordinating with marketing. I created a clear schedule and used a project management tool to track all tasks, ensuring stakeholders were aligned. We launched on time, and the project exceeded customer satisfaction goals."
• Poor Response: "There was a lot going on, so I tried to get everything done in time. It was stressful, but I just focused on doing the best I could with each task."

Question 3¶

• Prompt: "Can you share a situation where you identified a potential issue early and acted to prevent it from becoming a problem?"
• Looking For: This question assesses the candidate's proactive problem-solving and risk management skills, essential for avoiding project delays or failures.
• Great Response: "I noticed that a critical component of our codebase was poorly documented, and new team members were struggling. I quickly set up documentation sessions and created a guide. This prevented future onboarding delays and improved team efficiency by 20%."
• Poor Response: "I sometimes notice problems early, and I try to let the team know. It's important to stay alert for issues."

Question 4¶

• Prompt: "Tell me about a situation where you faced resistance from stakeholders and how you managed it."
• Looking For: Here, you want to see if the candidate can manage conflict, understand stakeholder needs, and effectively communicate to reach alignment.
• Great Response: "In a project involving cross-functional teams, some stakeholders disagreed on priorities. I set up a meeting to discuss concerns, facilitated compromise, and created a phased plan that addressed immediate needs while planning for future goals. Everyone agreed, and we successfully met the deadline."
• Poor Response: "When there's resistance, I try to explain my viewpoint. Sometimes people understand, and sometimes they don’t. I just focus on doing my part."

Question 5¶

• Prompt: "Describe a situation where you took ownership of a project beyond your initial responsibilities."
• Looking For: You're looking for the candidate’s ability to demonstrate initiative, accountability, and willingness to step up when needed, which reflects leadership qualities in TPMs.
• Great Response: "I was initially responsible for tracking progress on a project but noticed some inefficiencies in team meetings. I volunteered to revamp our agenda and introduced action-item tracking, which improved meeting productivity and reduced project delays by 15%."
• Poor Response: "I try to take on extra work when I see something needs to be done. I do what I can to help the team and finish my tasks."

These examples help identify candidates who can clearly communicate the context of situations and give insights into their behavior, decision-making, and leadership qualities.

Sidebar: What if the candidate jumps ahead?¶

Sometimes a candidate will seem to "jump ahead" in the STAR or SHARE framework and start answering what could be subsequent questions. Notice above in the example responses where the candidate might answer, "improve team efficiency by 20%." That's a great answer to a "Results" question. Where should you go as the interviewer if this happens?

There's no hard-and-fast rule you have to follow the framework questions in order. If a candidate volunteers a "Results" answer in an earlier question you can just jump to that and ask a clarifying or expanding question. "Wow, that's great the team was 20% more efficient. How did you measure that? Did the team notice their improved efficiency? How did that impact the product quality and schedule?"

Again, you're trying to promote a conversation so keep asking open-ended questions that allow a candidate to expand on what they've said. This is how you can get into the details that show if the candidate is an excellent fit, or maybe not ready for your role yet.

Conclusion¶

What questions have you asked that worked well or didn't work well when interviewing TPM candidates? Use the anonymous feedback form to let us know.

I'm available to mentor and coach interviewers and candidates on this topic. Find me on MentorCruise.