Technical Program Manager Interviewing Basics

Interviewing can feel overwhelming and nerve wracking. It can feel difficult especially because the topmost companies have less than five percent acceptance rate. That means less than 5 candidates out of a total of 100 interviewed, get an offer. Getting into a top company of your choice is a high stakes situation for you. It can mean the difference between financial freedom and constant struggle.

Let me tell you - Interviewing does not have to be so mind numbing. With the right preparation and understanding of what’s needed, you can nail any interview. I wrote a series of posts to demystify TPM responsibilities (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3). If you haven't read that, I encourage you to read it first. In that series, I took a real TPM job description and broke down the requirements into three main categories. I drilled deeper into each requirement to bring out nuanced expectations of the TPM role. These posts will help you frame your work in a manner that will create strong examples for interview questions.

Technical Program Manager Interviewing Basics: Screening Rounds and Full Loop Overview

Let’s recap the high level overview of the TPM interviewing framework. Most companies have 1-2 screens (after the initial recruiter call) followed by 4-5 onsite/virtual interviews (full loop). The initial screen when conducted by the hiring manager is a general assessment of all skills to get a signal on whether you can pass the onsite loop. Sometimes, companies will conduct a technical screen in the first round itself.

You can expect your interviews to cover the following areas:

• Technical Domain Expertise: To determine your technical depth in a familiar domain.

• Technical Judgment: To assess your critical thinking and ability to apply technical fundamentals to a brand new domain. This is also known as the System Design interview.

• Program Management: To assess your understanding of basic program management fundamentals - program management phases, program planning, kickoff, execution and communication.

• Leadership: To assess your ability to influence others without authority (especially important for TPMs), manage stakeholders effectively, be proactive and take ownership and so on.

• Partnership: To see how you collaborate with others, resolve conflicts and motivate teams.

• Behavioral: To assess if you are a cultural fit for the team and company. There are a variety of questions that seek to understand your values and how you work especially under high pressure and high stakes situations.

For Technical Program Manager interviewing basics, people manager roles include an interview to assess your ability to build a high-performance team, hire and retain talent, and design an effective organizational structure. This interview may be conducted separately or combined with the Leadership assessment.

Every interview evaluates multiple competencies to provide the hiring manager with a 360-degree view of the candidate. Your responses offer insight into two key factors: first, whether you should be hired, and second, at what level. In short, your interview performance directly impacts your level and compensation. Excelling in every interview increases your chances of securing a higher total compensation package and gaining the upper hand in negotiations.

There are numerous resources available to help you prepare for an interview. However, this post focuses on Technical Program Manager interviewing basics and provides nuanced tips to elevate your overall interviewing skills. Confidence in an interview is just as important as knowing all the right answers. When your interview transitions from good to great, the hiring manager is more likely to choose you. These tips are categorized into three key stages.

Before the Interview

• Research extensively: As soon as you get the first response from the recruiter to set up a call, you need to start researching the company and the role. Read about the company’s mission, vision, values, products, blogs etc. Read articles posted by company leaders to get a sense of their culture. Talk to someone at the company to get an inside peek.

• Prepare intensively: Interviewing is all about delivering your knowledge with confidence. Preparing strong examples for each competency aligned to your desired role is better than winging it.

  • Utilize the R-STAR format to remember and frame your answer clearly. The R-STAR is essentially quickly stating the results you achieved before diving into what and how. Think of it like knowing your destination before you start with the directions.

  • Perfect the “Tell me about yourself” pitch to make the best first impression. This pitch should not be more than three minutes.

  • Incorporate the company’s cultural values into your answers.

  • Don’t use too many buzzwords or jargon.

  • Always set the context but be succinct.

• Practice makes perfect: This goes without saying but the more you practice aloud, the better you will perform at the actual interview. Practice in front of a mirror, video record yourself, volunteer a friend or hire a professional.

During the Interview

• Forget the video screen: Most interviews these days are virtual and it can sometimes feel like a disconnected experience. Just ignore the computer screen and focus on your interviewer so you can connect with them. Keep all distractions away so you are fully immersed. Make eye contact as much as possible. And don’t try to peek at a cheat sheet - interviewers can tell that you are reading off another screen or paper.

• Show passion and excitement: It helps set the right tone and connect with the interviewer.

• Be authentic and natural: Interviewers expect that candidates have prepared but it doesn’t mean you should blurt out a memorized answer monotonously. Your answers need to have a natural flow and sincerity to avoid the perception of being fake.

• Listen carefully: There have been so many occasions when I have seen candidates give a tangential answer to my questions because that’s how they prepared it. Listen carefully to the entire question before you start answering.

• Analyze the question: What competency or ability is the question trying to surface. Categorizing the questions in conjunction with your preparation will create a mind-map for you. Then you can quickly access the best example to answer the question.

• Ask clarifying questions: If you didn’t understand the question or need more information, ask your interviewer to clarify. It is best not to make assumptions. It also showcases your problem solving abilities.

• Bring it into perspective: Understand each type of interview and frame your mind accordingly. You may get asked the same questions in different interviews but you need to adapt the answer based on the theme of each interview.

• Answer with intent: Take a pause before you blurt out the answer. You can even ask for 30 seconds to gather your thoughts. This way, if the question is slightly twisted, you can adapt a prepared example to answer it. Talk through your answer, especially in problem solving questions where there is no right answer.

• Focus on your impact: It is important to balance “I” vs “We” to demonstrate the role you played and your own impact and where you collaborated with your team. Just focusing on “We” comes across as not being proactive and just using “I” equates to bragging.

• Balance opinions with a growth mindset: Oftentimes, interviewers will play devil’s advocate and challenge your answer. They are testing your ability to handle pressure. At the same time, they also want to see if you are open to feedback. While adhering to your point of view shows conviction, you also need to balance that with being flexible and adaptable.

• Ask insightful questions: For every interview, you need to prepare 2-3 insightful questions that you will ask the interviewer. This shows that you are excited about the role and truly want to learn more. Questions can be about the company, culture, team or the interviewer. “I don’t have any questions” is not a response interviewers like to hear.

This is your chance to interview the company and understand if the role/team/company is right for you!

After the Interview

• Send thanks: Surprisingly, it is not a common practice these days but I have always appreciated the folks who did send a thank you note. While it is not expected and doesn’t impact the outcome of your interview, it is still a nice gesture to thank your recruiter and interviewers. You can pass on the message through the recruiter if you do not have direct contact information. It is also an opportunity for you to understand the timeline for next steps.

Lastly, I cannot emphasize enough of the role Confidence plays in your interviews. I really like the book Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges by Amy Cuddy. It is a great book that helps build your confidence, especially relevant for high stakes situations like Interviews.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I prepare for a TPM interview at top tech companies?

To prepare for a Technical Program Manager (TPM) interview, start by researching the company’s products, values, and leadership. Review the job description carefully and break it down into technical expertise, program management, and leadership skills. Prepare examples using the R-STAR method (Results-Situation-Task-Action-Result) to clearly demonstrate your impact. Finally, practice system design, stakeholder management, and behavioral questions to ensure a well-rounded performance.

What are the key topics covered in a TPM interview?

A typical TPM interview process covers six core areas:

1. Technical Domain Expertise – Your experience with relevant technologies.

2. Technical Judgment (System Design) – Ability to apply technical fundamentals to new problems.

3. Program Management – Phases of program execution, risk mitigation, and stakeholder management.

4. Leadership – Influencing teams, decision-making, and taking ownership.

5. Partnership & Collaboration – Working across teams, conflict resolution, and team motivation.

6. Behavioral & Culture Fit – Alignment with company values and handling high-pressure situations.

For TPM people manager roles, expect questions on hiring, retaining talent, and team building.

What technical questions should I expect in a TPM interview?

Technical interviews for TPMs typically focus on system design, scalability, reliability, and technical trade-offs. You may be asked to design a large-scale distributed system (e.g., a messaging service like WhatsApp) or discuss how you would improve an existing architecture. Additionally, expect questions on API design, cloud infrastructure, and database choices, depending on the company’s tech stack.

How important is system design in a TPM interview?

System design is one of the most critical parts of a TPM interview because it assesses your technical judgment, scalability thinking, and problem-solving skills. You don’t need to write code, but you must demonstrate an understanding of high-level architecture, trade-offs, and system constraints. Companies like Amazon, Google, and Meta place a strong emphasis on distributed systems, failure handling, and load balancing in TPM interviews.

How do I structure my answers in a TPM interview?

Use the R-STAR framework to structure your answers:

• R (Results first) – State the outcome upfront to hook the interviewer.

• S (Situation) – Provide brief context about the problem.

• T (Task) – Explain your specific responsibility.

• A (Action) – Describe the steps you took to solve the problem.

• R (Result, again) – Highlight measurable impact and lessons learned.

This approach keeps your answers concise, compelling, and result-oriented.

What are common behavioral questions in a TPM interview?

Behavioral questions assess how you handle leadership, conflict resolution, and stakeholder management. Examples include:

• "Tell me about a time you led a cross-functional initiative."

• "Describe a situation where you had to influence without authority."

• "How do you handle conflicting priorities from different teams?"

• "Give an example of a high-risk project and how you mitigated risks."

Prepare structured responses using real-life examples from your experience.

How do I demonstrate leadership as a TPM in an interview?

Leadership as a TPM is about influencing without direct authority. In your answers, highlight how you:

• Aligned multiple teams toward a common goal.

• Resolved conflicts between engineering and product teams.

• Drove key decisions by balancing technical feasibility and business needs.

• Took ownership of delivering critical initiatives. Companies look for proactive, strategic thinkers who can drive execution while fostering strong relationships.

What are some must-ask questions for my interviewer?

At the end of the interview, asking insightful questions shows engagement. Consider asking:

• "What challenges is the team currently facing?"

• "How does the company measure the success of a TPM?"

• "What qualities make a TPM successful in your organization?"

• "Can you share an example of a recent impactful TPM-led initiative?"

Avoid asking about salary and benefits in early rounds; focus on role expectations and company culture.

How do I handle unexpected questions or curveballs in a TPM interview?

If you get a surprise question, take a moment to think before answering. You can:

• Ask for clarification to ensure you understand the question.

• Break down your thought process to show structured reasoning.

• Relate it to past experience, even if the scenario is new.

• Show a growth mindset—if you don’t know the answer, discuss how you would approach finding a solution.

Interviewers test problem-solving agility, so demonstrating a logical approach matters more than a perfect answer.

How do I negotiate my TPM salary offer?

If you receive an offer, don’t accept immediately—instead:

1. Research market compensation using Levels.fyi, Glassdoor, and Blind.

2. Understand your total compensation package (base salary, equity, bonus).

3. Highlight your value—tie negotiations to your impact and expertise.

4. Make a counteroffer with data-backed reasoning.

5. Remain professional—negotiation is a discussion, not a demand.

Negotiation can increase your total package by 10-30%, so it’s worth preparing for.