The essential guide to technical program manager interviews. Learn from FAANG hiring managers how to confidently demonstrate your skills and get hired.

In this course, you will work through the most common interview questions that are asked in a technical program manager interview. Written by a TPM who has worked at multiple FAANG companies, you will get the inside scoop on what it takes to pass this difficult interview.

Beyond that, you will also get practical advice on the role of a TPM and how to thrive in this role. By the end of this course, you will have the confidence to ace your interview and be well equipped to perform on the job.

Hacking the TPM Interview

# Question ##
How do you manage risk for your projects? Please provide an example where you successfully identified and managed a risk. 

# Background ## 
Risk management is very important for TPMs. Staying on top of risks and making sure they are actively managed is a critical part of the job, and it is also where TPMs can add significant value. 

Senior-level positions will require demonstration of successful risk management, so be ready with a strong framework and excellent examples. This question aims to prepare you for that. 

# Solution approach ## 
We want to demonstrate that we are thorough and solution-oriented when it comes to risk management. We will use the following approach to answer this question.

- Start by providing a framework for identifying and managing risk. This will include both strategic and tactical elements. 

- Show how we used this framework in a large-scale project to manage risk. 

# Sample answer ##
I'll start by discussing how I identify risks in a project and give some examples of project risks. Then I'll talk about how I prioritize, manage, and communicate these risks. Finally, I'll discuss how I effectively managed risk for a large project. 

## Risk identification ###

Risks can be found at any stage in the project. Ideally, we'd like to find them early on. When I start projects, I begin by building out a project plan and identifying the scope, resources, timelines, and stakeholders. A major part of this plan is calling out risks. A risk is pretty much anything that can derail the project: 
- Legal/compliance issues 
- Dependency on another team or system
- Technical infeasibility
- Lack of customer adoption 

I'll always start with my own understanding and make sure to solicit feedback from key stakeholders (engineering, product, legal, policy, or sales) so that everyone provides input and is aware of the risks. 

I keep a risk inventory (usually a spreadsheet) that tracks the risk. As risks are identified throughout the project, they are added to this inventory. How do we ensure risks are properly identified throughout the project? We need to have a thorough tracking process to collect work status of all the individuals or workstreams that are involved in the project. This can be done through a project management tool or through in-person meetings, depending on the size and culture of the team.

Here is an example of what a risk inventory could look like once all the relevant pieces are captured: 


An example interview question on identifying and managing risks in a large-scale project.

What is Technical Program Management?

Interview Prep (a.k.a. Skills Development)

Practical Advice

Career Transitions

Final Thoughts

Program Management: Identifying and Managing Risk

Question

Background

Solution approach

Sample answer

Risk identification