Hiring is a topic I’m passionate about because I like to
work with bright, enthusiastic people who challenge me every day. I’ve spent
the last decade building teams (most recently a product organization that
includes designers, researchers, and product owners), and I’ve learned a number
of lessons in that time. Let’s focus specifically on product ownership — a role
that many gravitate toward, but few do well. I’ve seen many different types of
people find success as product owners — from former developers, English majors,
designers, and project managers, all the way to former CEOs and small business
owners. (I prefer the term “product owner” to the more well-known “product
manager” because managers manage and owners own, and building
great products demands ownership.) I want people who are technical
enough to dig deep with the development team and at the same time enjoy
interacting with customers to discover value. Finding the right person with the
right combination of customer focus, consensus building, and technical savvy
isn’t easy, so I’ve put together a few things to look for during the
interviewing process.
Things to avoid
Here are a few traits that are guaranteed non-starters.
- Poor
listening. You know those interviewees who start rattling off
their answer before they’ve really had a chance to listen to the question?
In the same category are people who answer the question they want to
answer, even if it’s not exactly what we asked. In our team-based
environments, these personalities haven’t been successful. Besides, one of
the key characteristics of a great product owner is listening to customers
and not letting their own egos drown out the needs of our users.
- Inability
to connect the dots. I look for people who have been active in
all aspects of product development from the idea, concept, and research
stages, all the way through to execution and optimization with wins under
their belt. When a candidate points to a different department and
says, “The research team would talk to customers and tell me what to do,”
or “I would hand off the specs to the development team,” I perceive this
as a gap in their skill set.
- Unclear
communication. One of the most effective attributes of a great
product owner is the ability to distill a complex idea into a few concise
statements. Simply put, the ability to deconstruct complex subjects into
clear, simple statements of value is a requirement of
great product owners. Whether talking to developers or evangelizing to
stakeholders, the gift of simple communication is one that is necessary to
perform the job at a high level.
- Pirates
not politicians. I recently asked a candidate what makes a great
boss and he replied, “You scratch my back and I scratch yours,” which
didn’t sit well with me. How can you lead a group of innovators
having learned all too well how to “play the game?” Your team will
recognize when you speak from the heart versus when you’re just scratching
someone’s back and lose trust in you over time. Immediately, I knew this
candidate was from a big, slow organization and would have to unlearn some
bad habits in order to be successful in our product organization.
Things we love
Here are a few qualities that will get you back for a second
interview, even if you don’t necessarily have the domain knowledge.
- Being
the customer. I appreciate product owners who can empathize with
customers and dig deep in research by conducting face-to-face interviews
with real users. This pseud-method acting is a positive skill for
product owners who want to excel, especially those without deep domain
knowledge. If you’re building a product for photographers but have
very little domain knowledge, we better hear how you can’t wait to buy a
camera and start learning the craft.
- Going
deep technically. It’s perfectly OK if you aren’t a great
developer. What I look for is curiosity. If you’re a learner,
you’ll figure out what you need to study in order to have a mutually
beneficial conversation with your team and technical stakeholders.
Different types of products will require different levels of technical
depth, but generally, being willing and able to learn is the important
part.
- Ownership/Attitude.
It’s good to see evidence of perseverance. You’ll see this in people who
have started their own company, candidates with an aura of
“unstoppability”, or those who have shown the stick-to-it-ive-ness to
solve tough problems. This is a cornerstone of great product people. There
will be a million reasons why something can’t be done, but those product
owners who are unlikely to give up, those who push through tough problems
and those who actually enjoy the process of doing so are the ones who
stand out.
I want to work with the best and be challenged every day.
Recruiting top talent is the most important part of building a great company.
Take it personally, don’t let recruiters do all the work on your behalf, and
make sure that the employees doing the interviewing are the ones you’d like
more of. Anytime I feel like recruiting is difficult, typically because I’m
struggling to find the right talent, I check out a quote or post from Paul
English to remind myself how important it is to wait for the right person
to fill these roles.
Do you have what it takes? If so, sign up. We have stuff to
build.
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