Which Parts of the PM Job Energize You and Which Drain You
Company: Google
Role: Product Manager
Category: Behavioral & Leadership
Difficulty: medium
Interview Round: Other
Which parts of being a product manager do you enjoy most, and which parts do you enjoy least?
```hint Pick a real dislike
The weaker side of the answer is the one interviewers remember. Choose a part of the job that genuinely drains you, and be ready to say what you do about it.
```
### Clarifying Questions
- Should I answer about my current PM role, or about product management as a discipline in general?
- If I have not held the PM title yet, can I draw on product work I did in another role?
- Are you looking for one point on each side, or a short list?
### What a Strong Answer Covers
- Specific likes backed by a concrete moment, not generic statements about impact
- A genuine dislike that is real but not the core of the role being hired for
- What the candidate does to manage or improve the part they dislike
- Self-awareness, and a clear link between the answer and fit for this role
### Follow-up Questions
- Tell me about the last time you had to do the part you like least. How did it go?
- If you could hand one part of the PM job to someone else, which would it be, and what would you lose?
- How would you find out whether this team's day-to-day work matches what you enjoy?
Overview: A behavioral product manager interview question asking which parts of the PM job the candidate enjoys most and which they enjoy least. It tests self-awareness, honest motivation, fit with the role being hired for, and whether the candidate has a constructive way of handling the less enjoyable work.