Facebook / Meta RPM interview (questions, prep, process)

If you're lucky enough to get into the Rotational Product Manager (RPM) program, it can be an incredible way to break-into into an exciting career. But if you want in, you're going to have to dig deep and prepare tenaciously for the Facebook (Meta) RPM interviews. 

The interview process is tough, but don't be intimidated. If you learn the proper techniques and prepare accordingly, you can set yourself apart from other applicants and (hopefully) get the offer.

This guide will cover everything you need to kick-start your preparation for the RPM interviews. We'll begin with a quick overview of the program, and then we'll dig into the interview process, example questions, and a few key preparation tips. 

Click here to practice 1-on-1 with Facebook ex-interviewers

1. Facebook RPM program overview

The Facebook RPM (Rotational Product Manager) program is a full-time job consisting of 3 rotations, which provide exposure to a variety of product teams within the company. 

Check-out the 2-minute video below to see a nice introduction to the program:

1.1 RPM program basics 

 The RPM program lasts for 18-months, and includes the following elements:

• 1 month of product bootcamp training
• ~16 months of rotations (3 rotations)
• 2 weeks for a global research trip 

During the rotations, RPMs might work on product roadmaps, new product strategies, product design, metric selection, and more. 

1.2 Who can apply

The RPM program is an entry-level PM role meant for applicants who are early in their careers, which includes recent graduates or candidates with a few years of experience.

Facebook also recruits people from a variety of different backgrounds for RPM roles, so you should feel free to apply even if you don't have a PM or tech background.

1.3 RPM program locations

The primary locations for the RPM program are the following Facebook offices:

• Menlo Park, California (headquarters)
• Seattle, Washington
• New York City, New York
• London, United Kingdom

And according to Parth Datroja, the location for a given RPM hire tends to be influenced by their level of experience.

More specifically, new graduates are usually brought into Facebook headquarters in Menlo Park, whereas RPMs with more work experience are likely to be placed at one of the other locations.

1.4 RPM program perks

Facebook's RPM program also has some really cool perks. Here are four that we think are particularly compelling:

1. Launching pad for PM/tech career: Facebook brings in entry-level candidates from a variety of backgrounds (not just engineers and developers) and gives them exposure to high-impact projects. So if you want to pursue a career in tech, the RPM program is one of the best launching pads you'll find.
2. 6-figure salary: Facebook pays their RPMs VERY well, and you'll probably be making a salary of $110k-130k+, depending on location and when you're hired.
3. Research trip and community events: As part of the program, you'll also get to go on a 2-week research trip somewhere in the world. This could be a great opportunity to experience a new place for free. There are also ongoing events (including a holiday party) organized for RPMs and RPM alumni. 
4. The network: You'll be paired with at least 4 PM mentors during the program (your manager and a mentor on each of 3 projects), you'll get to know other RPMs, and you'll make connections in several different teams at Facebook. That is an exceptionally good way to meet interesting people, and build relationships that could last your entire career.

Mentorship is such an important part of the RPM program, let's briefly touch on that topic in more detail.

1.5 RPM Mentorship

When they start, RPMs are paired with a single manager for the entire 18-month duration of the program. This provides a source of consistent, ongoing support throughout the program.

In addition to their manager, RPMs are paired with a mentor on each of their projects (rotations) who is an experienced PM at Facebook. 

At the peer level, RPMs can also learn from each other through RPM Circles, which are small groups that support one another during the program. 

 1.6 RPM program values

If you're really interested in becoming an RPM, then you're also going to need to know about the program's values:

1. Impact
2. Growth
3. Community

A big point of emphasis for the program, is the impact that RPMs can have right away. Facebook has a huge user base, so the work of RPMs could end up impacting millions (or even billions) of people. 

Facebook is also using the RPM program as a talent development mechanism. They invest heavily in their RPMs and want them to learn, acquire new skills, and become the company's next wave of high-performers and leaders.

Finally, when you join the RPM program, you'll also be joining a community of other RPMs and RPM alumni. This can be a great way to make professional connections and even friends you'd hang out with outside of work.

Now that we've covered the basics of the RPM program, let's turn our focus to how you can get in!

2. Interview process and timeline

It's important to know that the interview and application process for the Facebook RPM program is similar to the process for other PM roles at Facebook.

That means that the tips and example questions in our guide on Facebook's PM interviews will still be relevant for RPM interview prep. 

2.1 Timeline and interviews to expect

The end-to-end timeline for the Facebook RPM interview process is typically 4-8 weeks. This can vary by a couple of weeks depending on the situation, but that tends to be the timeframe. Here's a quick overview of what the timeline looks like:

And of these stages, you should pay the closest attention to the first four:

• Stage 1: Resume, cover letter, and referrals
• Stage 2: HR phone screen: one interview
• Stage 3: PM video call: two interviews
• Stage 4: PM on-site: three interviews

Of course, getting your application is easier said than done, and your resume will need to be very strong. If you’re looking for expert feedback, you can also get input from our team of ex-Facebook recruiters, who will cover what achievements to focus on (or ignore), how to fine tune your bullet points, and more.

After your application is accepted (stage 1), you'll usually start your interview process by talking to an HR recruiter on the phone (stage 2). They are looking to confirm that you have a chance of getting the job, so be prepared to explain your background and why you’re a good fit for Facebook.

In the first interview, you should expect typical behavioral and resume questions like, "Tell me about yourself," "Why Facebook?" or, "Tell me about a product you launched from start to finish."

If you get past the HR screen, the recruiter will then help schedule your first PM interviews (stage 3), which will be done on a video call like Zoom or Skype.

One great thing about interviewing at Facebook is that they are very transparent about their recruiting process. Your HR contact will walk you through the types of questions interviewers will ask in subsequent rounds and they may also share this helpful Facebook PM interview guide PDF with you.

After the initial HR phone screen, each of your subsequent PM interviews will take about 45 minutes and will follow one of three themes:

• Product sense, where you'll be tested on your product design and strategy skills
• Execution, where you'll be tested on your data analysis and prioritization skills
• Leadership & drive, where you'll be asked to demonstrate that you are an empathetic leader

During your PM video call (stage 3 above) you will typically get one product sense and one execution interview. And at the on-site interviews (stage 4 above), you will typically get one of each of the three types of interviews listed above.

2.2 What happens behind the scenes

3. Example questions

There are three types of PM interviews you can expect at Facebook: product sense, execution, and leadership & drive.

We've analyzed questions reported by former Facebook PM candidates on Glassdoor.com and identified the top ten most frequently asked questions for each interview type. The results of this analysis are listed below.

Note: The below questions are taken from PM (not RPM) interview data, but as we mentioned earlier, the interviews for both roles are similar.

3.1 Product sense interview questions

Facebook RPMs decide what problems their teams work on and help design solutions for these problems. It's therefore important that they have strong product design and product strategy skills.

This is the part of the interview process where you should show that you're obsessed with the user. Here are a few of the skills Facebook is looking for when asking product sense questions:

• How you identify who to build for and what their needs are
• How you focus on creating value and impact
• How you make intentional design choices
• How you handle critique, constraints, and new data

Below, we've listed the top ten product sense questions that Facebook tends to ask, according to data from Glassdoor.

You may notice that these questions are a mix of product design, product improvement and product strategy questions. We recommend studying the articles we've written on each topic to learn how to answer these questions in a structured and impactful way.

For a closer look at the product sense interview, check out our comprehensive guide.

3.2 Execution interview questions

Once an RPM has decided what problem to solve and what features to build, it's time to execute! Facebook prides itself on being a data-driven organization so it's essential that you show you’re data-driven too.

This is the part of the interview to display that you have strong analytical and prioritization skills. Here are a few of the things Facebook is looking for when asking execution questions:

• How you set the right goals for a product and measure against them
• How you identify, frame, and evaluate trade-offs
• How you analyze and debug problems
• How you set your team up for success

Below, we've listed the top ten execution questions that Facebook tends to ask, according to data from Glassdoor. Once again, it's a good idea to develop a framework to answer these questions.

For more information, check out our article on how to ace the Facebook execution interview.

3.3 Leadership & drive interview questions

RPMs work with a variety of different people: engineers, designers, data analysts, etc. They need to be able to motivate their team, resolve conflicts, drive alignment, build relationships, and work with others.

This is the part of the interview where you really want to show that you've got drive and empathy. Here are a few of the skills that Facebook is looking for during the leadership & drive interview:

• How you earn trust and take ownership
• How you process and grow from past experiences
• How you support the people around you
• How you overcome difficult situations

Below, we've listed the top ten leadership & drive questions that Facebook tends to ask, according to data from Glassdoor. For more information, check out our articles on how to answer behavioral interview questions and the "Why Facebook?" question.

4. Preparation tips

Now that you know what questions to expect, let's focus on preparation. 

Below, you’ll find links to free resources and five introductory steps to help you prepare for your Facebook RPM interviews.

4.1 Deep dive into the product / organization

As you've probably figured out from the example questions listed above, you can't become an RPM at Facebook without being familiar with the company's products and its organization. You'll, therefore, need to do some homework before your interviews.

Here are some resources to help you get started with this:

• Facebook annual reports and strategy presentations (by Facebook)
• Facebook's approach to latest tech trends (by CB Insights)
• Facebook's products teardown (by HowDo)
• Facebook org culture analysis (by Panmore Institute)

4.2 Brush up on product fundamentals

It's also important to understand basic product management concepts. To help you expand your PM knowledge, check out this list of free resources as a starting point:

• Popular PM interview books reviewed (by IGotAnOffer)
• Digital Product Management (by the University of Boston - free to audit)
• Product Management Guides (by Aha.io)
• Product Design (by Udacity)
• What distinguishes the top 1% of product managers from the top 10%? (by Ian McAllister on quora)
• Product vs. Feature Teams (by Silicon Valley Product Group)
• What's something product managers know that others don't? (by Dan Schmidt on quora)
• Product Requirements Document Example (by Product Hunt)
• Data-Driven Product Management: Choosing the Right Metrics for Your Product (by productcoalition.com)
• How Should Product Managers Say No? (by productcoalition.com) 

4.3 Learn a consistent method for answering PM interview questions

As mentioned previously, Facebook will ask you questions that fall into certain categories like behavioral, design, strategy, estimation, and metric questions. Approaching each question with a predefined method will enable you to build strong interview habits.

Then, when it comes time for your interviews, these habits will reduce your stress and help you to make a great impression.

If you’re just looking for a jumping-off point, you can start learning about the different question types you’ll need to master in the following blog articles:

• Behavioral questions
• Product design questions
• Product improvement questions
• Favorite product question
• Strategy questions
• Estimation questions
• Metric questions
• Prioritization questions

Once you understand how to answer each question type, you also need to be able to communicate your answers clearly, under the pressure of interview conditions. That’s where practice comes into play.

4.4 Practice by yourself or with peers

In our experience, practicing by yourself is a great way to prepare for PM interviews. You can start practicing alone, asking and answering questions out loud, to help you get a feel for the different types of PM interview questions. It will help you perfect your step-by-step approach for each question type. And it also gives you time to correct your early mistakes.

You can find free practice questions on articles like this one or on YouTube.

If you have friends or peers who can do mock interviews with you, that's a great option too. This can be especially helpful if your friend has experience with PM interviews, or is at least familiar with the process.

4.5 Practice with experienced PM interviewers

Finally, you should also try to practice product manager mock interviews with expert ex-interviewers, as they’ll be able to give you much more accurate feedback than friends and peers.

But for most of us, it's tough to find the right connections to make this happen. And it might also be difficult to practice multiple hours with that person unless you know them really well.

Here's the good news. We've already made the connections for you. We’ve created a coaching service where you can practice 1-on-1 with ex-interviewers from leading tech companies like Facebook. Learn more and start scheduling sessions today. 

Keep reading: Facebook PM Interview Guide, Facebook Software Engineer Interview Guide