Adobe Product Manager Interview Guide

The phone call typically lasts around 30 minutes. It's a fairly open discussion where the recruiter will ask you about your skills and how they relate to the role you're applying for. They'll also be keen to understand how your previous experiences, both from your professional work and any side projects, align with what Adobe is seeking in a candidate. So, be ready to talk about those experiences and make sure to communicate your thoughts clearly. Have a clear and memorable pitch ready to begin with. Beyond that, have examples of your past experiences ready to demonstrate the impact you've created in your previous roles.

Additionally, during the call, the interviewer will provide you with a clear overview of the role itself. This is a great opportunity to ask any questions you may have about the position and to ensure it matches your career goals.

The phone call with HR is typically around 30 minutes long. It's a chance for HR to discuss important details with you. You'll delve into topics like the PM role, salary & benefits, and the legal contract. They'll also give you insights into Adobe's work culture, which is crucial to understanding if it aligns with your preferences.

They'll also likely inquire about specific projects you've worked on in the past, so have some examples ready. Use this opportunity to showcase your leadership abilities and the impact you've made in your previous roles.

Additionally, you might face a few product design or strategy questions. These questions can be challenging, so think carefully about your responses. Don't be surprised if they dig deeper into your thinking to test your problem-solving skills.

This interview is quite similar to the one which occurs for the Salesforce PM.

The Onsite round at Adobe for the Product Manager role consists of four interviews, each lasting 30 minutes, with senior product managers and team members. These interviews cover various aspects of product management.

1. Product Design Questions: This revolves around your ability to design new products or enhance existing ones. For instance, they may ask questions like "Design a new feature for Adobe Creative Cloud that would improve user collaboration." One effective approach to such questions is to start by brainstorming a broad range of ideas and then dive deep into one solution, for instance, integrating a collaborative design tool or enhancing file versioning, emphasising how it addresses the user's need for seamless teamwork and creative collaboration. It's crucial to be user-focused, organised in your thoughts, and have a clear goal in mind to solve user problems. You can also expect some questions on innovative approaches with AI/ML interventions here.

• Product Strategy Questions: These interviews gauge your capacity to delve into competitive landscapes and make product direction decisions. For instance, you may be asked to discuss Adobe's position in the current market or whether or not the company should venture into a specific territory. Here, it is important to have a clear understanding of the company's overarching goal of maintaining industry leadership. Then, delve into actions like expanding into emerging markets or acquiring complementary software to strengthen Adobe's suite. Specify metrics such as market share, revenue growth, and customer satisfaction as indicators of success.
• Analytical Questions: Here, you will face scenarios where you need to provide analysis, showcasing your ability to work with metrics and think critically about user feedback and bugs. Let's say, you're asked a question like "Adobe receives negative user feedback on a Photoshop update. How do you go about it?" Always have a structured approach and consider various variables and scenarios before delving into details. For instance, assessing metrics and trends, like a spike in bug reports. Then, consider possible causes, such as a rushed release or compatibility issues. Finally, propose a plan to address the problem, like a rapid bug-fix release followed by improved user communication.
• Presentation: You'll also be asked to give a 20-minute presentation on projects from your past experiences. After your presentation, there will be a 45-minute Q&A session. You'll have five days to prepare, so make the most of this time. Let's say you're showcasing a project where you improved user retention for Adobe XD. Make sure you highlight key metrics like increased monthly active users. Discuss your strategy, such as implementing user onboarding tutorials and analysing user journey data—and be ready to answer questions on the impact of your changes.
• Behavioural: Finally, there will be a behavioural round to probe into your experiences and culture-fit. They're often looking for a holistic understanding of your capabilities as a Product Manager. So, make sure you use real anecdotes to showcase key PM traits such as customer focus, ability to handle ambiguity, or a growth mindset. For instance, talk about how you have embraced challenging projects, learned new skills, and exceeded expectations. Or recount a situation where you navigated uncertainties during a product launch by maintaining a flexible roadmap and adapting to changing market conditions.

The best way to prepare for the nuanced onsite round is to have mock sessions with an experienced Product Manager (possibly a colleague or professional) who can help you get familiar with the turns this interview can take by simulating real interview conditions. 

You can book a session with one of the Adobe PMs on Prepfully who will be happy to help you out. They will go over commonly asked questions with you, provide guidance on your interview skills, and offer tips on how to communicate your thought process effectively. This can help you refine your skills and ensure that you are well-prepared to tackle the real interview with confidence.

Book a 60-minute session with an Adobe Product Manager expert here.

Interview Questions

• What is your favourite product, and why? What feature would you add to it, and can you walk me through the process?
• Have you conducted A/B testing in your previous roles?
• Why do you want to work at Adobe?
• What did you enjoy about your last job?
• Can you provide examples of your contributions in your last job?
• Tell me about a time when engineering/leadership/design disagreed with your decision and explain what actions you took.
• How would you measure the success of a product?
• Tell me about a time you faced failure and describe your subsequent actions.
• Share a story about a time you conducted A/B testing.
• Explain your approach to cross-selling and upselling Adobe's products.
• Walk me through your process of taking a project from concept (0) to implementation (1).
• What is your method for prioritising work in this type of environment?
• Share an example of a project where you leveraged AI or ML to enhance the user experience. What were the outcomes?