Crack the Code: How to Prepare for Technical Program Manager Interviews at Global Tech Companies
Breaking into global tech giants like Google, Amazon, Meta, or Microsoft as a Technical Program Manager (TPM) can feel like scaling a mountain. As someone who successfully prepared for and secured a role as a Staff Technical Program Manager at Opendoor, I want to share my journey and provide you with resources that will help you ace your TPM interviews.
To prepare for Technical Program Manager (TPM) interviews at global tech companies, focus on building a strong foundation in program management principles, technical knowledge relevant to the company’s products, excellent communication skills, and the ability to showcase past experiences where you led cross-functional teams through complex projects, effectively managing risks and stakeholders.
In this article, I’ve categorized and curated a list of YouTube videos that were instrumental in my preparation. Whether you’re just starting out or are in the thick of interview prep, these resources will add immense value to your journey.
1. Understanding the Role of a TPM
The first step is understanding what the TPM role entails. A strong grasp of responsibilities, skills, and expectations is critical. These videos provide a solid foundation:
- What is the Role of a Technical Program Manager (TPM)? | Duties and Skills
- PROGRAM MANAGER Interview Questions & Answers! (Programme Manager Interview Tips!)
- Google Technical Program Manager (TPM) interview – Rounds, Process, interview questions & tips.
- Amazon Technical Program Manager (TPM) Interview Guide
Pro Tip: Learn to align your experience with key leadership principles, such as Amazon’s famous 16 principles. This can set you apart during behavioral interviews. Understand the Job Description well and map with your resume / experience.
2. Behavioral & Situational Interview Prep
Behavioral questions are at the heart of TPM interviews. These videos helped me prepare structured and impactful answers:
- Amazon Behavioral Interview Questions | Leadership Principles Explained
- How to Answer Tell Me About Yourself Interview Questions – from a Google Hiring Manager
- Guide to TPM Interview Questions: How to answer conflict management interview questions?
- Meta / Facebook Technical Program Manager (TPM) Technical Project Retrospective Interview Guide
- How to Answer the Why You Want to Work Here Interview Question – Interview Tips
Framework Tip: Use the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) method to structure your responses effectively.
3. System Design & Technical Expertise
System design questions can be daunting, but they are a must-have skill for TPMs. Here are the best resources I found to master these concepts:
System Design Basics
- 20 System Design Concepts Explained in 10 Minutes
- System Design Concepts You NEED to Know
- What is Database Sharding?
- SQL vs NoSQL Explained
- Short Polling vs Long Polling vs WebSockets – System Design
- System Design: What is 3 tier architecture?
- What is an API?
- What is a Proxy? | System Design
- System Design: What is Horizontal vs Vertical Scaling?
- System Design: What is Load Balancing?
- What is a Database Transaction? Be ACID compliant!
- System Design: What is a Cache?
- What is the Client Server Model? System Design Concepts
- The Evolution of Facebook’s Software Architecture
- What is Rate Limiting / API Throttling?
- API vs SDK – What’ the Difference?
- Latency vs Throughput
- REST API (HTTP) vs WebSockets – Concept Overview with Example
- What is API Idempotency and Why Is It Impotant?
- What is a Feature Flag in Software and Why is it Useful?
- Event Driven Architecture vs Workflows (with AWS Services!)
- URL Shortener System Design: From Basic to Advanced
Mock System Design Interviews
- Design Tinder – System Design Interview (with TikTok Senior Engineer)
- System Design Mock Interview: Design Uber Eats (with eBay EM)
- Amazon System Design Interview: Design Parking Garage
- Design a Key-Value Store – System Design Mock Interview (with Microsoft Software Engineer)
- System Design Mock Interview: Design a Rate Limiter (with Meta Engineering Manager)
Pro Tip: Focus on scalability, reliability, and performance trade-offs while explaining your design.
4. Risk Management & Decision-Making
TPMs are expected to handle uncertainties and drive decisions. These resources helped me prepare for such scenarios:
- Risk Management Basics | Google Project Management Certificate
- Engineering Manager Mock Interview (with Square Director of Engineering): Time You Made a Mistake
Actionable Insight: Prepare examples of how you managed risks and drove key decisions in past projects.
5. Leadership & Engineering Management
TPMs often work closely with engineering teams, so understanding leadership styles and team dynamics is crucial. These videos were gold:
6. Tools for Monitoring and Observability
Familiarity with modern monitoring and observability tools is essential. These videos cover the fundamentals:
7. Final Interview & Culture Fit
Understanding company culture and nailing the final interview rounds is key. These resources stood out for me:
Bonus: Must-Know DSA and Algorithms
If your role involves technical interviews with coding, these videos are a lifesaver:
My Personal Favorites
While all the above videos are helpful, these stood out and left a lasting impression:
- Amazon Behavioral Interview Questions | Leadership Principles Explained
- System Design Mock Interview: Design TikTok ft. Google TPM
- How to Answer the Why You Want to Work Here Interview Question – Interview Tips
- FAANG Product Manager vs Technical Program Manager vs Project Manager – from a FAANG veteran
- How to Answer Tell Me About Yourself Interview Questions – from a Google Hiring Manager
- Questions to Ask Interviewer at the End of an Interview Tips from a Google Interview Coach
Next Steps
- Watch and Rewatch: Master the core concepts by revisiting these videos.
- Practice Mock Interviews: Simulate the interview environment with a friend or mentor.
- Prepare Case Studies: Have 3-4 detailed examples of past projects where you demonstrated leadership, risk management, and technical skills.
Final Thought
Preparing for TPM roles at Global Tech companies requires a blend of technical knowledge, leadership, and effective communication. The curated list above is a result of my journey and can guide you toward success.
If these resources help you, feel free to share your thoughts or reach out with any questions. Let’s make your dream job a reality!
