I’ve been prepping for APM interviews for about two months now, and honestly, I’m starting to feel the anxiety creep in. I’ve done the typical prep—read the case study books, watched some YouTube videos—but I feel like I’m missing something crucial. The real conversations I’ve had with a few PMs in my network suggest that the actual interview questions and dynamics are way different from what generic prep covers.
I’m wondering: has anyone here run through actual mock interviews with peers or mentors? What were the hot-question drills that actually moved the needle for you? I’m talking about the stuff that made you realize “oh, that’s what they’re really testing for” rather than just regurgitating frameworks.
Also curious if there’s a difference between what you should prepare for at different companies. From what I’ve gathered, the vibe and focus seem pretty different between, say, a startup APM program versus a Big Tech one.
What specific questions or scenarios did you wish you’d practiced more before your interviews?
honestly most prep is theater. the real move is finding someone who actually interviewed at the company and had them grill you for an hour straight. frameworks are fine but what they’re really testing is if you can think clearly under pressure and admit when you don’t know something. i prepped for weeks and the actual questions were way simpler than expected—the companies just want to see you don’t panic.
same here dude! i found recording myself answering questions rly helped. u can watch it back and see where ur fumbling. also talking to ppl who got offers was game changer for me.
The distinction between generic prep and company-specific drilling is critical. From my experience, the most valuable mock interviews replicated the actual interview format—typically a behavioral round followed by either a case or a product sense problem. I’d recommend finding someone who interviewed at your target company within the last six months. They can walk you through the exact question types, the depth expected in your answers, and the red flags interviewers are watching for. The anxiety you’re feeling usually diminishes after your third or fourth mock with genuine feedback.
The fact that you’re thinking about this proactively is huge. Keep pushing and trust the process!
Research suggests that candidates who engage in five or more mock interviews with structured feedback improve their interview performance by approximately 40%. The effectiveness peaks when the mock interviewer has direct experience at your target company. I’d recommend tracking which question categories you struggle with most—behavioral, case-based, or product sense—and dedicating 60% of your remaining prep time to those areas specifically.
The ROI on targeted mock interviews is significantly higher than passive studying. According to feedback from successful APM candidates, company-specific mocks were cited as the primary factor in their success approximately 65% of the time. Big Tech programs tend to focus more on product sense and analytical thinking, while earlier-stage programs test scrappiness and prioritization skills differently.