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Inside a Product Management Mock Interview: From Sales Experience to Customer-Centric Thinking

  • May 15, 2025
  • Product Management

Transitioning from sales to product management is a journey that many professionals are now considering — and for good reason. The skills picked up on the ground, through customer interaction, can offer deep insight into user behavior and product fit.

In this mock interview, our GoCrackIt mentor Sanket Vaidya challenges a candidate with a strong business development background to explore her motivations, understanding of product management, and the key differences between roles.

Here’s how the conversation unfolded.

The Interview Conversation

Sanket: So you said you were in business development at Byju’s. That’s a strong background. Any other relevant experience for Product Management?

Student: Yes sir. When I was working at Byju’s, I was part of both online and offline campus engagement programs. I had to interact directly with customers in person and digitally. The role involved understanding the unique problems students were facing and connecting those with the right solutions from our product offerings.

Prior to this, I worked with a startup called George Prep, which was founded by alumni from IIM Ahmedabad and IIM Calcutta. There, I handled both B2B and B2C sales. I participated in seminars, ran innovative marketing campaigns, and pitched the coaching products they offered — CAT prep, GRE, GMAT, and more. I was responsible for converting leads into paying customers.

Outside of work, I enjoy reading. I like exploring different genres — especially business-related articles and books.

Sanket: Got it. So, what is it about Product Management that interests you?

Student: Coming from a sales background, I’ve seen firsthand how important it is to create a need and position a product accordingly. When interacting with customers, I received feedback constantly — both positive and critical — about what they liked and what was missing.

However, I often felt that this feedback wasn’t always acted upon. That’s when I started reading more about product management and realized how the role revolves around deeply understanding customer needs and using research and insights to improve the product.

I found that fascinating — the idea of shaping a product based on real customer pain points, iterating continuously, and building something that people truly find useful.

Sanket: Okay, that makes sense. Are you familiar with Scrum, by any chance?

Student: No sir, I’m not very familiar with it yet.

Sanket: Alright. Do you know the difference between a Business Analyst and a Product Manager?

Student: Yes, I do. A Business Analyst usually works with data — they analyze patterns, track KPIs, and help identify potential solutions to business problems using that data.

On the other hand, a Product Manager takes a broader and more user-centric view. They aim to understand how customers interact with the product, identify friction points, and decide what features to build or improve based on customer behavior, feedback, and market research.

While both roles are analytical, the Product Manager is more involved in defining the product vision and ensuring that the user experience is continuously enhanced.

Refining the “Why Product Management”

While, Sanket asked a lot more cases on PM, which we see in the next few blogs, here is Sanket’s feedback on above two questions. 

Sanket: If you want your answer to stand out, don’t just talk about your sales experience or customer insights. Go deeper.

My suggestion is:

  • Connect with at least 10 product managers on LinkedIn
  • Ask them three questions:
    1. How did they land their PM role?
    2. What do they love about it?
    3. What are some things they don’t enjoy?

This exercise will help you synthesize diverse perspectives and craft a personalized, authentic answer — not something generic.

When you speak to an interviewer, they should feel:
 “Yes, this person is truly interested, has done the groundwork, and is excited about this role.”
 That enthusiasm was not fully coming through in your current answer. So make this your homework: research, reflect, refine.

Scrum should be done!

Sanket: Most product companies operate using Scrum or Agile frameworks. If you’re aiming for a PM role, you must have at least a basic understanding of how Scrum works.

You don’t need to be an expert right away — but start with:

  • What is Scrum?

  • What are the key ceremonies (sprint planning, standups, retrospectives)?

  • What does a product manager do in this context?

This isn’t a huge time investment — a couple of evenings on YouTube, articles, or even free mini-courses will do.

Student: Would getting a Scrum Master certification help?

Sanket: That would be absolutely the best thing. It signals intent and understanding. If you can, go for it.

BA vs PM Conundrum — Tighten the Framing

Sanket: Your answer on how a Business Analyst differs from a Product Manager was good — but a little long-winded.

You made the right points:

  • BAs focus on data and business logic

  • PMs focus on user needs and building the right features

But try to emphasize this one core message more clearly:

“Product Managers are obsessed with users — their behavior, needs, and pain points.”

Say that up front, and then support it with additional detail. The rest of your explanation was good!

Coming up…PM Cases

In the next blog, we will cover the case studies asked by Sanket. Practice makes a Product Manager perfect – so practice your mock interviews now!


GoCrackIt’s services are especially valuable for candidates aiming to transition into competitive roles or industries. The online interview practice sessions are not only realistic but also come with detailed feedback and actionable suggestions. This helps candidates refine their performance over time through multiple mock interviews online. The structured mock interview preparation process ensures you are not just answering questions but learning how to present your thoughts clearly and strategically.

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