Phone screen with hiring manager was easy with some behavioral questions. Next round was a take home case assignment to be presented to a Group PM - timeline was roughly a week. This assignment was free work for Upside, as it was directly tied to their business ("Upside wants to expand into a new vertical. Which vertical should we expand into and why") and required market research, a new product strategy, low fi mockups, and a testing plan. The interview itself reflected poorly on the company culture - the interviewer arrived late and was very transactional in his manner, not making an effort to connect on a human level, just wrote down my ideas. In the end he made no acknowledgement of the significant amount of work required for the assignment or to thank me for my time. If Upside continues to ask candidates for a product strategy related to their business, they should compensate candidates for their work. The interview process ended with a seemingly automated "No-Reply" rejection email. Overall a poor and impersonal interview experience.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Case assignment consisted of 3 sections: 1. What vertical should Upside expand into next? 2. What product changes are needed to support this new vertical? Provide mockups. 3. How do you determine success for the new vertical?
I applied through an employee referral. The process took 3 weeks. I interviewed at Upside in May 2022
Interview
I came to the interview directly through an employee and didn't talk to a recruiter. I met for a 45 minute 1:1 with the head of product. Most of his questions weren't behavioral, but were a bit unconventional compared to other first interviews I've had. After the interview, I never received a "no thanks" type email to let me know I wouldn't be proceeding in the process.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
What do you think a product manager is?
Why Upside?
What is your favorite product, why do I love the product, what is their MOAT?
Estimate the number of vacuums in Austin.
