Olo Product Manager Interview Questions
& Process

I accepted a product role offer, though the total compensation was on the lower side of market rates. The product area seemed interesting enough to try it out. The interview process was pretty standard. The recruiter was great, very responsive, and the panel interviews were relaxed. Everyone I met during the process seemed intelligent. No awkwardness whatsoever. After accepting, I arranged some informal chats with current product managers to start building relationships. These conversations were eye-opening. They all brought up my future manager, and not in a good way. Repeatedly, they described a situation where he dictates exactly what to build without providing clear guidance or strategy. Then, if the outcome doesn't meet his expectations, he blames the team. Additionally, several people mentioned that the organization feels unstable currently. Projects are frequently restarted, priorities shift suddenly, and people are tired of the constant changes. Talented individuals are working hard to deliver great products, but leadership's focus is on crisis management. By the second coffee chat, I had a feeling I needed to reconsider. After the third, I emailed the recruiter to withdraw my acceptance. If you're considering an offer here, I'd strongly suggest speaking with a few current employees before making a decision. Ask about the frequency of project changes and how achievements are recognized. While the product domain is appealing, the lack of stability is a significant concern, and I didn't want to face that challenge.

The interview process consisted of two rounds. The initial round involved a brief 10-15 minute phone call with the recruiter to review my resume and discuss my interest in olo and suitability for the role. Following this, there was an interview with the hiring manager.

The communication for scheduling the interviews was mostly good. They responded quickly and the recruiter was easy to work with. I liked everyone I interviewed with, the questions, and the people seemed great. It took about 2 months. First, a recruiter phone screen. Then, a video chat with the hiring manager. After that, a video chat with two other product managers. Then, a video chat with an engineer and an in-person interview with a product designer. Next, a video chat with the COO. Then, a video chat with the hiring manager and I got a verbal offer. A week later, I got an email saying the offer was rescinded because they didn't get enough feedback from my references. They only got feedback from 1 out of 3 references, which was confusing and really disappointing.