Zillow Program Manager Interview Questions
& Process

The entire interview process was quite lengthy, spanning seven full weeks from the initial recruiter screen all the way to the final rejection call. It involved a total of seven interviews, including the recruiter, the hiring manager, four other stakeholders, and then another session with the hiring manager. There were also two exercises: one where I had to review a data set and propose solutions, and a second one where I submitted examples of my business writing. Even after all that, I was considered one of the top two candidates. Ultimately, they decided my experience was more geared towards problem-solving rather than problem identification. On a positive note, the recruiter was fantastic throughout the entire ordeal, providing constant updates and being a pleasure to interact with.

After getting a referral, I had a quick phone screen with the recruiter. It went okay, although I was a little worried because my salary expectations were higher than what they were looking for. Then, I interviewed with the hiring manager. It was a pretty relaxed chat where we went over my resume and they asked some standard behavioral questions related to their company values. I felt good about that conversation. The manager mentioned that the next step would be a take-home presentation and then a loop with five other people. The very next day, I got an email saying I didn't get the job. They said it wasn't anything I did wrong, just that they found other candidates who were a better fit. It was a bummer, but the whole process was pretty fast and the recruiters were responsive.

It kicked off really well with a recruiter call, then a hiring manager chat via Zoom, and finally a 'final interview' with the cross-functional teams. This took about three weeks. I was expecting a decision before Christmas, but communication got a bit spotty over the holidays, which is understandable. After the New Year, and after a couple of weeks with no news, they added another 'final interview' with the VP. I thought it was just a formality and it went great. A week later, the recruiter told me they were changing the role entirely, saying the business needs shifted and the position I interviewed for wasn't the one they were hiring for anymore. They didn't give me details on the new role or much feedback, just that 'everyone really liked you.' It might have been a unique situation because the role was new and apparently changed mid-stream, plus my original recruiter left after the cross-functional interviews. However, the communication about the changes could have been better. I thought the interviews themselves went well and the feedback was positive, but I ended up feeling confused about what actually happened in the end.