Stripe Project Manager Interview Questions & Answers
Below is a list of our Stripe interview questions. Click on any interview question to view our answer advice and answer examples. You may view six answer examples before our paywall loads. Afterwards, you'll be asked to upgrade to view the rest of our answers.
Behavioral
1. What kind of communicator are you? Share the ways in which you best communicate.
How to Answer
Stripe values intentional communication. They are big on information sharing and avoid siloed thinking. To measure how well you fit in the company, the interviewer will want to learn how open and collaborative you are as a communicator. Further, talk about how you might share information in other ways, through documentation, for example.
Answer Example
"I like to over-communicate to ensure that nothing gets lost in the fold. For example, after sending post-meeting action items through email, I will assign tasks through the project tracker with clear notes. Then, I will continue to reach out to the task owners for real-time updates. Once, I had a team member whose deliverable was due in a day but was unresponsive. I sent a note through the project tracker and followed up through email, but still couldn't get a hold of them. I decided to call their personal phone and found out they lost their internet connection for the day and wouldn't be able to make the deadline. I made the call to re-assign to another team member immediately. After that experience, I asked the project management office to establish a process for re-assigning tasks when similar situations arise."
Behavioral
2. Give me an example of a time when you successfully handled intense pressure.
How to Answer
At Stripe, project managers are expected to juggle tight deadlines, strong personalities, complex projects, and constant change. All of these moving parts can lead to a lot of stress, and the interviewer wants assurance that you can effectively manage high-pressure situations. Provide an example of a time when you did so successfully.
Answer Example
"There's no doubt that there's a lot of stress and pressure in the life of a project manager. I personally reframe the stress and look at it positively; I like variety in my work life and many times enjoy the challenges that arise. I see them as puzzles for me to solve as quickly and efficiently as possible. Within my last role, we were two weeks out from the deadline with a few critical issues still needing to be resolved when one of my key team members got very sick and had to be hospitalized. I knew that I had to fix this fast so the project would stay on track. I laid out that person's tasks by priority and distributed them among other team members. Because of the time crunch, I also had to outsource some of the low-priority work to trusted contractors. I made sure to keep tabs on quality and set hard deadlines. In the end, we pulled it off and the project was completed successfully."
Behavioral
3. Describe a time when you contributed to the success of someone else's project. How did you feel about doing work outside of your own responsibility?
How to Answer
By asking this question, the interviewer is assessing how willing you are to roll your sleeves up for others. When crafting your response, think about how you have helped coworkers achieve their goals, and why you think this behavior is important for the organization, as a whole. Further, think about the ways you might reach out to help, whether you have done it proactively or reactively in the past.
Answer Example
"Once, I helped another project manager handle a difficult situation with their client. The client was not very tech-savvy and was having a hard time understanding how a digital advertising campaign page works. The PM was having a hard time explaining how a customer would be directed from a social media ad to a landing page and then be converted into a buyer. When I found out, I sat with the PM and helped them create a diagram of the process. We clearly identified the input and output, just like a process map. Then, we overlaid the creative assets used at each step, so the client would have a better idea of the steps that the customers themselves would be going through. The PM was very appreciative of my help, which made me feel like a valued colleague."
Behavioral
4. In your next role, what kind of working relationship do you wish to have with your colleagues and superiors?
How to Answer
As a company that deals with other businesses' money, it's no surprise that Stripe promotes a high-trust environment for their workers. With this question, the interviewer will want to learn that you are capable of treating colleagues exceptionally well. In addition, you will also want to address how this type of environment affects the quality of your work.
Answer Example
"I've been in a variety of work environments. Some of them have been toxic. For example, managers would constantly pit subordinates against each other, which could lead to unnecessary competition. In my future role, I would love to be among colleagues who elevate each other's work and inspire each other to perform better. An ideal working environment for me would be one that promotes trust and encouragement. I prefer working with professionals who are also compassionate human beings."
Behavioral
5. What project do you wish you managed? What makes it your dream project?
How to Answer
With this question, you're given the opportunity to highlight your best qualities as a project manager. At the same time, it's your chance to show how excited you are about solving problems. On top of that, the interviewer will want to learn how you feel about building something that's not there, and that you're not afraid to explore unfamiliar territory if the outcome is worth it.
Answer Example
"In my previous role, I was involved in building new teams. I worked with operations managers to determine their hiring needs based on productivity goals and other metrics. I took these numbers back to recruitment and training and by the time the new hires graduated from training, the project was out of my hands. Having gone through hiring and training myself as a new hire, I thought these processes were really outdated. This resulted in ineffective teams which resulted in high employee turnover.
If I were to go back, I would start a project to evaluate the entire hiring, onboarding, training, and development processes to find where the inefficiencies lie and where the processes misalign with operational goals. I think there's an opportunity for recruitment and training to refine their success measures and try new ways. Instead of the usual classroom setting training, for example, I would be curious to see if we could do a hybrid with some on-the-job training for a few hours a day. I think that if we ran a survey among the most recent hires, it would help us come up with a thorough analysis. Ultimately, we end up with a whole new improved process. At worst, we improve the process at least a little."
Behavioral
6. What are ways in which you share best practices with your coworkers?
How to Answer
As a company, Stripe fosters a highly trusting working environment. The interviewer will be interested in hearing that you can play well with others and are not looking to always compete. Specifically, you'll want to address ways in which you work with others toward a common goal or how you might inspire colleagues to be better. Demonstrate that you can balance being exceptional at your job while being worthy of your coworkers' trust.
Answer Example
"I'm a naturally curious person. When new tools like software are introduced, I always try to learn as much as I can about it and leverage its features to make my own life easier. Whenever I discover a cool feature, I tell my coworkers about it. For instance, I found this way to link dates between project trackers in our project management software. So, I showed it to my program manager. She was able to use it to simplify reporting the statuses of different projects she was overseeing to the leadership team."
Competency
7. Where do you see your career going in the next five years?
How to Answer
The interviewer wants to learn that you are not only dedicated to a career path in project management but that you also look forward to growing with the company. They aren't going to be interested in someone who is just looking to add experience with the company to their resume. Keep in mind that the company keeps its structure flat, so emphasize being an independent worker who is adept at collaborating. A successful answer will also touch upon what positive impact you plan to have on the company.
Answer Example
"In five years, I see myself managing a process improvement program at Stripe. Throughout the years, I have not only managed a multi-faceted portfolio of projects, but I've also helped improve a lot of the processes. Through these experiences, I was able to develop a keen analytic eye. I believe that the company has a whole world to offer when it comes to opportunities, so I'm excited to find out in which ways I can fit in and amplify what's already there."
Competency
8. You're handling a three-year multi-phase project. Each phase will have the same foundational milestones, but for different areas of the business. Stakeholders are likely to change. How do you ensure consistency?
How to Answer
In this example, consistency will rely heavily on a repeatable process. Demonstrate your competence in documenting processes properly, and show your initiative to measure success. In your answer, consider that Stripe believes access to information is imperative to creating the very best work. A successful response will highlight a balance between technical skills and willingness to share information.
Answer Example
"Because each phase has the same project milestones, it will be much easier for me to plan for consistency. As I work with the stakeholders in building the project plan, I will extract elements for process mapping. My objective would be to document the process based on Phase 1. I can identify actions, decision points, expected input, output, as well as owners. During the course of the project, I can take out elements that won't need to be repeated for Phases 2 and 3. At the end of the project, I can expound on the map and write a playbook."
Competency
9. How do you measure your own success as a project manager?
How to Answer
There are many different ways project managers measure their own success, but you can categorize most key performance indicators under four general categories: financial, customer, process, and personal development. The interviewer will want to learn about how you hold yourself up to the highest of standards. Talk about why self-evaluation is important to you and how you maintain consistency in your quality of work.
Answer Example
"I can speak to my own success measures at a very high level. In terms of the financial success of projects, I keep off-track tasks, do-overs, and scope creep items to a minimum. On the qualitative side, I look at other factors that may impact the overall success of the project, such as the morale of everyone working on the project. Second, one of my key metrics is keeping my customers happy, whether they're internal or external. For external customers, a regularly scheduled qualitative survey usually works. For internal customers, it's usually a continual feedback process between me and stakeholders, as well as between me and task owners. Ultimately, when I'm tasked to manage more challenging or complex projects, that means I've been doing my job well."
Competency
10. As a project manager, what is your perspective on risks and issues? How do they affect your work?
How to Answer
Risk management is a vital skill in project management. The interviewer wants to learn that you are adept at identifying risks and issues. More importantly, the interviewer is looking for your general perspective, whether you get consumed by negative details or are more concerned about the end goal. In positioning your response, keep in mind that Stripe is more concerned with how ideas may work rather than why they might fail.
Answer Example
"It is not uncommon to run into issues along the way in a project. I do my best to brainstorm, delegate, and work out the issue as quickly as possible; I am not one to let issues and kinks get in the way of our end-goal. Everything is 'figure-out-able', and with a strong, skilled team and good communication, I'm confident in my ability to lead the way in figuring it out. In terms of risk, I think critically about the impact the risk could have, both positively and negatively, in order to determine whether or not it is worth pouring time, money, and resources into. I also value others' perspectives and ideas when tasked with making big decisions."
Competency
11. What was the best innovation you ever came up with in your professional life?
How to Answer
Stripe is only beginning its journey as a company, so it's no surprise that they promote a culture of growth. Answering this question is your chance to show your ability to create solutions when there seem to be none. You'll also want to show that you can execute big ideas with the highest of standards. When positioning your answer, emphasize your openness to trying new things, while keeping yourself grounded with facts and data.
Answer Example
"My first project management role was as part of the business solutions team at a call center. I was tasked to optimize processes between the sales center and customer care teams. Each team was using its own system respectively. Customers would call the sales number, even though they already had an existing order. The sales representative would then have to transfer the call by dialing out to the care team. This resulted in longer handling time for sales, which negatively impacted their numbers. Customers were frustrated from having to state their problem twice.
I had a two-part solution. The first part was to optimize the interactive voice response AI to pre-qualify callers and ensure they get routed to customer care if they had an existing order, and are not looking to add to or modify that order. The second part was to build an escalation team within customer care that specialized in these calls. In case a caller is routed incorrectly by the IVR, sales would know to transfer the call warmly to the escalation team. As a result, the sales team's average handling time went down substantially, and we had 30% fewer complaints from customers about the transfer time."
Competency
12. Describe a time when you incorporated customer feedback into the implementation plan or in the way the business was run.
How to Answer
Stripe is obsessively user-focused. First, the interviewer will want to hear that you care about customers by recalling feedback that stood out to you in the past. Second, they will want to hear how you used that feedback in your implementation plan. When positioning your response, demonstrate empathy towards the customer and speak about feedback in specific terms.
Answer Example
"During my time as a project manager at XYZ, I managed the development of a client's new service offering. We built the front end: landing pages, appointment scheduling, and the like. We also supported the back end. The client had a very specific taste in aesthetics which did not translate well for the business. For example, they preferred graphics that could confuse customers. I did a quick research about how their choices would negatively impact customer engagement and presented the facts to them. We reached a compromise for go-live, but the final product still bothered me.
In the first couple of months of the site being live, I plugged in a website heat-mapping tool that would monitor customer interaction. Long story short, I somehow proved that customers were confused by the visuals. I worked with our creative director on new visuals and we ran an A/B test. Our A/B test proved us right. In the end, we were able to persuade the client to change the design. In addition, we started implementing the same A/B process for other clients, which enabled the company to scale our offerings."
Competency
13. After a few project meetings, you're finding that there aren't any concrete steps from stakeholders, just a lot of ideas. How will you manage execution?
How to Answer
It's the PM's job to paint a realistic picture of the project's needs and requirements. With this question, the interviewer is gauging your ability to devise an implementation plan amidst a sea of ideas. A successful answer will outline how you would trim down to the essentials, focusing on what's beneficial for the end-user. Describe how you would build an action plan and do it with limited resources.
Answer Example
"My first step would be to meet with each stakeholder. In these meetings, I will use a whiteboard to visualize the plan and list deliverables. I'll ask for specific steps, owners, and targets to complete each deliverable. In my experience, visualizing a project plan with all the requirements and time involved will force the fluff out. I will make sure they feel that they can express their ideas freely, but at the same time, be realistic about what's achievable and what isn't. Each stakeholder will realize which actions align with the goal and which ones do not."
Leadership
14. Have you ever disagreed with your superior? How did you handle it?
How to Answer
Stripe encourages rigorous thinking. The interviewer will want to hear how you might take calculated risks. In your answer, assure the interviewer that even through conflict, you are able to work toward the best results. Keep in mind that it's more important to seek truth in the situation than to win.
Answer Example
"One time at X Consultancy, we were reviewing options for the project management tool. The tool we were using at the time was very affordable, but it also had very limited capabilities. The functionalities that it lacked not only slowed our teams down, it also made it hard to measure its effectiveness as a tool.
Our operations director proposed an alternative. I did a thorough review of the features, and it was better than what we had in terms of productivity. However, I still found it lacking because it didn't have the capability of tracking all of the organization's projects and display data in a dashboard.
In my experience, giving project managers, and the business in general, a way to oversee how well all of the projects are tracking really helped optimize our standard procedures. So, I did my research and found two better options. I pitched both and supported my proposal with testimonials from users which highlighted how the tool helped increase the company's return-on-investment. I also ran it by the production team, and they loved my picks. The operations director wasn't happy and thought the PM tools I picked were too robust for our small company. In the end, leadership went with the operations director's choice. I'm just glad to have been given the chance to take initiative."
Leadership
15. Recall an experience in which you received difficult feedback as a project manager. How did you handle it?
How to Answer
Being open to feedback and evolving from it is paramount to being a successful leader. When positioning your answer, talk about the feedback, why it was warranted, and how you received it. Then, expound on the steps you took after receiving the feedback. Focus on your key takeaways from the experience and how you used it to hold yourself and your team to the highest of standards.
Answer Example
"When I first started out as a project manager, I was kind of married to my checklists. I had this tunnel vision toward checking off everything on my to-do list. For instance, during project meetings, I'd strictly follow the agenda down to the number of minutes spent on each item. Unfortunately, this didn't give everyone the chance to express their ideas, and they would leave the meeting feeling unheard. It didn't give the team a chance to validate our action plan, either.
After receiving the feedback, I realized that my job wasn't to enforce deadlines; it was to facilitate a smooth workflow for everyone and ultimately get the best results out of every task. I learned to be more flexible in meetings. Instead of getting fixated on getting more done every single time, I focused on getting clear, actionable steps and corresponding task commitments from the team. Now, my goal after every meeting is to ensure the project results are better than we initially planned."
Leadership
16. Would you rather manage others or do you prefer to be an individual contributor? Talk about the advantages you might have with your choice.
How to Answer
As a highly dynamic company, Stripe expects a lot of autonomy from leaders, both in the work they do and in their own development. From your own perspective, outline the benefits of being an individual contributor. Keep in mind that even though you won't be directly managing people, some people management skills may be necessary to foster healthy working relationships with peers.
Answer Example
"For the first few years of my career, I was part of different teams and I directly reported to a team leader or manager. I loved being part of a team because it really helped me learn the value of working with others toward one goal. During that time, I also realized that I had great leadership potential. For example, my team leader assigned me to coach some of my newer teammates, and I enjoyed doing it. I didn't necessarily aspire to become a team leader, and I was really attracted to individual contributor roles. I love the idea of being able to work on projects that fit my strengths. Also, being able to define my own career path really appeals to me.
There's still a lot of herding cats when it comes to project management, for example. So, although people don't really report to me, I still need to influence others to work toward a goal. Because of that, I've come to appreciate everything that my former team leaders did for their subordinates."
Leadership
17. A team member has just told you that they are not 100% satisfied with their deliverable and will need another week to complete. How would you handle this situation?
How to Answer
By asking this question, the interviewer is wanting to find out your ability to negotiate with team members when the project timeline starts to get compromised. Provide concrete examples of how you would reason with the team member without coming off as bureaucratic. In addition, you will want to prove that you are judicious about decisions and not more concerned about getting the job done versus getting the job done well.
Answer Example
"This has happened to me a few times. I successfully handled it by immediately conducting a work session with the team member to understand where they were coming from. Their concern was that the work was inadequate and not representative of their usual quality. I didn't necessarily agree about the quality, so I went over the project's target metrics with them and showed them that we were actually on par. They continued to explain that they believed they were on the verge of coming up with something very impactful. So, we compromised and agreed to assess after three more working days. I'm all for innovation, but I also understood that the impact of this specific deliverable was not more important than the overall goal we set to achieve for the project."
Leadership
18. How comfortable are you with owning your own career outcomes? Would you rather have a superior set a clear progression of goals?
How to Answer
While most companies take a very structured approach to career paths, Stripe puts an emphasis on flexibility and adaptability. The interviewer will want to hear the ways in which you are self-motivated. A successful answer will reveal how you are capable of blazing your own trail. In addition, you will also want to show that you understand your own strengths and weaknesses well enough to take the front seat in your own development.
Answer Example
"I can appreciate the benefits of a flexible career path. Your official title does not always capture everything you're capable of. What's more important to me is having opportunities to explore and build, and maybe the company will even invent a new position for me. This actually happened in my previous job where I was first promoted from quality assurance specialist to an associate role as part of the project management team."
Leadership
19. How would your previous co-workers describe you as a leader?
How to Answer
This is a general leadership question, but the interviewer is looking for you to address specific aspects in your answer. Familiarize yourself with Stripe's culture and history, and align your own work ethic with theirs in an authentic way. For instance, some of the qualities they value are growth, open communication, being quality-oriented, and continuous learning.
Answer Example
"If you were to ask my colleagues about my leadership style, they'd say that I'm an empathetic facilitator. I try to keep everyone on the same page while being sensitive to each stakeholder or team member's needs. For example, I always keep an open line of communication so that everyone is comfortable in receiving and providing feedback. They'd also say that I'm the person to catch errors before they become serious issues. Finally, I know that I'm far from perfect, but my co-workers can attest to my desire to learn not only from my own mistakes but from the team's mistakes, as well."
Leadership
20. Your project team is starting to lose confidence. How do you show them that you have their back?
How to Answer
With this question, the interviewer is assessing your ability to lead and influence. As with any other issue that arises in a project, you are expected to conduct a root-cause analysis. First, an effective answer will demonstrate that you are open to feedback from the team. Second, it will show the interviewer that you can analyze the feedback and get to the root of the issue. Lastly, you will want to emphasize that you can be responsible for motivating your team by providing specific examples of actions that will boost their morale.
Answer Example
"I'll immediately gather everyone for a team meeting. In this meeting, I'll give everyone the time and space to air out their challenges and concerns. I'll listen and empathize with them and assure them that I will do everything I can to get them what they need to complete their tasks. I'll also ask them for feedback about my performance as a leader and act on that feedback. As tasks are completed, I'll post shoutouts in the group chat to boost their morale. I'll also hold individual catch-ups regularly, even if it's just for 15 minutes at a time, so that we can put out small fires before they catch on."
Leadership
21. How do you tell a co-worker, who is an expert in their field, that you found an error in their work?
How to Answer
When an interviewer asks this question, they want to learn two things: how detail-oriented you are, and how well you can provide feedback. Describe how you would handle this situation in a positive and rational manner. When possible, draw from previous experience that addresses how your feedback helped keep the project on track for success.
Answer Example
"In my years as a project manager, I've worked with a multitude of personalities. I believe I've developed a way to relate with co-workers, regardless of their background and expertise. For example, I don't have any coding experience, but I can talk to programmers from a product delivery point of view. In every process, there are always checks and balances, and that's where I come in. I would explain to my co-worker how I found the error, ask them if we could replicate it, and work with them on assessing the impact the error would have. This way, they feel that I'm on their side, and that I'm working toward the same goals as they are."
Scenario Based Project Manager
22. You're halfway through a project and notice that you definitely missed a significant milestone. This could mean a complete re-work. How do you handle the situation?
How to Answer
This question aims to assess your accountability and your ability to make quick decisions. In your answer, emphasize your desire to move forward and not dwell on the time you can't get back. Stripe believes it is possible to move quickly while caring about the details. A successful answer demonstrates a level of self-awareness. More importantly, it should also list realistic, achievable steps you would take to avoid further delay and mitigate any negative impact on the project.
Answer Example
"I try to avoid being the cause of delay at any cost, but this is something I encountered and have learned from earlier in my career. When this happened to me, I immediately communicated with my team. I presented them with what I understood to be broken, and we built a Plan B and Plan C together. We discussed quickly and thoroughly, and then I immediately informed my project sponsors. I presented them with decision points, and we were able to get back on track. My mistake caused us to miss the deadline by a couple of weeks, but it would have been longer, had I not come up with options."
Strategy
23. Describe a time when you had to leverage data to make or influence a decision.
How to Answer
Demonstrate your ability to deep dive. As a leader, you are expected to sweat the details. Cite an example of a time when you investigated a problem and used metrics to solidify a decision. It may help to present your answer in a structured format, for example, the STAR format: situation, task, action, result.
Answer Example
"Once, I managed the revamp of a client's e-commerce website. Ultimately, the goal was to increase sales. The client's biggest pain point was that customers often abandoned their carts because they had questions about the product/s they were interested in.
I proposed to address this pain point with an automated Chatbot that could be programmed to qualify inquiries and route site visitors to a real person, as needed. First, I put together some statistics from other E-Commerce websites that were using Chatbots. I showed specific metrics of abandoned carts before and after Chatbot implementation. I even showed the client a few other key performance indicators they would be able to track with a Chatbot, such as cost per conversion and customer insights per user. I arranged a few demos with the best Chatbot providers and I asked them to emphasize the average return on investment from their E-Commerce clients. The client was really impressed at how little investment they had to make to implement such an efficient solution."
Strategy
24. Tell me about a time when you challenged the status quo. What did you do to change it? Were you successful?
How to Answer
This question is aimed to assess your ability to effect change. In your response, show that you can present facts to support your case. The interviewer will also expect you to outline a tangible plan. Many of the most important problems that Stripe will ever solve are yet to be solved. Take this as an opportunity to showcase your ability to identify a significant problem and present a solution.
Answer Example
"When I was working at XYZ agency, project managers facilitated a lot of meetings with clients. One time, a PM left and we had to hire new ones to take over their accounts. Once the new PMs started, we started getting negative feedback from clients. To them, meetings felt awkward, or worse, like a waste of time.
I investigated and found that during the recruitment process, the agency didn't evaluate any meeting facilitation skills. So, I volunteered to create an evaluation tool. It was a call simulation between the PM and client, walking the latter through a web development process deck. The hiring manager would act as the client and the PM would pretend that they are explaining the agency's process of developing a website throughout the simulation. By using this tool, we would be able to assess the PM's ability to establish rapport with the client while sharing important information with them. We ran the pilot with the new PMs and we were also able to provide them valuable feedback about their facilitation skills. The hiring manager found the tool very useful, and I'm proud to say that they continue to use it to this day."
Strategy
25. You're given a chance to pick a failed project and do it over. Walk me through your plan for success.
How to Answer
There is a multitude of reasons a project fails. In this question, the interviewer is assessing your ability to remove yourself from a situation to analyze it thoroughly. When positioning your response, think about how you can think judiciously about the decisions you have previously made. A successful answer will demonstrate how you are eager to learn from your mistakes and that you can focus on delivering the best results.
Answer Example
"I would pick a previous project that failed because of the lack of prioritization. At the onset, leadership told us that this was going to be an open-ended side project. A lot of creative ideas were thrown around and we tried a couple of them. I would assign team members tasks, but those tasks kept getting pushed down because we had more time-sensitive projects. After quite a few months, it finally got shut down.
In retrospect, I should have put my foot down at the beginning and asked for an ROI analysis to see if it was worth starting the project at all. There was no business case, no clear objectives. The problem was that I was too new to the company and I didn't feel very confident in asserting myself. I've since learned to be bolder in disagreeing with leadership, as long as I'm able to use data and facts to support my case."