Back

To give the Actual Interview Experience

To Give the Actual Interview Experience

One of the first things I realized while practicing for PM interviews was this:

ChatGPT was too polite.

Even when I gave average answers, it responded with:

“Great start! Maybe you can add user pain points.”

That might feel nice. But it doesn’t help.
In real interviews, you’re not getting soft nudges - you’re getting cut off. You’re getting challenged. You’re getting pressure-tested.

That’s what I wanted MockJam to feel like.

✨Prompting Wasn’t the Hard Part

The hard part wasn’t making the AI talk.
The hard part was deciding what “good” looks like.

I didn’t want vague comments.
I wanted the AI to react like a sharp, thoughtful PM - someone in a product review, not a classroom.

So I spent time defining a real rubric - the kind I wish I had during prep:

  • Goal - Did the candidate frame the right outcome?
  • User - Do they deeply understand who they’re solving for?
  • Friction - Can they uncover what’s actually broken?
  • Prioritization - Are they making a clear bet?
  • Move - Is their next step focused and decisive?
  • Metric - Are they closing the loop with clarity?

✨A System That Interrupts, Pushes, and Pressures

Every time I used MockJam, I improved the prompt.

I built logic for:

  • When to evaluate, and when to hold back
  • When to interrupt the candidate
  • What kind of follow-up to ask if they’re spiraling or playing it safe
  • How to balance encouragement with brutal honesty

At one point, I wrote:

“Sometimes it should say - this feels like a deck, not a decision.”
“If someone’s avoiding a call, it should say - you're dodging the real move. What’s your bet?”

That became part of the tone layer.

✨Because Real Feedback Changes You

I practiced with this prompt again and again.
It didn’t just help me speak better. It helped me think better.

The AI wasn’t giving me grades.
It was forcing me to reflect:

  • Why was I being vague?
  • What was I avoiding?
  • Did I even commit to a direction?

That’s the real value. And honestly, it’s what changed my mindset from just solving questions to actually thinking like a PM.