It’s hard to find someone who hasn’t used a dating app, preferably one like Hinge. The company, which was started in 2012, calls itself the “relationship app” because it says it’s the only dating app that helps its users find long-term relationships. If you want to work for a dating app that is committed to new ideas and constant improvement, keep reading to find out how to get the Hinge Product Manager job.
When the app first came out, it required users to connect their Facebook accounts. However, the app changed its interface to get rid of the “who you know” connection as a basis for relationships. Instead, it created the Hinge Lab, where researchers look at successful matches to figure out how to improve the app and its algorithms.
People could only date through apps like Hinge because they couldn’t meet in person during a pandemic that lasted more than a year. This is a market that is growing and developing all the time that any Product Manager would want to join and learn more about.
The dating app that is “designed to be deleted” was started by Justin McLeod. In 2013, they made a mobile app and started advertising it. McLeod decided to spend the rest of their money on a big launch party because they were almost out of money. Surprisingly, it was this move that actually saved them from insolvency and secured their next round of funding.
After getting great reviews in The New York Times wedding section, Hinge came out again in 2017 as Hinge Matchmaker. Around this time, the company changed its layout from Facebook’s “friends of friends” system to a better one that based compatibility on other users. Hinge is now owned by the Match Group, which also runs dating sites like Tinder and eHarmony. It tends to attract younger people who want serious relationships, not just one-night stands.
The company has between one and fifty employees, so it’s not very big. However, it gives you a personal space to work and grow your career. Offering autonomy and responsibility for individual projects, it’s the dream for any Product Manager.
Hinge has become one of the most popular dating apps, known for its focus on creating meaningful connections rather than just casual encounters. As Hinge continues to grow, competition for jobs at the company is increasing. This means that acing your Hinge interview is crucial if you want to land a role.
In this article, we’ll cover the most common Hinge interview questions and provide tips on how to prepare strong answers. With the right preparation, you can walk into your Hinge interview confident and ready to impress the hiring manager
Overview of the Hinge Interview Process
The Hinge interview process typically involves
- An initial phone screen with a recruiter
- A video interview focused on culture fit
- A technical interview (for engineering roles)
- An onsite interview with various stakeholders
The process aims to assess both your technical abilities and your alignment with Hinge’s mission and values. Expect behavioral and situational questions that test your problem-solving communication skills, and more.
Technical roles will also include coding challenges on platforms like HackerRank. The onsite may involve a case study presentation, sample work relevant to the role, or other practical assessments.
Overall, Hinge interviews are rigorous but conversational. The people-focused nature of their product is reflected in an interview process that aims to get to know you holistically.
General Tips for Hinge Interview Success
To maximize your chances of interview success at Hinge, keep these tips in mind:
Research the company – Study their mission, values, products, and culture to showcase your interest.
Practice answering common questions – Prepare clear stories that highlight relevant skills and achievements.
Brush up on technical skills (for technical roles) – Review coding fundamentals and practice on platforms like LeetCode.
Ask thoughtful questions – Have smart questions ready that show your understanding of and enthusiasm for the company.
Watch your communication skills – Hinge values collaboration. Demonstrate this through active listening and clear communication.
Thorough preparation and a positive, curious attitude go a long way in leaving a great impression at a Hinge interview. Now let’s look at some of the most frequent interview questions asked:
Common Hinge Behavioral Interview Questions
Hinge behavioral interview questions aim to understand your competencies, thought processes, and past experiences relevant to success in the role:
1. Tell me about yourself.
Tips: Structure your answer chronologically or around 2-3 relevant accomplishments. Keep it concise and focus only on experiences that make you an excellent fit for this role and company.
2. Why do you want to work at Hinge?
Tips: Show passion for their mission of facilitating meaningful connections. Share specific things that excite you about their products, values, and innovations in the dating app space.
3. Tell me about a time you faced a conflict at work. How did you handle it?
Tips: Pick an example that highlights conflict management, communication, and collaboration skills. Explain the situation briefly, your specific actions, and the positive result.
4. Describe a time you solved a difficult problem. What was your thought process?
Tips: Choose an example relevant to the role. Walk through your systematic approach to solving the problem. Emphasize critical thinking, persistence, and creativity.
5. Tell me about a time you failed and what you learned from it.
Tips: Share a real failure that highlights reflective abilities and growth mindset. Explain the situation briefly and focus most of your answer on the lessons you took away.
6. Why are you leaving your current job?
Tips: Frame your reason positively, focusing on growth opportunities at Hinge rather than negativity about your current role. Avoid bashing past employers.
7. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Tips: Share goals aligned with growing your skills and responsibilities at Hinge. Focus more on types of roles than specific job titles.
Common Hinge Situational Interview Questions
Situational questions present hypothetical scenarios relevant to the job and ask how you would respond. These assess analytical thinking and judgment. Some examples:
1. Your team misses a product launch deadline. How would you take responsibility as the manager?
Tips: Show accountability, not blame. Explain how you’d diagnosis issues, communicate delays, prioritize tasks, and get things back on track.
2. If you noticed a colleague acting inappropriately with a coworker, how would you handle it?
Tips: Emphasize addressing the issue constructively by first speaking privately with the colleague, then involving HR if needed, while protecting the other coworker’s privacy.
3. If you encountered offensive content as a platform moderator, what would you do?
Tips: Discuss adhering to company guidelines, removing content, documenting the incident, and escalating if appropriate while remaining objective.
4. How would you handle a social media crisis regarding Hinge?
Tips: Show you would gather information urgently, coordinate with relevant teams, advise quick and empathetic response owning up to any mistakes, and implement preventative measures.
5. If a client was upset and yelling, how would you respond?
Tips: Explain you would listen actively without getting defensive, validate their feelings, apologize for their poor experience, and assure them you’ll resolve the issue.
Common Hinge Technical Interview Questions
For engineering and other technical roles, expect questions testing your knowledge of core CS concepts, programming languages, databases, system design, etc.
Some examples:
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Explain how hash tables work and their Big O efficiencies for common operations.
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Describe the MVC pattern and its advantages.
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How does DNS work?
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Explain differences between REST and GraphQL.
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Write a function to reverse a string iteratively and recursively. Analyze the space-time complexity.
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Design a schema for a social media app. What database schema and types would you use?
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How would you optimize performance for an app backend serving large volumes of request traffic?
Tips for Answering Hinge Technical Questions:
- Clarify the question and explain your thought process clearly.
- Use the correct technical terms and data structures.
- Analyze space and time complexity tradeoffs when writing algorithms.
- Draw diagrams to illustrate technical concepts or system design.
- Ask clarifying questions if needed to refine vague requirements.
- Discuss pros/cons of different technical choices you would make.
- Suggest scalability, security, and other best practices.
Hinge Interview Questions on Leadership
For senior roles, Hinge interviews often include leadership questions assessing your management style, strategic thinking, and ability to drive results.
Some sample questions:
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What is your management style? How do you motivate teams?
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Tell me about a time you spearheaded a successful strategic initiative.
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How do you structure teams for optimal efficiency on large projects?
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What metrics are most important in measuring your team’s success?
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Give an example of when you adapted your leadership approach to suit changing circumstances.
Tips for Answering Hinge Leadership Interview Questions:
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Tailor your management style discussion to the company’s culture and values.
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Pick strategic project examples relevant to the role that highlight vision, influence, and execution.
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Emphasize collaboration, accountability, and growth in discussing team leadership.
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Align metrics to company goals i.e. user retention, engagement, revenue.
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Share examples that highlight self-awareness, flexibility, and emotional intelligence as a leader.
Questions to Ask the Hinge Interviewer
Always prepare smart questions to ask your interviewer, as this demonstrates enthusiasm and engagement:
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How would you describe the work culture and values at Hinge?
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What are the biggest challenges facing the company today?
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What are the most important skills and attributes for success in this role?
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What performance metrics would you use to measure success in this position?
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What career growth opportunities are available for someone in this role?
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What do you enjoy most about working for Hinge?
With virtual interviews becoming the norm, doing your Hinge interview prep is more convenient than ever. Take time to research the company, practice answering likely questions using the STAR method, hone your technical skills, and develop insightful questions to ask.
This comprehensive interview preparation will help you feel relaxed and confident on interview day. By mastering the most common Hinge interview questions ahead of time, you can focus on showcasing your qualifications for the job rather than getting caught off guard by tough questions. With the right mix of interview skills and qualifications, you’ll be primed for interview success.
How Do You Get a Hinge Product Manager Interview?
Where can you look for Product Manager roles at Hinge? Four Product roles are currently available on their careers page. Going through their website may be the best way to apply: 52% of interviewees applied online. Other ways of applying include through a recruiter (24%) and employee referral (14%). Once you’ve found the job posting you want to go after, here’s how to apply:
Company Culture at Hinge
As mentioned previously, Hinge is a small organization in terms of staff with less than 50 employees. This may be why Hinge cares so much about its employees—they believe in good people over good processes.
In an interview with the CEO and Founder Justin McLeod, he stated that he doesn’t allow company culture to “simply happen”. An environment is curated so that all employees are able to make and execute decisions instead of decisions simply being made at the top. For the most part, this is reflected in what employees have to say about Hinge on Glassdoor: 74% of employees would recommend the company, and 87% approve of the company’s top leadership.
Hinge bases their culture around 3 core values:
- Authenticity: Share your genuine thoughts and opinions directly.
- Courage: Invite and deeply consider challenges and criticism.
- Empathy: Be empathetic, communitarian and trustworthy.
Hinge CEO: Why Some People Get Dates & Other People Don’t!
FAQ
Is Hinge a good company to work for?
