Salesforce Product Owner Interview Process at Asana

The interview process for the Salesforce Product Owner role at Asana focuses on assessing both your technical expertise with Salesforce and your ability to collaborate across teams to drive business success. The position requires experience in Salesforce configuration, understanding of enterprise business systems, and the ability to balance customer needs with product development priorities.

Below is a detailed breakdown of the interview process, based on my experience and insights from others who have gone through it.

1. Resume Screening and Initial Contact

The first stage is resume screening, where the recruiter evaluates:

• Salesforce expertise, particularly experience with Sales Cloud, Service Cloud, Revenue Cloud, Salesforce CPQ, and Salesforce Experience Cloud.
• Experience in managing enterprise business systems and tools, and understanding complex Salesforce logic, including Apex code, flows, and SOQL.
• Project management and stakeholder management experience in working with cross-functional teams like Sales, Customer Success, and RevOps.
• Understanding of Agile methodologies and experience with sprint planning, backlog grooming, and delivery of features.

Once your resume meets the required criteria, the recruiter will reach out for an initial phone screen.

2. Recruiter Phone Screen

The recruiter phone screen typically lasts 30-45 minutes and serves as an introductory conversation to assess whether you are a good fit for the role. You can expect questions on:

• Your motivation for applying to Asana and why you’re interested in working in a Salesforce Product Owner capacity.

  Example:

  “Why do you want to work as a Salesforce Product Owner at Asana, and how does Asana’s mission resonate with you?”

• Salesforce knowledge: They will ask about your experience with Salesforce products and any specific configurations or customizations you’ve implemented.

  Example:

  “Can you describe a Salesforce project you’ve worked on and the specific challenges you faced?”

• Team collaboration: As this role involves a lot of cross-functional teamwork, you’ll be asked about your ability to work with teams from Sales, Product, Customer Success, and Engineering.

  Example:

  “Tell me about a time you worked with cross-functional teams to resolve a technical issue in Salesforce.”

3. Technical Interview

If the recruiter screen is successful, you’ll proceed to a technical interview with a Salesforce Architect or Product Manager. This interview typically lasts 60-90 minutes and will focus on:

• Salesforce configuration and customization: You’ll be asked questions about your experience configuring Salesforce, including using Apex, SOQL, Lightning components, and other Salesforce tools.

  Example:

  “How would you design a solution for a customer using Salesforce CPQ and ensure it integrates smoothly with the rest of the Salesforce platform?”

• Troubleshooting and issue resolution: You may be asked to troubleshoot a problem, such as data inconsistencies, process automation issues, or Salesforce customization errors.

  Example:

  “How would you handle a situation where there is a data discrepancy between Salesforce and another system, such as marketing automation?”

• Prioritization and stakeholder management: They will likely ask you how you manage feature requests and prioritize tasks across different business units (Sales, Customer Success, etc.).

  Example:

  “How do you prioritize feature requests from multiple teams with different needs? Can you walk us through your decision-making process?“

4. Case Study or Product Exercise

Next, you may be given a case study or product exercise that asks you to design or enhance a Salesforce solution. This is your opportunity to demonstrate your ability to:

• Translate business needs into product requirements.

• Work with multiple stakeholders to define solutions that align with company goals and scalable systems.

  Example:

  “Given a set of requirements from the Sales and Customer Success teams, how would you prioritize and implement changes to Salesforce to improve their workflows?”

• Evaluate the technical complexity of a Salesforce implementation and identify potential roadblocks or inefficiencies.

  Example:

  “Design a system to improve customer retention through Salesforce. What tools and features would you implement, and how would you ensure long-term adoption?”

This part of the process is to evaluate your strategic thinking, problem-solving, and ability to deliver actionable solutions within the Salesforce ecosystem.

5. Behavioral Interview

The behavioral interview typically focuses on leadership qualities, team management, and your ability to collaborate with other departments. Asana values transparency and collaboration, so expect questions like:

• Leadership and conflict resolution: You may be asked to discuss how you’ve handled conflict or disagreements within a team.

  Example:

  “Tell us about a time when you had to resolve a conflict between team members or stakeholders. How did you approach it?”

• Communication skills: You will be assessed on how well you can communicate complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.

  Example:

  “Describe a time when you had to explain a complex Salesforce solution to a non-technical team. How did you ensure they understood the key points?”

• Adaptability and collaboration: As the role is cross-functional, the interviewers will ask about how you handle changes in priorities or adapt to shifting business needs.

  Example:

  “Tell me about a time when a major change occurred mid-project. How did you manage the change and keep the project on track?“

6. Final Interview with Senior Leadership

If you make it past the behavioral and technical rounds, you’ll have a final interview with senior leadership, such as the VP of Engineering or Head of Product. This round will assess your vision for the role, alignment with Asana’s values, and long-term strategy:

• Strategic thinking: Leadership will want to know how you plan to evolve Salesforce at Asana, both in the short and long term.

  Example:

  “How would you contribute to scaling Asana’s Salesforce operations as the company grows? What long-term vision do you have for our use of Salesforce?”

• Cultural fit and values: Asana places great importance on collaboration, radical inclusion, and transparency.

  Example:

  “How do you ensure inclusivity and transparency in your decision-making and team interactions?“

7. Offer and Negotiation

If you successfully pass the interviews, you’ll receive an offer. The compensation package typically includes:

• Base salary: Expected to range between $140,000 and $190,000 depending on experience and location.
• Equity and bonuses: Asana may offer equity as part of the compensation package.
• Benefits: Asana offers a generous benefits package, including health insurance, wellness programs, mental health support, and more.

Key Preparation Tips

• Deepen your Salesforce expertise: Brush up on your Salesforce knowledge, particularly around Sales Cloud, Service Cloud, CPQ, and Apex.
• Prepare for system design: Be ready to design complex solutions within Salesforce, considering scalability and integration.
• Focus on cross-functional collaboration: Prepare examples of how you’ve worked with teams such as Sales, Customer Success, and Engineering to implement Salesforce solutions.
• Communicate clearly: Be prepared to discuss how you effectively communicate technical solutions to non-technical stakeholders.