This interview was for a project manager position, and overall, the process went quite smoothly. It started with an aptitude test, followed by a conversation with HR, and finally an interview with the manager. There was no additional written test.

The HR representative was very friendly. The initial conversation mainly covered basic work experience, reasons for changing jobs, and expectations for the next position. The interview with the manager went into more depth. In addition to discussing projects I had handled in the past, we also talked about fintech-related applications and the practical use of AI technology at work.

I got the impression that the company expects more from this position than simply tracking project progress, holding meetings, or organizing documents. They also hope candidates understand the technology and business requirements behind a project. For example, experience with system development, integrating third-party services, or participating in a project from 0 to 1 are all valuable topics to share.

If you have worked on payment flow integrations in a previous position, I think it would be worthwhile to prepare this part carefully. In addition to introducing the work you were responsible for, you could discuss why the integration was needed, what problems arose during the process, and how you communicated and coordinated with engineers or other departments to successfully launch the project.

After all, projects of this kind usually do not end once the functionality has been built. Requirements need to be confirmed beforehand, development progress tracked and testing arranged along the way, and problems coordinated and resolved when they arise. Therefore, the manager would probably also care about which parts of a project the candidate has actually participated in and how they handle problems.

Also, if you have experience driving a project from 0 to 1, that would be very suitable to share during the interview. For example, you could explain how an initial idea was gradually developed into clarified requirements and an execution plan, and how you coordinated with different teams step by step to complete the project. Compared with simply saying that you have project management experience, I think using a concrete example makes it easier for the manager to understand your abilities.

The AI aspect is also worth paying attention to. There are increasingly more possibilities for AI applications in the fintech sector, so in addition to knowing what AI can do, understanding how to truly apply the technology to products or practical business operations should also be an important part of the role. Possible areas to consider include improving the user experience, increasing operational efficiency, and integrating AI with existing systems.

Overall, I felt that the more challenging aspect of this position is the need to understand technology, business requirements, and project progress at the same time. Although a project manager does not necessarily need to write code, they should at least understand what the engineering team is doing and be able to clarify the needs of clients or internal teams before communicating them to different stakeholders.

Therefore, experience limited to tracking progress and arranging meetings may not be enough. Candidates who can further share how they handled system integrations, cross-department communication, or problems encountered during project execution should have an advantage.

Overall, the interview process was quite good. Both HR and the manager were very friendly, and the interview also provided an opportunity to better understand the responsibilities of the position. I would suggest that anyone interested in applying first prepare several concrete projects they have participated in, especially which parts they were responsible for, what difficulties they encountered, and how they ultimately resolved them. These should all be useful interview material.

I ultimately decided not to join, mainly because I later received an offer from another company. After considering the job responsibilities and daily commuting time, I ultimately chose the opportunity with the more convenient commute.