Brightening the Path to Hiring Great Engineering Managers!

Bringing exceptional engineers onto your team is already exciting - but finding that perfect Engineering Manager can truly elevate your organization to new heights! While companies have mastered the art of hiring individual contributors through well-established processes, the opportunity to refresh our approach to EM hiring presents an exciting challenge.

The traditional EM hiring process often mirrors IC recruitment with a few tweaks, focusing on technical skills and cultural fit. But here's where we can take things to the next level – by discovering innovative ways to evaluate a candidate's leadership abilities, particularly their skill in guiding diverse teams with fairness and clarity!

Why Leadership Qualities Matter Even More

Think of it this way: great individual contributors add tremendous value, and in the rare case of a mismatched hire, the impact remains relatively contained.

But Engineering Managers are force multipliers! A fantastic EM can energize an entire team, boost productivity, and create an environment where everyone thrives. That's why investing extra effort in your EM hiring process pays such enormous dividends.

As the saying goes, "People join companies but stay for great managers!" A thoughtful hiring approach ensures you find those inspiring leaders who build engaged, productive teams.

Moving Beyond Basic Behavioral Questions

While traditional behavioral questions provide some insights, savvy managers can navigate them easily. Instead, let's explore creative approaches to uncover authentic leadership qualities!

Take the classic question: "Describe a time when you had to manage a poor performer." A prepared candidate can craft a polished answer highlighting all the right points:

• Understanding performance challenges
• Connecting personal circumstances to work outcomes
• Implementing supportive improvement measures
• Showing empathy throughout the process
• Speaking respectfully about team members
• Taking accountability for outcomes
• Demonstrating growth and learning

The opportunity lies in developing fresh, engaging evaluation methods that reveal genuine leadership approaches and uncover a candidate's true commitment to fairness, growth, and team success.

Enhancing Your EM Hiring Process: A Practical Example

Try incorporating a collaborative simulation exercise where candidates interact with actors playing the roles of team members with diverse personalities, work styles, and challenges!

In this energizing 90-minute session, the candidate navigates scenarios like:

• Leading a retrospective after a failed product launch
• Mediating conflict between two team members with different communication styles
• Delivering feedback to someone resistant to change
• Advocating for team needs to senior leadership

This dynamic approach reveals how candidates truly:

• Build psychological safety in real time
• Balance empathy with accountability
• Recognize and address their own biases
• Think on their feet under pressure
• Adapt their leadership style to different individuals

The beauty of this method is that candidates can't rehearse perfect answers - they must demonstrate authentic leadership in action, giving you valuable insights beyond what any traditional interview could reveal!

Pro Tips for Implementation:

• Short on time? It's perfectly fine to integrate role-playing into a standard 1-hour interview. This streamlined approach has proven effective for me numerous times! Although I have gotten a few raised eyebrows before.
• Timing matters. Wait until approximately halfway through the interview before introducing role-playing. This gives you time to establish rapport, making the candidate more comfortable with this unorthodox approach.
• Ease into it with humor. A light-hearted introduction helps dissolve tension before diving into the exercise.
• Set clear expectations. Explicitly state who you'll be portraying and who they'll be role-playing as.
• Create psychological safety. Remind candidates to have fun, be authentic, and understand there are no "right" or "wrong" answers. This simple reassurance helps diffuse interview anxiety and encourages genuine interaction.