Engineering Manager
A behavioral hiring process for your first engineering manager, built on written management scenarios and structured leadership interviews instead of coding puzzles.
Why this works:
- Written scenario responses reveal real management judgment before you spend interview hours
- Blind team review scores every candidate on the same leadership rubric, so the decision runs on evidence rather than the loudest voice
- Two structured interviews separate people leadership from technical judgment without padding the loop
- Skip-level references from engineers the candidate actually managed are the strongest signal on how they lead
Best for: Startups making their first engineering management hire (teams of 6-8 engineers)
Timeline: ~2-3 weeks
Candidate effort: 2-3 hours
Process stages
This template includes 7 stages that candidates move through:
Application
Submit ApplicationTell us about the teams you’ve led and why you want to manage this one.
Management Scenarios
QuestionnaireRespond in writing to four management scenarios. Draw on specific situations you have actually handled, with real outcomes, rather than hypotheticals. Expect to spend 1-2 hours.
Scenario Review
Team ReviewOur team scores your responses independently against a shared leadership rubric before anyone discusses them.
People Leadership Interview
InterviewA conversation about how you hire, coach, give hard feedback, and grow engineers, grounded in specific examples from teams you’ve led.
Technical Judgment & Delivery
InterviewWe’ll walk through real architectural decisions and delivery trade-offs from your experience, plus how you work with product and design. No live coding.
Skip-Level References
Reference CheckWe’ll ask to speak with engineers who reported to you directly, plus a former manager. How the people you led describe you matters most.
Offer
OfferWe’ll present you with an offer and talk through the team you’ll be leading.
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