Interview Guide for

Software Development Manager

This comprehensive Software Development Manager Interview Guide provides a strategic framework to assess candidates for this crucial role. Built on proven interview methodology, it includes behavioral questions, technical assessments, and leadership evaluation components to identify top talent who can lead engineering teams effectively while balancing technical expertise with management skills.

How to Use This Guide

This interview guide serves as your roadmap to consistently evaluate Software Development Manager candidates across your organization. Here's how to make the most of it:

Customize for your context: Adapt the questions and exercises to reflect your company's specific tech stack, development methodology, and team structure.
Share with your interview team: Distribute this guide to everyone involved in the hiring process to ensure alignment on what you're looking for.
Maintain consistency: Use the same core questions with all candidates to enable fair comparisons.
Use follow-up questions strategically: Dig deeper into candidate responses to understand their full capabilities and experience.
Score independently: Have each interviewer complete their scorecard before discussing candidates to prevent groupthink.

For additional guidance, check out our comprehensive guide to conducting interviews and learn why structured interviews are essential for making better hiring decisions.

Job Description

Software Development Manager

About [Company]

[Company] is a leading [industry] organization dedicated to delivering innovative software solutions that address complex business challenges. With a culture that values collaboration, continuous learning, and technical excellence, we're seeking exceptional talent to help drive our next phase of growth.

The Role

The Software Development Manager will lead a team of software engineers in designing, developing, and implementing high-quality software solutions that meet business needs. This role is crucial to [Company]'s success as you'll be responsible for mentoring engineers, establishing development practices, and ensuring timely delivery of software projects while maintaining technical excellence.

Key Responsibilities

Lead and mentor a team of 5-10 software engineers, providing technical guidance, career development, and performance management
Establish and refine software development processes, methodologies, and best practices
Collaborate with product management to translate business requirements into technical solutions
Manage project timelines, resources, and scope to ensure on-time delivery
Drive technical excellence, high code quality, and a strong testing culture
Identify and resolve technical roadblocks affecting team productivity
Participate in architecture decisions and technical strategy planning
Foster a culture of innovation, continuous improvement, and knowledge sharing
Work cross-functionally with other teams to integrate systems effectively
Recruit, interview, and hire strong technical talent

What We're Looking For

5+ years of software development experience with at least 2 years in a technical leadership role
Strong technical background with hands-on coding experience
Experience managing and developing engineering teams
Proven track record of delivering software projects on time and within scope
Experience with Agile/Scrum methodologies
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
Strong problem-solving abilities and analytical thinking
Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field (or equivalent experience)
Experience with [relevant technologies] preferred but not required
Familiarity with [industry-specific knowledge] is a plus

Why Join [Company]

At [Company], we're building technology that makes a real difference in [industry]. Our team enjoys:

Competitive compensation package ([pay range] based on experience and location)
Comprehensive health, dental, and vision benefits
Flexible work arrangements with remote options
Professional development budget and learning opportunities
Modern tech stack and best-in-class tools
Collaborative, inclusive work environment
[Additional company benefits and perks]

Hiring Process

We've designed an efficient interview process to help us find the right candidate while respecting your time:

Initial Screen: A 30-minute call with our recruiter to discuss your background and interest in the role.
Technical Leadership Interview: A 60-minute discussion with a hiring manager about your technical leadership experience and approach to software development management.
Technical Assessment: A 90-minute session to evaluate your technical knowledge and problem-solving abilities through practical scenarios.
Team & Cross-functional Interviews: Meet with potential team members and cross-functional partners to discuss collaboration and alignment.
Final Interview: A conversation with senior leadership about your leadership philosophy and cultural fit with our organization.

Ideal Candidate Profile (Internal)

Role Overview

The Software Development Manager is a critical leadership position responsible for building and managing high-performing software engineering teams. This role requires a unique blend of technical expertise, leadership skills, and business acumen. The ideal candidate will drive technical excellence while developing team members and delivering business value through effective software solutions.

Essential Behavioral Competencies

Technical Leadership: Demonstrates strong technical knowledge and the ability to guide technical decisions, architecture choices, and implementation approaches. Balances technical debt with feature development and stays current with technology trends relevant to the business.

Team Management: Effectively builds, leads, and develops software engineering teams. Provides clear direction, motivates team members, manages performance, and creates a collaborative environment where engineers can thrive.

Project Execution: Successfully plans and executes software development projects from conception to delivery. Manages scope, resources, and timelines while adapting to changing requirements and addressing risks proactively.

Communication & Collaboration: Communicates clearly and effectively with technical and non-technical stakeholders. Builds strong relationships across functions, translates business needs into technical requirements, and represents team concerns to upper management.

Strategic Thinking: Connects technical implementation to business strategy. Makes decisions that balance short-term needs with long-term objectives and identifies opportunities for technical innovation that advances business goals.

Desired Outcomes

Build and maintain a high-performing engineering team with strong technical capabilities and low turnover rates
Establish and optimize software development processes that increase team productivity and code quality
Successfully deliver software projects on time and within scope while maintaining high-quality standards
Foster a culture of continuous improvement, knowledge sharing, and technical excellence
Drive innovations that enhance the company's technical capabilities and competitive advantage

Ideal Candidate Traits

Our ideal Software Development Manager candidate demonstrates a passion for technology and people leadership. They have a proven track record of building and managing successful engineering teams while staying technically relevant. The candidate should be adaptable to changing priorities and comfortable making decisions with incomplete information.

They should display a growth mindset, both for themselves and their team members, with a commitment to continuous learning and improvement. The candidate should have strong communication skills and the ability to bridge technical and business perspectives, effectively advocating for both team needs and business priorities.

Experience with similar technical stacks is valuable but less important than the ability to learn quickly and adapt. Cultural alignment with our values of [collaboration, innovation, quality, etc.] is essential, as is the ability to thrive in our [fast-paced, dynamic, etc.] environment.

Screening Interview

Directions for the Interviewer

This screening interview aims to quickly assess if the candidate has the fundamental technical leadership skills and management experience needed for the Software Development Manager role. Your goal is to determine if they should advance to more in-depth interviews. Focus on understanding their management experience, technical background, leadership approach, and ability to deliver projects.

Ask open-ended questions and listen for specific examples rather than theoretical answers. Pay attention to how the candidate frames their experiences – do they take ownership of achievements and learnings? Do they demonstrate self-awareness about their leadership style? Look for evidence of their ability to balance technical and people management responsibilities.

Best practices:

Give the candidate your full attention and take notes
Ask for specific examples when responses are too general
Allow silence for the candidate to think through their responses
Save 5-10 minutes at the end for candidate questions
Assess both technical competence and leadership capabilities

Directions to Share with Candidate

Today, we'll be discussing your experience as a technical leader and software development manager. I'll be asking about your background, your approach to team management, and your experience with software development processes and project delivery. I'm interested in specific examples from your experience rather than theoretical approaches. There will be time at the end for you to ask questions about the role and our company.

Interview Questions

Tell me about your current role and responsibilities as a technical leader or manager.

Areas to Cover

Size and composition of their team
Technologies and development methodologies they use
Balance between hands-on technical work and management responsibilities
Key projects or initiatives they're responsible for
How they interact with other departments or stakeholders

Possible Follow-up Questions

How has your role evolved since you started in the position?
What's the most challenging aspect of your current role?
How do you divide your time between technical and managerial responsibilities?
What technical decisions are you personally involved in versus delegated to your team?

Describe a significant software project you managed from inception to completion. What was your approach, and what were the outcomes?

Areas to Cover

Project scope, timeline, and team composition
Their specific role in the project management
Methodologies and processes they implemented
Challenges encountered and how they were overcome
Metrics used to measure success
Final results and lessons learned

Possible Follow-up Questions

How did you handle scope changes during the project?
What would you do differently if you could manage this project again?
How did you communicate progress to stakeholders?
What tools or processes did you implement to ensure quality?

How do you typically approach building and developing a software engineering team?

Areas to Cover

Hiring strategies and what they look for in candidates
Onboarding approaches for new team members
Performance management and feedback methods
Career development and growth opportunities for team members
How they handle underperforming team members
Team culture building activities or approaches

Possible Follow-up Questions

Tell me about a time you had to let someone go or manage a performance issue.
How do you identify and develop potential technical leaders on your team?
What strategies have you found effective for retaining top talent?
How do you balance individual growth goals with team and company needs?

Tell me about the most challenging technical decision you've had to make as a manager. How did you approach it?

Areas to Cover

The context and importance of the decision
Their process for gathering information and evaluating options
How they involved their team and other stakeholders
The ultimate decision and rationale
The outcome and any lessons learned
How they communicated and implemented the decision

Possible Follow-up Questions

How did you handle disagreements or pushback about your decision?
What frameworks or principles do you use when making difficult technical decisions?
In hindsight, was there anything you would have done differently?
How did this experience influence your approach to later decisions?

How do you balance technical debt with new feature development?

Areas to Cover

Their philosophy on technical debt management
Specific strategies they've used to address technical debt
How they communicate technical debt issues to non-technical stakeholders
Examples of successfully balancing debt reduction with feature work
How they prioritize different types of technical improvements
Metrics they use to measure technical health

Possible Follow-up Questions

How do you make technical debt visible to product managers and business stakeholders?
Can you share an example where ignoring technical debt caused significant problems?
How do you encourage your team to maintain code quality during feature development?
What tools or processes have you implemented to prevent technical debt accumulation?

Describe how you stay current with technology trends and evaluate when to adopt new technologies.

Areas to Cover

Sources of information they use to stay informed
Their process for evaluating new technologies
How they balance innovation with stability
Examples of successfully introducing new technologies
How they manage the learning curve for the team
Approach to experimentation and proof of concepts

Possible Follow-up Questions

Tell me about a time you decided not to adopt a popular technology and why.
How do you encourage continuous learning within your team?
How do you validate that a new technology is right for your team and product?
What's a recent technology trend that you're excited about or have introduced to your team?

Interview Scorecard

Technical Leadership

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited technical knowledge or inability to guide technical decisions
2: Basic technical knowledge but lacks depth in critical areas
3: Strong technical knowledge and proven ability to guide technical decisions
4: Exceptional technical knowledge with strategic vision for technology implementation

Team Management

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Minimal team management experience or ineffective management approach
2: Some team management experience with basic leadership skills
3: Effective team management with proven ability to develop engineers
4: Outstanding team management with innovative approaches to team development

Project Execution

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Poor track record of project delivery or inability to manage scope
2: Sometimes delivers projects successfully but struggles with complexity
3: Consistently delivers projects on time with appropriate management of resources
4: Exceptional project execution with innovative approaches to overcome challenges

Communication & Collaboration

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Ineffective communication or inability to collaborate across functions
2: Basic communication skills but room for improvement
3: Strong communication skills with proven cross-functional collaboration
4: Outstanding communication skills that drive clarity and alignment

Strategic Thinking

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Focused only on tactical implementation without strategic perspective
2: Some strategic awareness but primarily tactically oriented
3: Good balance of tactical and strategic thinking
4: Exceptional strategic vision connected to technical implementation

Build and maintain a high-performing engineering team

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal - Limited evidence of team building skills
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal - Some team development capabilities
3: Likely to Achieve Goal - Demonstrated ability to build effective teams
4: Likely to Exceed Goal - Exceptional team building and talent development

Establish and optimize software development processes

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal - Limited process knowledge or improvement experience
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal - Basic understanding of process improvement
3: Likely to Achieve Goal - Proven ability to establish effective processes
4: Likely to Exceed Goal - Innovative approach to process optimization

Successfully deliver software projects

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal - Poor delivery track record
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal - Inconsistent delivery success
3: Likely to Achieve Goal - Consistent project delivery success
4: Likely to Exceed Goal - Outstanding delivery record with complex projects

Foster a culture of continuous improvement

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal - Limited focus on improvement
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal - Some emphasis on improvement
3: Likely to Achieve Goal - Clear commitment to continuous improvement
4: Likely to Exceed Goal - Transformative approach to culture building

Drive innovations that enhance technical capabilities

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal - Risk-averse or resistant to innovation
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal - Open to innovation but not proactive
3: Likely to Achieve Goal - Actively drives appropriate innovation
4: Likely to Exceed Goal - Visionary approach to technical innovation

Hiring Recommendation

1: Strong No Hire - Significant gaps in critical areas
2: No Hire - Does not meet our requirements for this role
3: Hire - Meets our requirements and would be successful
4: Strong Hire - Exceptional candidate who would excel in this role

Technical Leadership Interview

Directions for the Interviewer

This interview focuses on evaluating the candidate's technical leadership capabilities. Your goal is to assess their technical expertise, decision-making process, and ability to guide a team through complex technical challenges. Look for evidence of their technical depth and breadth, their approach to architecture and system design, and how they balance technical considerations with business needs.

Pay particular attention to how they think through problems, their awareness of trade-offs, and their ability to explain technical concepts clearly. Strong candidates will demonstrate both technical competence and the ability to translate that competence into team guidance and business value.

Best practices:

Ask for specific examples and dig into the technical details
Evaluate their reasoning process, not just their conclusions
Listen for how they balanced competing priorities
Note their ability to communicate technical concepts clearly
Observe how they frame team contributions versus their own
Reserve time for the candidate to ask questions at the end

Directions to Share with Candidate

In this interview, we'll be exploring your technical leadership experience in depth. I'm interested in understanding how you approach technical decisions, guide architecture and design, and balance technical requirements with business needs. We'll discuss specific examples from your experience, so please be prepared to dive into details. I'm looking for your thought process as much as the outcomes. We'll leave time at the end for your questions about our technical environment and challenges.

Interview Questions

Tell me about a significant architectural decision you led for your team. What was the context, what options did you consider, and how did you reach the final decision? (Technical Leadership)

Areas to Cover

Business context and technical requirements driving the decision
Technical options they considered and evaluation criteria
How they involved the team in the decision process
Trade-offs they identified and how they weighed them
Final decision and its rationale
Implementation approach and outcomes
Lessons learned from the experience

Possible Follow-up Questions

What resources or research did you use to evaluate the options?
How did you handle disagreements within the team about the approach?
How did you validate that your chosen architecture would meet requirements?
What would you do differently if faced with a similar decision today?

Describe how you evaluate and improve the technical health of your team's codebase and systems. (Technical Leadership)

Areas to Cover

Metrics or indicators they use to assess technical health
Tools and processes they've implemented for monitoring
How they prioritize technical improvements
Approaches to refactoring and paying down technical debt
Strategies for maintaining quality during feature development
Examples of successful improvements they've led
How they communicate technical health to non-technical stakeholders

Possible Follow-up Questions

How do you balance technical debt reduction with feature development?
What techniques have you found most effective for improving code quality?
How do you make technical health visible to the entire team?
Tell me about a significant technical improvement project you led and its impact.

How have you managed a difficult technical migration or system upgrade? Walk me through your approach and what you learned. (Project Execution)

Areas to Cover

The nature and scope of the migration/upgrade
Their planning process and risk assessment
How they prepared the team for the change
Their approach to minimizing disruption during the transition
Testing and validation strategies
Challenges encountered and how they were addressed
Results and lessons learned

Possible Follow-up Questions

How did you decide on the timing and approach for the migration?
What contingency plans did you have in place?
How did you communicate with stakeholders throughout the process?
What would you do differently if you had to do a similar migration again?

Tell me about a time when you had to help your team adopt a new technology or framework. How did you approach the transition? (Team Management)

Areas to Cover

How they assessed the new technology and made the adoption decision
Their strategy for introducing it to the team
Training and learning resources they provided
How they managed the learning curve and productivity impact
Challenges encountered during adoption
Metrics used to evaluate the success of the transition
Long-term outcomes of the technology adoption

Possible Follow-up Questions

How did you handle team members who were resistant to the change?
What steps did you take to ensure knowledge sharing across the team?
How did you maintain system stability during the transition period?
What surprised you most during the adoption process?

Describe a situation where you had to make a significant technical compromise due to business constraints. How did you handle it? (Strategic Thinking)

Areas to Cover

The technical ideal versus the business constraints
Their process for evaluating options within the constraints
How they communicated with stakeholders about the trade-offs
The compromise solution they implemented
Strategies they used to mitigate technical risks
Long-term impact of the compromise
How they planned for future improvements

Possible Follow-up Questions

How did you explain the technical implications to non-technical stakeholders?
How did you get buy-in from your team for the compromise solution?
What steps did you take to ensure the compromise didn't create greater problems later?
Were you ultimately able to address the technical concerns later?

How do you stay current with technology trends, and how do you decide which ones are relevant for your team to explore? (Strategic Thinking)

Areas to Cover

Their sources of information on technology trends
Their evaluation process for new technologies
How they balance innovation with stability and business needs
Their approach to experimentation and proof of concepts
Examples of successful technology adoption they've led
Examples of technologies they decided not to adopt and why
How they involve the team in technology exploration

Possible Follow-up Questions

How do you validate that a new technology will provide value before adoption?
How do you encourage continuous learning within your team?
Tell me about a time when adopting a new technology didn't work out as expected.
What emerging technology trends are you most excited about right now?

Interview Scorecard

Technical Leadership

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited technical depth; unable to effectively guide technical decisions
2: Some technical knowledge but lacks breadth or depth in important areas
3: Strong technical knowledge with the ability to guide team decisions effectively
4: Exceptional technical expertise and vision; sets direction that balances innovation with practicality

Project Execution

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Poor track record with technical projects; unable to manage complexity
2: Sometimes successful but struggles with larger or more complex initiatives
3: Consistently delivers technical projects successfully with appropriate planning
4: Outstanding execution of complex technical initiatives with innovative approaches

Team Management

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Ineffective at guiding team technical growth or collaboration
2: Basic team technical leadership but room for improvement
3: Effectively leads team technical development and collaboration
4: Exceptional technical team leader who brings out the best in engineers

Strategic Thinking

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Focuses solely on technical details without business context
2: Some awareness of business needs but primarily technically focused
3: Good balance of technical and business considerations in decision-making
4: Exceptional strategic vision that connects technical decisions to business outcomes

Communication & Collaboration

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Difficulty explaining technical concepts or collaborating across functions
2: Basic communication skills but room for improvement
3: Communicates technical concepts clearly and collaborates effectively
4: Outstanding communication that bridges technical and business perspectives

Build and maintain a high-performing engineering team

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal - Limited evidence of technical team development
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal - Some ability to develop technical capability
3: Likely to Achieve Goal - Demonstrated ability to build technically strong teams
4: Likely to Exceed Goal - Exceptional at building high-performing technical teams

Establish and optimize software development processes

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal - Limited evidence of process improvement skill
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal - Basic process improvement capabilities
3: Likely to Achieve Goal - Proven ability to implement effective processes
4: Likely to Exceed Goal - Innovative approach to process optimization

Successfully deliver software projects

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal - Poor technical delivery record
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal - Inconsistent technical delivery success
3: Likely to Achieve Goal - Consistent successful technical delivery
4: Likely to Exceed Goal - Outstanding delivery of complex technical initiatives

Foster a culture of continuous improvement

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal - Limited focus on technical improvement
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal - Some emphasis on technical excellence
3: Likely to Achieve Goal - Clear commitment to continuous technical improvement
4: Likely to Exceed Goal - Transformative approach to technical excellence

Drive innovations that enhance technical capabilities

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal - Risk-averse or resistant to technical innovation
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal - Open to innovation but not proactive
3: Likely to Achieve Goal - Actively drives appropriate technical innovation
4: Likely to Exceed Goal - Visionary approach to technical advancement

Hiring Recommendation

1: Strong No Hire - Significant gaps in technical leadership abilities
2: No Hire - Does not meet our requirements for technical leadership
3: Hire - Meets our requirements and would provide effective technical leadership
4: Strong Hire - Exceptional technical leader who would elevate our engineering organization

Technical Assessment

Directions for the Interviewer

This technical assessment aims to evaluate the candidate's technical problem-solving abilities in a practical context. Rather than focusing on coding skills alone, we want to assess how they approach technical challenges, make design decisions, and communicate technical concepts—all essential skills for a Software Development Manager.

The session consists of a system design exercise followed by a discussion of technical scenarios they might face as a manager. Evaluate their technical thinking, architectural knowledge, and ability to explain complex concepts clearly. Strong candidates will demonstrate depth of technical knowledge while also showing an understanding of practical trade-offs and business considerations.

Best practices:

Give clear instructions and expectations for each part of the assessment
Take notes on both their approach and their specific solutions
Look for depth of technical knowledge as well as breadth across multiple areas
Pay attention to how they explain their reasoning and handle questions
Assess their ability to think at both high-level architecture and detailed implementation
Save time at the end for the candidate to ask questions

Directions to Share with Candidate

This technical assessment will help us understand your technical problem-solving approach and design thinking. We're not just interested in whether you arrive at a "correct" answer, but in how you think through technical problems, the trade-offs you consider, and how you communicate your ideas.

The session consists of two parts:

A system design exercise where you'll sketch and explain an architecture for a specified problem
A discussion of technical scenarios you might encounter as a Software Development Manager

Feel free to ask clarifying questions throughout the exercise. We'll leave time at the end for you to ask any questions about our technical environment.

System Design Exercise (45-60 minutes)

Design a scalable, fault-tolerant service for [appropriate to company's domain, e.g., "a product recommendation system" or "a real-time notification service"].

Present the problem with specific requirements appropriate to your company's domain. For example:

Expected traffic volume and patterns
Data storage requirements
Performance expectations
Integration with other systems
Security considerations

Ask the candidate to:

Sketch the high-level architecture on a whiteboard or shared document
Explain the key components and their interactions
Discuss technology choices and trade-offs
Address specific requirements like scalability, reliability, and performance
Explain how they would implement, deploy, and monitor the system

Areas to Cover

High-level architectural decisions and justifications
Component design and interactions
Data models and storage solutions
Scalability and performance considerations
Reliability and fault tolerance mechanisms
Security and compliance aspects
Monitoring and observability approach
Deployment and operational considerations

Possible Follow-up Questions

How would your design handle a 10x increase in traffic?
What are the most likely failure points in this system and how would you mitigate them?
How would you approach testing this system?
What trade-offs did you make in your design and why?
How would you evolve this architecture over time as requirements change?

Technical Management Scenarios (30-45 minutes)

Present 3-4 realistic technical management scenarios and ask the candidate how they would approach each one. Example scenarios:

Scenario 1: Your team has been tasked with migrating a critical legacy application to a modern architecture. How would you approach this technically and from a team management perspective?

Areas to Cover

Their technical assessment approach for the legacy system
Migration strategy and risk mitigation
Team preparation and knowledge transfer
Testing and validation approach
Stakeholder communication and expectation management
Metrics for measuring success

Scenario 2: Your team is experiencing increasing technical debt that's slowing down feature development. How would you assess the situation and address it?

Areas to Cover

How they would measure and categorize technical debt
Their prioritization approach for addressing different types of debt
Strategies for balancing debt reduction with feature work
Team involvement in the process
Communication with stakeholders outside engineering

Scenario 3: You've identified that your current technology stack won't meet future scalability needs. How would you evaluate alternatives and lead a transition?

Areas to Cover

Their process for evaluating alternative technologies
How they would build a transition plan
Approach to managing team learning and adaptation
Risk mitigation strategies
Metrics for evaluating success

Scenario 4: Your team is consistently missing quality targets, with bugs being discovered in production. How would you address this technically and organizationally?

Areas to Cover

How they would analyze the root causes of quality issues
Technical practices they would implement or improve
Process changes they would consider
Team culture aspects they would address
Metrics they would track to measure improvement

Interview Scorecard

Technical Knowledge

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited technical knowledge in key areas
2: Basic understanding but lacks depth in critical areas
3: Strong technical knowledge across relevant domains
4: Exceptional technical depth and breadth

Architectural Thinking

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unable to design coherent systems or identify key components
2: Basic architectural understanding but misses important considerations
3: Designs appropriate architectures with well-reasoned component choices
4: Exceptional architectural vision with innovative yet practical approaches

Problem-Solving Approach

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Disorganized approach; jumps to solutions without analysis
2: Somewhat structured approach but misses key aspects of the problem
3: Methodical problem analysis with well-reasoned solutions
4: Exceptional problem decomposition and creative yet practical solutions

Technical Communication

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unable to clearly explain technical concepts or reasoning
2: Basic explanations but sometimes unclear or overly complex
3: Clear, concise explanations of technical concepts and decisions
4: Outstanding technical communication that adapts to the audience

Technical Trade-off Analysis

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Fails to identify or address important trade-offs
2: Recognizes some trade-offs but analysis is superficial
3: Thoroughly analyzes trade-offs with well-reasoned decisions
4: Exceptional ability to evaluate complex trade-offs and optimize decisions

Build and maintain a high-performing engineering team

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal - Technical leadership approach unlikely to develop strong teams
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal - Some ability to guide technical team development
3: Likely to Achieve Goal - Technical leadership approach conducive to team excellence
4: Likely to Exceed Goal - Technical leadership approach would create exceptional teams

Establish and optimize software development processes

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal - Limited understanding of technical processes
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal - Basic process knowledge but incomplete
3: Likely to Achieve Goal - Strong technical process knowledge and improvement approach
4: Likely to Exceed Goal - Exceptional technical process optimization skills

Successfully deliver software projects

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal - Technical approach unlikely to lead to successful delivery
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal - Some ability to deliver but with limitations
3: Likely to Achieve Goal - Technical approach conducive to successful delivery
4: Likely to Exceed Goal - Technical approach would optimize delivery outcomes

Foster a culture of continuous improvement

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal - Limited technical improvement mindset
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal - Some focus on technical improvement
3: Likely to Achieve Goal - Strong focus on continuous technical improvement
4: Likely to Exceed Goal - Exceptional approach to driving technical excellence

Drive innovations that enhance technical capabilities

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal - Conservative technical approach with limited innovation
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal - Some innovative thinking but limited scope
3: Likely to Achieve Goal - Strong technical innovation balanced with practicality
4: Likely to Exceed Goal - Exceptional technical innovation that creates competitive advantage

Hiring Recommendation

1: Strong No Hire - Significant technical gaps that would limit effectiveness
2: No Hire - Technical capabilities below what we need for this role
3: Hire - Strong technical capabilities that would enable success in the role
4: Strong Hire - Exceptional technical capabilities that would elevate our organization

Team & Cross-functional Interview

Directions for the Interviewer

This interview assesses the candidate's ability to work effectively with team members and cross-functional partners. As a Software Development Manager, the candidate will need to collaborate with various stakeholders, represent the engineering team to other departments, and foster a collaborative team environment. Focus on their communication style, collaboration approaches, and how they handle conflicts or differing priorities.

This interview may include team members who would report to the candidate, peers from other engineering teams, and representatives from functions like Product Management, Design, or Operations. Each interviewer should focus on relevant aspects of collaboration from their perspective.

Best practices:

Include diverse perspectives in the interview panel
Let each interviewer focus on specific collaboration aspects
Watch for how the candidate adapts their communication to different audiences
Look for evidence of empathy and understanding of different functions' needs
Pay attention to how they talk about balancing competing priorities
Reserve time for the candidate to ask questions of the team
Have each interviewer complete their scorecard independently before discussing

Directions to Share with Candidate

In this interview, you'll meet with potential team members and cross-functional partners to discuss collaboration approaches. We'll explore how you work with different stakeholders, handle competing priorities, and foster a collaborative environment. Please share specific examples from your experience, focusing on your communication strategies and how you've built effective relationships across teams. There will be time for you to ask questions about our team dynamics and how different functions work together.

Interview Questions

How do you approach building relationships with cross-functional partners like Product Management, Design, or Operations? (Communication & Collaboration)

Areas to Cover

Their initial approach when working with a new partner
How they establish shared goals and expectations
Regular communication rhythms they establish
How they handle miscommunications or misaligned expectations
Strategies they use to develop mutual understanding of constraints
Examples of successful cross-functional partnerships they've built
How they measure the health of cross-functional relationships

Possible Follow-up Questions

Tell me about a time you had to repair a damaged relationship with another team.
How do you ensure engineering concerns are understood by non-technical partners?
How do you develop understanding of other functions' priorities and constraints?
What do you do when cross-functional partners have conflicting expectations?

Describe a situation where you had to navigate competing priorities between technical needs and business requirements. How did you handle it? (Strategic Thinking)

Areas to Cover

The specific situation and the competing priorities
Their process for understanding both technical and business perspectives
How they facilitated discussion between different stakeholders
The framework they used for making trade-off decisions
How they communicated decisions and rationale
The outcome of their approach
Lessons learned from the experience

Possible Follow-up Questions

How did you ensure all perspectives were properly represented in the decision?
What techniques do you use to help non-technical stakeholders understand technical constraints?
How did you get buy-in from your team for decisions that prioritized business needs?
How did you manage expectations throughout the process?

Tell me about a time when you had to lead your team through a significant change, such as a reorganization, new process, or strategic shift. (Team Management)

Areas to Cover

The nature of the change and their role in it
How they communicated the change to their team
Strategies they used to manage resistance or concerns
How they maintained team productivity during the transition
Support they provided to team members struggling with the change
The outcome of the change management effort
What they learned about leading change

Possible Follow-up Questions

How did you identify and address team members' concerns?
What would you do differently if you had to lead a similar change again?
How did you handle your own doubts or concerns about the change?
What signals did you look for to assess how the team was handling the change?

How do you foster a culture of knowledge sharing and collaboration within your engineering team? (Team Management)

Areas to Cover

Specific practices they've implemented for knowledge sharing
How they encourage collaboration vs. individual work
Their approach to breaking down silos within the team
How they model collaborative behavior as a leader
Ways they recognize and reward knowledge sharing
How they onboard new team members into the collaborative culture
How they measure the effectiveness of collaboration

Possible Follow-up Questions

How do you handle team members who prefer to work independently?
What tools or technologies have you found most effective for collaboration?
How do you balance collaboration with the need for focused individual work?
Tell me about a situation where improved collaboration solved a significant problem.

Describe how you gather and incorporate feedback from team members and stakeholders to improve processes or projects. (Communication & Collaboration)

Areas to Cover

Methods they use to solicit honest feedback
How they create psychological safety for giving feedback
Their process for evaluating and prioritizing feedback
How they communicate decisions about which feedback to implement
Examples of significant changes they've made based on feedback
How they follow up to ensure changes are effective
Their approach to giving feedback to others

Possible Follow-up Questions

How do you handle feedback that conflicts with your own vision?
What do you do when you receive feedback that you disagree with?
How do you encourage quieter team members to share their perspectives?
Tell me about a time when feedback significantly changed your approach to a problem.

How have you handled a situation where you needed to resolve a conflict between team members or between teams? (Team Management)

Areas to Cover

The nature of the conflict and their role in addressing it
How they identified the underlying issues
Their process for facilitating resolution
How they maintained relationships during conflict
Steps they took to prevent similar conflicts in the future
The outcome of their conflict resolution efforts
Lessons learned about managing team dynamics

Possible Follow-up Questions

How do you distinguish between productive disagreement and destructive conflict?
What techniques do you use to de-escalate tense situations?
How do you handle conflicts where you personally disagree with one side?
What's your approach when a conflict involves different levels of seniority or power?

Interview Scorecard

Communication & Collaboration

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Poor communication skills; unable to build effective partnerships
2: Basic communication but struggles with complex or sensitive situations
3: Strong communicator who builds effective cross-functional relationships
4: Exceptional communicator who creates alignment and mutual understanding

Team Management

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Ineffective at creating team cohesion or resolving conflicts
2: Basic team management skills but room for improvement
3: Effective team leader who creates positive team dynamics
4: Outstanding team leader who brings out the best in diverse teams

Strategic Thinking

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Focuses on immediate issues without considering broader context
2: Some strategic awareness but primarily tactically oriented
3: Good balance of tactical and strategic thinking with stakeholder awareness
4: Exceptional strategic vision with ability to align diverse perspectives

Adaptability

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Rigid approach; difficulty adjusting to different situations
2: Can adapt but takes time to adjust approach
3: Adapts readily to different contexts and stakeholder needs
4: Exceptional adaptability with ability to thrive in changing circumstances

Conflict Resolution

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Avoids conflict or handles it poorly
2: Basic conflict management skills but inconsistent results
3: Effectively addresses and resolves conflicts while maintaining relationships
4: Exceptional at turning conflicts into opportunities for growth and improvement

Build and maintain a high-performing engineering team

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal - Leadership approach unlikely to create team cohesion
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal - Some team building capabilities
3: Likely to Achieve Goal - Leadership approach conducive to team excellence
4: Likely to Exceed Goal - Leadership approach would create exceptional team dynamics

Establish and optimize software development processes

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal - Limited collaboration in process development
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal - Some collaborative process improvement skills
3: Likely to Achieve Goal - Strong collaborative approach to process improvement
4: Likely to Exceed Goal - Exceptional at creating collaborative process optimization

Successfully deliver software projects

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal - Collaborative challenges would hinder delivery
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal - Some delivery success but with limitations
3: Likely to Achieve Goal - Collaborative approach conducive to successful delivery
4: Likely to Exceed Goal - Collaborative leadership would optimize delivery outcomes

Foster a culture of continuous improvement

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal - Limited collaborative improvement mindset
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal - Some focus on collaborative improvement
3: Likely to Achieve Goal - Strong collaborative approach to improvement
4: Likely to Exceed Goal - Exceptional at creating a collaborative improvement culture

Drive innovations that enhance technical capabilities

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal - Limited collaborative innovation approach
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal - Some collaborative innovation but limited scope
3: Likely to Achieve Goal - Strong collaborative approach to innovation
4: Likely to Exceed Goal - Exceptional at fostering collaborative innovation

Hiring Recommendation

1: Strong No Hire - Significant gaps in collaborative leadership abilities
2: No Hire - Collaboration approach below what we need for this role
3: Hire - Strong collaborative leadership that would enable team success
4: Strong Hire - Exceptional collaborative leadership that would elevate our organization

Final Interview

Directions for the Interviewer

This final interview with senior leadership focuses on the candidate's overall leadership philosophy, culture fit, and strategic thinking. As a senior leader, your goal is to assess whether the candidate would thrive in your organization's culture and contribute to its strategic goals. This interview should focus less on technical details and more on leadership approach, values alignment, and long-term vision.

Pay particular attention to how the candidate's leadership style would complement your existing team and address current organizational needs. Look for self-awareness, authenticity, and alignment with your company's values. Consider both immediate needs and long-term potential.

Best practices:

Create a conversational atmosphere to encourage candid responses
Ask open-ended questions that reveal leadership philosophy
Listen for values alignment with your organization
Assess cultural fit without seeking conformity
Provide the candidate with an accurate picture of your company culture
Share relevant strategic context to gauge the candidate's perspective
Allow ample time for the candidate's questions
Consider how the candidate would enhance your leadership team

Directions to Share with Candidate

In this final conversation, we'll focus on your leadership philosophy, how you approach building engineering teams and culture, and your thoughts on strategic technical leadership. I'm interested in understanding who you are as a leader and how you might fit with our organization. This will be a fairly open discussion, and I encourage you to ask questions throughout. I'd also like to make sure you have a chance to learn what you need about our company to determine if this role is the right fit for your career goals.

Interview Questions

Tell me about your leadership philosophy and how it has evolved throughout your career. (Team Management)

Areas to Cover

Their core leadership principles and values
How their approach has changed over time
Formative experiences that shaped their leadership style
How they adapt their style to different teams or situations
Their approach to leadership development (both their own and others')
Examples of how their leadership philosophy has been put into practice
How they measure their effectiveness as a leader

Possible Follow-up Questions

What aspects of your leadership are you still working to develop?
How would your direct reports describe your leadership style?
What leaders have influenced your approach, and how?
How do you balance being directive versus empowering your team?

How do you approach building and shaping engineering culture? What values do you emphasize and why? (Team Management)

Areas to Cover

Their definition of a healthy engineering culture
Specific values they prioritize and why
Methods they use to establish and reinforce culture
How they handle situations that run counter to desired culture
Examples of cultural changes they've successfully implemented
How they measure cultural health
Their approach to diversity, inclusion, and belonging

Possible Follow-up Questions

How do you ensure cultural values are maintained during high-pressure situations?
How do you balance enforcing cultural norms with allowing for individual expression?
What's your approach to integrating new team members into your culture?
Tell me about a time when you had to address a cultural issue within your team.

Describe your approach to developing technical leaders. How do you identify and grow leadership potential? (Team Management)

Areas to Cover

How they identify leadership potential
Their approach to mentoring and developing emerging leaders
Specific opportunities they create for leadership growth
How they balance immediate needs with long-term development
Examples of team members they've successfully developed into leaders
How they measure leadership development progress
Their approach to diversity in leadership development

Possible Follow-up Questions

How do you support different leadership styles within your organization?
What are the key traits you look for when identifying leadership potential?
How do you develop leaders who may have different strengths than your own?
How do you handle situations where someone isn't ready for leadership yet?

How do you think about balancing innovation with stability and reliability in a software organization? (Strategic Thinking)

Areas to Cover

Their philosophy on innovation versus stability
How they create space for innovation while maintaining reliable systems
Their approach to managing risk in innovation
Examples of successfully balancing these competing concerns
How they involve the team in setting this balance
How they communicate this balance to stakeholders
Their process for evaluating innovative ideas

Possible Follow-up Questions

How do you encourage calculated risk-taking within your team?
How do you decide which areas need stability versus innovation?
Tell me about a time when you had to push back on innovation for stability reasons.
How do you ensure innovations align with strategic objectives?

What trends do you see affecting software development in the next 3-5 years, and how would you position an engineering organization to take advantage of them? (Strategic Thinking)

Areas to Cover

Their perspective on important industry trends
How they stay informed about emerging technologies and practices
Their approach to evaluating which trends are relevant
Specific strategies they would employ to prepare for these trends
How they would balance investment in new areas with maintaining existing systems
How they would build team capabilities to address future needs
Examples of successfully anticipating and leveraging trends in the past

Possible Follow-up Questions

How do you distinguish between meaningful trends and hype?
How would you approach getting buy-in for investing in emerging areas?
What skills or capabilities do you think will be most important for engineers in the coming years?
How do you balance being proactive about trends versus waiting for them to mature?

Tell me about the most challenging leadership situation you've faced. How did you handle it, and what did you learn? (Team Management)

Areas to Cover

The specific challenge and its context
Their thought process in addressing the situation
Actions they took and why
How they measured success or failure
The outcome of their approach
What they learned from the experience
How they've applied these learnings subsequently

Possible Follow-up Questions

Looking back, what would you do differently now?
How did this experience change your leadership approach?
What support did you seek during this challenging situation?
How did you maintain your own well-being while handling this challenge?

Interview Scorecard

Leadership Philosophy

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Undefined or ineffective leadership approach
2: Basic leadership philosophy but lacks depth or adaptability
3: Well-developed, thoughtful leadership approach
4: Exceptional leadership philosophy that would elevate our organization

Cultural Leadership

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited focus on culture or values misaligned with our organization
2: Basic cultural awareness but not a cultural leader
3: Strong cultural leadership aligned with our values
4: Exceptional cultural leader who would enhance our organization

Team Development

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited focus on developing others
2: Some development approach but not comprehensive
3: Strong approach to developing team members and future leaders
4: Exceptional talent developer with proven results

Strategic Vision

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Primarily tactical focus without strategic perspective
2: Some strategic thinking but limited in scope or depth
3: Strong strategic vision that balances short and long-term objectives
4: Exceptional strategic thinker who would enhance our organization's direction

Organizational Alignment

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Significant misalignment with our values or culture
2: Partial alignment but some areas of concern
3: Strong alignment with our values and culture
4: Exceptional alignment that would enhance our organization

Build and maintain a high-performing engineering team

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal - Leadership philosophy unlikely to create team excellence
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal - Some team building capabilities
3: Likely to Achieve Goal - Leadership philosophy conducive to team excellence
4: Likely to Exceed Goal - Leadership philosophy would create exceptional teams

Establish and optimize software development processes

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal - Limited process leadership capabilities
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal - Some process improvement approach
3: Likely to Achieve Goal - Strong process leadership approach
4: Likely to Exceed Goal - Exceptional process optimization leadership

Successfully deliver software projects

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal - Leadership approach unlikely to ensure delivery success
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal - Some delivery leadership capabilities
3: Likely to Achieve Goal - Strong delivery leadership approach
4: Likely to Exceed Goal - Exceptional delivery leadership capabilities

Foster a culture of continuous improvement

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal - Limited improvement mindset
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal - Some focus on improvement culture
3: Likely to Achieve Goal - Strong focus on improvement culture
4: Likely to Exceed Goal - Exceptional approach to building improvement culture

Drive innovations that enhance technical capabilities

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal - Limited innovation leadership
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal - Some innovation focus but limited
3: Likely to Achieve Goal - Strong innovation leadership balanced with practicality
4: Likely to Exceed Goal - Exceptional innovation leadership that creates advantage

Hiring Recommendation

1: Strong No Hire - Significant leadership or cultural misalignment
2: No Hire - Leadership approach or values below what we need
3: Hire - Strong leader who would succeed in our organization
4: Strong Hire - Exceptional leader who would elevate our organization

Debrief Meeting

Directions for Conducting the Debrief Meeting

The Debrief Meeting is an open discussion for the hiring team members to share the information learned during the candidate interviews. Use the questions below to guide the discussion.

Start the meeting by reviewing the requirements for the role and the key competencies and goals to succeed.

The meeting leader should strive to create an environment where it is okay to express opinions about the candidate that differ from the consensus or from leadership's opinions.

Scores and interview notes are important data points but should not be the sole factor in making the final decision.

Any hiring team member should feel free to change their recommendation as they learn new information and reflect on what they've learned.

Questions to Guide the Debrief Meeting

Does anyone have any questions for the other interviewers about the candidate?

Guidance: The meeting facilitator should initially present themselves as neutral and try not to sway the conversation before others have a chance to speak up.

Are there any additional comments about the Candidate?

Guidance: This is an opportunity for all the interviewers to share anything they learned that is important for the other interviewers to know.

Is there anything further we need to investigate before making a decision?

Guidance: Based on this discussion, you may decide to probe further on certain issues with the candidate or explore specific issues in the reference calls.

Has anyone changed their hire/no-hire recommendation?

Guidance: This is an opportunity for the interviewers to change their recommendation from the new information they learned in this meeting.

If the consensus is no hire, should the candidate be considered for other roles? If so, what roles?

Guidance: Discuss whether engaging with the candidate about a different role would be worthwhile.

What are the next steps?

Guidance: If there is no consensus, follow the process for that situation (e.g., it is the hiring manager's decision). Further investigation may be needed before making the decision. If there is a consensus on hiring, reference checks could be the next step.

Reference Calls

Directions for Conducting Reference Checks

Reference checks provide critical insights into a candidate's past performance, leadership style, and working relationships. They serve as an important verification of the impressions formed during interviews and can reveal additional strengths or potential concerns.

When conducting reference checks for a Software Development Manager candidate, focus on understanding their technical leadership abilities, team management approach, and project delivery track record. Seek specific examples rather than general impressions.

Best practices for conducting effective reference checks:

Schedule at least 30 minutes for each call to allow for depth
Build rapport with the reference before diving into detailed questions
Ask for specific examples to support general statements
Listen for hesitations or qualifications that might indicate concerns
Ask the same core questions to multiple references to identify patterns
Take detailed notes during the conversation
Follow up on any areas of concern identified during interviews

The same questions and scorecard can be used for multiple reference checks, allowing you to collect consistent information from different perspectives.

Questions for Reference Checks

Please describe your relationship with [Candidate Name]. How long did you work together, and what was the nature of your professional relationship?

Guidance: Establish the context of the relationship, including reporting structure, duration, and how closely they worked together. This helps calibrate the reference's perspective.

What were [Candidate Name]'s primary responsibilities when working with you, and how would you describe their overall performance?

Guidance: Get a general sense of the candidate's role and performance before diving into specifics. Listen for the reference's initial characterization of the candidate's strengths and weaknesses.

How would you describe [Candidate Name]'s technical leadership abilities? Can you provide a specific example of how they guided technical decisions or addressed technical challenges?

Guidance: Listen for evidence of technical depth and breadth, as well as the ability to guide a team through technical decisions. Note whether they maintained technical relevance while in a management role.

Tell me about [Candidate Name]'s management style. How did they build and develop their team? How did team members respond to their leadership?

Guidance: Look for specific examples of team building, mentoring, and performance management. Ask follow-up questions about how they handled challenging team situations or developed top performers.

Can you describe a significant project that [Candidate Name] led? What was the outcome, and how did they contribute to its success or handle any challenges?

Guidance: Focus on the candidate's project management abilities, how they handled scope and resource constraints, and their ability to deliver results. Ask about specific metrics or outcomes that demonstrate their impact.

What would you say are [Candidate Name]'s greatest strengths as a Software Development Manager?

Guidance: Listen for alignment between the strengths mentioned by references and those observed in interviews. Ask for specific examples that illustrate these strengths.

In what areas could [Candidate Name] improve or develop further as a leader?

Guidance: Pay attention to how the reference frames development areas. Are they minor issues or significant concerns? Ask how these areas impacted performance and whether the candidate was aware of and working on them.

On a scale of 1-10, how likely would you be to hire or work with [Candidate Name] again, and why?

Guidance: This question often elicits nuanced feedback. Anything below an 8 warrants follow-up questions about why they wouldn't enthusiastically rehire the candidate.

Is there anything else I should know about [Candidate Name] that would help us make our hiring decision?

Guidance: This open-ended question often yields interesting insights that structured questions might miss. Give the reference time to think before responding.

Reference Check Scorecard

Technical Leadership

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited technical leadership abilities reported by reference
2: Satisfactory technical leadership with some limitations noted
3: Strong technical leadership consistently demonstrated
4: Exceptional technical leadership with significant impact highlighted

Team Management

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Concerning feedback about team management approach
2: Adequate team management with some development areas noted
3: Effective team management with positive team outcomes
4: Outstanding team management with exceptional team development

Project Execution

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Poor track record of project delivery reported
2: Mixed results with project delivery and management
3: Consistent successful project delivery confirmed
4: Exceptional project execution with significant business impact

Communication & Collaboration

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Communication or collaboration issues highlighted
2: Adequate communication skills with some limitations
3: Strong communication and collaboration abilities
4: Outstanding communicator who builds effective partnerships

Strategic Thinking

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited strategic perspective reported
2: Tactical executor with some strategic capabilities
3: Strong strategic thinking balanced with execution
4: Exceptional strategic vision highlighted by reference

Build and maintain a high-performing engineering team

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Reference indicates significant team development challenges
2: Some team building success with limitations noted
3: Strong team building abilities confirmed by reference
4: Exceptional team leadership highlighted with specific examples

Establish and optimize software development processes

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited process improvement abilities reported
2: Some process improvements implemented with mixed results
3: Effective process optimization confirmed by reference
4: Transformative process improvements highlighted with measurable impact

Successfully deliver software projects

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Concerning project delivery track record reported
2: Mixed project delivery results with some successes
3: Consistent successful project delivery confirmed
4: Exceptional delivery record with significant business impact

Foster a culture of continuous improvement

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited focus on improvement culture reported
2: Some improvement initiatives with limited impact
3: Strong improvement culture confirmed by reference
4: Transformative improvement culture created with lasting impact

Drive innovations that enhance technical capabilities

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited innovation leadership reported
2: Some innovation initiatives with moderate impact
3: Strong innovation capabilities confirmed by reference
4: Exceptional innovation leadership with significant business impact

Frequently Asked Questions

How should I prepare the interview team for using this guide?

Share the guide with your interview team at least a few days before interviews begin. Schedule a prep meeting to align on who will cover which sections and to answer any questions. Make sure all interviewers understand the competencies you're evaluating and how their section contributes to the overall assessment. Check out our article on why you should design your hiring process before you start for more tips on preparation.

How should we divide the interviews among team members?

Assign interviews based on interviewers' expertise and relationship to the role. For example, the hiring manager should typically conduct the Technical Leadership Interview, senior technical staff might handle the Technical Assessment, while cross-functional partners would participate in the Team & Cross-functional Interview. Senior leadership should conduct the Final Interview. The Screening Interview is often handled by recruiting or the hiring manager.

What if we need to compress the interview process due to time constraints?

If you need to shorten the process, consider combining the Technical Leadership Interview and Technical Assessment into a single, longer session. You might also combine the cross-functional perspectives into the Final Interview. However, avoid eliminating the Technical Assessment entirely, as it provides crucial insights into the candidate's technical thinking that are difficult to assess through conversation alone.

How should we adapt this guide for different levels of Software Development Manager roles?

For more junior management roles, place greater emphasis on technical skills and team management fundamentals. For senior roles, focus more on strategic thinking, organizational impact, and leadership philosophy. Adjust the expected depth of answers in your evaluation accordingly. You can also modify scenario complexity in the Technical Assessment to match the expected level of the role.

What if a candidate doesn't have formal management experience?

Focus on their technical leadership experience, such as tech lead roles, project leadership, or mentoring. Look for evidence that they've influenced others without formal authority and understand what effective management entails. Pay particular attention to the Team & Cross-functional Interview to assess their collaboration skills and leadership potential.

How do we evaluate cultural fit without introducing bias?

Focus on values alignment rather than personality traits. Evaluate whether the candidate's leadership approach and values would be effective in your environment, not whether they match your current team's style. Consider how their different perspectives might strengthen your team rather than looking for similarity. Our article on how to raise the talent bar in your organization provides more guidance on this topic.

What should we do if there's significant disagreement among interviewers?

Use the Debrief Meeting to understand the source of disagreement. Is it based on different interpretations of the same behavior, or did the candidate present differently to different interviewers? Look for patterns in the feedback and consider whether additional information (such as more detailed reference checks) might help resolve the disagreement. Remember that some disagreement is natural and can lead to better decisions when discussed openly.