One of the best predictors of future performance is structured interviews, where the interviewer asks set questions in a standardised order. The following questions will help the interviewer grade the candidate on the expected competencies (Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours).
| Competency | Question | |
|---|---|---|
| Knowledge 1 | Programming best practices | Can you give an example of a programming best practice you implemented in your previous work experience and how it helped improve the codebase's quality and maintainability? |
| Knowledge 2 | Software development methodologies | Can you explain how you have applied a specific software development methodology in a project you have led in the past and what the results were regarding the process and the final product? |
| Knowledge 3 | Testing and QA methodologies | Can you describe a testing and quality assurance strategy you have implemented in a past project and how it helped to ensure the software met the requirements and standards? |
| Knowledge 4 | Industry trends and emerging technologies | What emerging technologies or industry trends will impact the software development industry most in the next five years? How have you kept yourself informed and educated about them? |
| Knowledge 5 | Engineering hiring best practices | Can you describe a hiring process you have implemented for a software engineering team, and how did you ensure you brought on the right candidates who fit the team's culture and had the necessary skills? |
| Skill 1 | Coaching | Can you give an example of a time when you had to coach or mentor a less experienced engineering manager, and what approach did you take to help them grow and develop their skills? |
| Skill 2 | Time Management | Can you describe when you had to balance multiple projects and priorities and how you managed your time and workload to meet all your deadlines and deliverables? |
| Skill 3 | Goal setting | Can you give an example of a challenging goal you set for a previous software engineering team, and how did you lead the team to achieve it? How did you measure the success, and what was the outcome? |
| Skill 4 | KPI analysis | Can you provide an example of a software delivery process you have led in the past, and how did you use KPIs to measure and improve efficiency, quality and predictability? How did you communicate and report on the performance to the stakeholders? |
| Skill 5 | Communication | Can you give an example of a complex technical issue you had to communicate, and how did you adapt your communication style to effectively convey the information and ensure it was understood by all stakeholders, from individual contributors to the CEO? |
| Behaviour 1 | Ownership | Can you give an example of a time when you had to take ownership of a project or initiative, and how did you handle it? How did you handle any obstacles, and what was the outcome? |
| Behaviour 2 | Composure | Can you describe a time when you faced a high-pressure or high-stress situation at work? How did you prioritise and manage conflicting demands, and what was the outcome? |
| Behaviour 3 | Inspiration | Can you give an example of how you have inspired or motivated team members in the past, and what specific actions or approaches did you take to create a positive and productive work environment? What was the outcome of your efforts? |
| Behaviour 4 | Growth-mindset | Can you describe an experience where you helped to develop and grow a team member's skills and abilities? What specific approach did you take, and how did you measure the success of your efforts? |
| Behaviour 5 | Ambition | Can you give an example of a particularly challenging or ambitious goal you set for yourself or your team in the past, and how did you achieve it? |
On top (or lieu of) the above questions, you could ask the candidate to answer a use case. For example, to assess the communication, you could ask the candidate to prepare a memo for the CEO to brief them about an unforeseen and dramatic delay in the roadmap.