An engineering manager must possess strong technical and communication skills. It’s important for engineering managers to stay up-to-date with current tech and market trends, while simultaneously fostering a consistent learning environment for both themselves and their employees.

Engineering managers are more focused on project management, team leadership, and strategic planning. However, at times they might need to do unit testing, fix bugs, and write shortcodes to support their team.

The most common questions asked during an engineering manager interview typically revolve around leadership, technical expertise, team management, problem-solving, and project-management skills. For instance, you are likely to hear the following questions during an engineering manager interview

• Why do you want to become an engineering manager?
• How would you handle poor performers on your team?
• In general, what makes a good manager?

Engineering manager interviews may start with a technical screening or coding test. After this initial technical evaluation, you will face one or two interviews focused on people management, as well as some system design questions. There may also be a session dedicated to discussing a past project in detail.