Engineering Advice You Didn't Ask For S01E04 - Promote or hire your next Engineering Manager?
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Apr 13, 2022 When should you promote from within versus hire externally? The hosts debate the ideal traits of an engineering manager and whether engineers need to be at a senior level to transition into management. They explore how to convince skeptical engineers to embrace management roles and emphasize the importance of team opinions in the hiring process. Practical advice includes honing management skills through onboarding and stakeholder meetings. The discussion also touches on balancing technical involvement with effective people management.
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Generalists Scale Better As Managers
- Generalists who have diverse roles relate better to people and problems across the org.
- Thiago prefers broadly experienced candidates over lifelong specialists for management success.
Let The Team Interview Manager Candidates
- In interviews, include the actual team members the candidate will manage to assess fit and people skills.
- Ask behavioral questions about hiring, difficult teammates, and core performers to surface real management experience.
Negotiate A Clear Transition Path
- If your manager won't promote you, negotiate a clear path by taking senior IC roles that promise a transition to management.
- Offer to do both IC and management work temporarily and set a timeline for the switch.