Hiring Manager interviews for Software Engineer (SWE) roles often take the form of behavioral interviews. These sessions are designed to evaluate a candidate’s technical expertise, impact, and interpersonal skills within the context of technical projects and team dynamics. The questions typically revolve around the candidate's work history, focusing on how they handled various situations and challenges. 

To do this, interviewers often assess a few main areas of focus in these interviews by asking questions about the candidate’s work history and digging into the details of how they handled various situations from the examples the candidate shares.

Hiring managers aim to determine if a candidate's experiences align with the expectations for the role’s seniority level—junior, mid-level, senior, or higher. 

Key focus areas for junior/mid-level SWE roles

At the junior and mid-level, hiring managers are looking for engineers who can communicate their work effectively, demonstrate growth potential, and take initiative in their projects. These qualities are the foundation for success in both collaborative and independent work environments.

Communication

Clear communication is essential, even for junior engineers. Candidates should be able to explain their technical contributions in a way that demonstrates understanding while using concrete examples. This includes breaking down complex ideas into digestible pieces for team members or stakeholders who may not share the same technical expertise.

Growth mindset

A strong growth mindset means that candidates recognize their strengths and areas for improvement. Hiring managers look for examples where candidates have proactively worked on developing their skills. For instance, have they sought out new challenges, taken feedback to heart, or shown resilience in tackling difficult problems?

Initiative and ownership

Even at junior levels, interviewers want to see examples of candidates stepping up to solve problems. Whether it's identifying an issue in a codebase or pushing through blockers in a project, these examples illustrate the ability to take ownership of tasks rather than waiting for direction.

Giving and receiving feedback

Engineers grow by learning from others, and being open to feedback is a critical part of that process. A candidate’s ability to describe how they’ve received constructive criticism and applied it to improve their work is key. While providing feedback isn’t as emphasized for junior engineers, it’s a bonus if candidates can show examples of guiding peers constructively.

Self-directedness

Ambiguity is a fact of life in software development. Hiring managers assess whether a candidate can navigate unclear situations and provide their own direction rather than relying heavily on others to spell out each step. Examples might include debugging an unfamiliar issue or independently researching a new tool or framework.

Key focus areas for senior SWE roles

At the senior level, expectations shift significantly. Senior engineers are seen as leaders within their teams, both technically and interpersonally. Hiring managers look for deeper evidence of ownership, communication, and influence that goes beyond individual contributions.

Conflict resolution

Senior engineers often find themselves mediating conflicts, whether between team members or between technical and business priorities. Examples of navigating these challenges and reaching a resolution demonstrate maturity and leadership. For instance, how has a candidate handled disagreements about technical approaches or addressed interpersonal tensions?

Communication

Communication at the senior level goes beyond clarity; it involves tailoring messages for various audiences. Senior engineers must communicate effectively with technical teammates, business stakeholders, and sometimes even customers. Examples might include presenting technical solutions in meetings or writing detailed documentation that anticipates others' questions.

Initiative and ownership

At this level, ownership means not just completing tasks but aligning those tasks with the team’s larger goals. Hiring managers want to see how candidates have acted independently to advance their team or company’s objectives. For example, have they identified process inefficiencies and led efforts to resolve them?

Giving and receiving feedback

Providing feedback becomes much more important at the senior level. Hiring managers look for candidates who can help teammates improve through thoughtful, actionable input. Additionally, they’ll expect candidates to articulate how receiving feedback has helped them grow as leaders and engineers.

Influence

Influence is about driving change and shaping decisions on a team. Candidates should showcase how they’ve played a key role in determining technical directions, mentoring teammates, or championing improvements. Examples of how they’ve guided team decisions or inspired others to adopt new practices are critical.

Customer and stakeholder empathy

Senior engineers often interact with customers or stakeholders, either directly or indirectly. Hiring managers look for candidates who can understand and align their work with the needs and motivations of these groups. For example, how has a candidate ensured that their solutions solve real customer problems effectively?

Why these interviews matter

Behavioral interviews provide hiring managers with a well-rounded understanding of a candidate’s fit for a role and their ability to thrive in a specific team or company environment. They assess:

• A candidate's interpersonal skills and team fit, beyond technical expertise.
• Alignment with the company’s values and collaboration style.
• The appropriate seniority level for the role based on past experiences.
• Predictive indicators of success, as research shows that combining technical and behavioral assessments yields better hiring outcomes.

How to prepare for a hiring manager interview

Preparation is key to excelling in behavioral interviews. By focusing on both technical and interpersonal aspects, candidates can position themselves as strong contenders for the role.

1. Brush up on technical concepts, coding languages, algorithms, and data structures relevant to the role. If you are unsure, reach out to the recruiter to see what information they can share about the upcoming interview format.
2. Solve coding challenges and algorithms, and practice communicating your problem-solving processes out loud during pair learning or mock interviews to simulate the interview environment.
3. Reflect on past experiences where you demonstrated problem-solving skills, teamwork, and effective communication. Practice framing these experiences using the STARR method in a mock interview!
4. Research and understand the company's mission, culture, and values; this will help you tailor your responses accordingly.
5. Practice active listening, maintain a positive attitude, and be prepared to ask insightful questions about the role and company.

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