Are you preparing for an upcoming interview with a senior manager? Interviews can be hard, especially if it's with a senior manager. It takes a lot of energy and effort to go through them, but with the right preparation it can be a lot easier.
One of the most important things to remember is that interviews are all about selling yourself. You need to convince the interviewer that you are the best person for the job, and that can be difficult if you don't understand their intentions.
I have a few suggestions that might help you with your next interview with Director or Head of Engineering:
Focus on your contribution not your team
When talking about your experience, focus on what YOU did, not what others did on your team. For example, "I designed and implemented the registration system for our website" is better than "I was part of the team who designed and implemented the registration system for our website." This will show that you're capable of taking ownership and are proactive in solving problems.
Articulate, articulate, articulate!
One thing that can make or break an interview is how articulate you are when answering questions. Be sure to speak slowly (and clearly), use examples where applicable, and avoid using jargon/technical terms unless necessary. The interviewer is trying to get a sense if you will be able to communicate effectively with other members on their team so make sure they see that you can do just that!
Be concise
Along with being articulate, it's important to be concise as well. Don't ramble on about irrelevant details or topics; keep things focused on the question at hand (and only go off-topic if asked). Again, this demonstrates good communication skills as well as strong attention to detail/focus
Talk about technical design but give details about scale & maintainability of platform
Many candidates focus mainly on design aspects when discussing past projects but forget to mention issues such as scale & maintainability which are important factors when assessing potential hires. How well something is designed isn't just judged by its aesthetics - these other factors also play a big role in determining whether something will hold up over time or not. If possible, try backing up any claims with data points or numbers. Make sure you touch upon these points without going into too much detail as it could bore the interviewer.
Collaborate with interviewer on some questions if they are open ended
Interviewers sometimes ask open ended questions which can be difficult to answer if you're caught off guard. In these cases, try collaborating with them instead! Ask clarifying questions such as "Can you give me an example?" or "What do you mean by...?" This will help ensure both parties stay focused and it'll show that you care enough about doing well in the interview to want to understand every question completely before answering it.
Ask questions - really expensive questions
Asking thoughtful questions during an interview is always important - after all, it's one way for employers to gauge whether candidates will be good additions to their teams. However, try asking expensive questions during interviews with Directors or Heads of Engineering; these individuals usually have a lot more context around various aspects of product development (e.g., business strategy). By asking probing questions related specifically their areas of expertise, you’ll demonstrate both interest & knowledge in those topics - two qualities which any employer would love seeing in their employees
e.g. How you resolve conflicts? How you empower teams to collaborate?
some examples questions related to your role: What is the rest of the team like? How would my day-to-day look? How much growth potential does this position have?