Tailored to the shape of engineering manager work. Universal questions plus the 4 role-specific ones that surface the most useful signal for this hire.
Universal
How do you know [Candidate] — what was your working relationship?
What you're learning:Establishes context. Their boss has a different read than a peer; a direct report has yet another.
What stood out about [Candidate]'s work?
What you're learning:Lets them lead with strengths. Listen for specifics vs generics — vague answers are a flag.
Where did [Candidate] struggle? Where did they need support?
What you're learning:Every strong candidate has growth edges. A reference who says 'nothing' is a flag of its own.
How did [Candidate] respond when they got hard feedback?
What you're learning:Single best predictor of how they'll perform under stress and how they'll grow in the next role.
Would you hire [Candidate] again, knowing what you know now? For what kind of role?
What you're learning:The crown jewel of any reference check. The 'for what kind of role' qualifier is the truth-tell.
What's the working environment where [Candidate] thrives best?
What you're learning:Cross-check against your team's actual environment. If they need a structured boss and yours is hands-off, big risk.
Is there anything I should be worried about going into this hire?
What you're learning:The open-ended catch-all. Often produces the most useful single fact in the whole call.
Engineering Manager specific
How did [Candidate] handle the hardest people decision they made?
What you're learning:Performance plans, terminations, promotion declines — every EM faces them. How they handled it is the truth-tell.
What was [Candidate]'s hiring bar?
What you're learning:Hiring bars rot when nobody enforces them. Reference can speak to whether [Candidate] held the line under pressure.
How did [Candidate] partner with PM + design?
What you're learning:EMs who fight with PM/design produce dysfunctional teams. References will know the patterns.
Did [Candidate] develop the people on the team, or just manage their output?
What you're learning:Best EMs build the next generation. Reference can name 1-2 people [Candidate] promoted or grew.
Raffi calls every engineering manager applicant and ranks them. You only reference-check the top 3 — the ones you're actually about to hire. $25 starter credit.