Engineering Manager Interview Experience - London, United Kingdom
Process
I applied online, answering all the questions that they asked, such as telling them about a time you handled a difficult situation. After a couple of days without hearing anything back, I emailed them to let them know that I was going through other interviews as well and therefore I needed to move quickly. About a week later, I had a phone call with one of their recruiters. She was late for our call and was generally not very enthusiastic. She didn't sound like she knew much about the specifics of the role, and I got the impression that she was trained to listen for keywords that I was supposed to mention. I told her again that I needed to move quickly as I was interviewing at other places as well.
It took another couple of weeks to set up a Skype interview with one of their engineering managers. This was a very nice chat. The interviewer was very friendly, and it felt like an actual conversation more than an interview. We talked about giving feedback, mentoring people, what I like and don't like about being an engineering manager, and other topics. There was a lot of focus on high-performing individuals, and this was not just in this interview, but throughout the whole process, such as how do you recognize someone that is high-performing and how to encourage them. I don't think I did well here, as I mainly said that I think we should strive for high-performing teams rather than individuals. At the end of the interview, I was given plenty of time to ask questions, and I was told I would hear back quite quickly.
Another week passed without hearing anything, and at this point, I decided to drop out and accept another offer. I let them know with a polite email, but I never heard back. I never received any feedback, which I'm very disappointed about. Overall, I was very disappointed with the process. After hearing multiple people say how awesome their recruitment process was and how much they care about people, I really expected more.
Questions
What motivates you? What do you dislike in the job? Then there was a lot about setting objectives and identifying high-performing individuals.
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Interview Statistics
The following metrics were computed from 7 interview experiences for the Monzo Engineering Manager role in London, England.
Success Rate
Monzo's interview process for their Engineering Manager roles in London, England is extremely selective, failing the vast majority of engineers.
Experience Rating
Candidates reported having very negative feelings for Monzo's Engineering Manager interview process in London, England.
Monzo Work Experiences
- 5.0Enjoyable role with interesting challengesEngineering Manager • Current EmployeeLondon, EnglandJanuary 7, 2024Pros: - Exciting domain and product space; surprising potential to drive a lot of impact, and if you like learning about interesting things like I do there is so much to discover - Truly excellent colleagues, everyone I've worked with is a combination of kind, talented and motivated - Work life balance (it is intense while you're "on" but folks are supportive of laptops down / your non-work time is protected) - Supportive culture, even down to the details (eg gender-inclusive bathrooms in the office). I'm aware some folks might see stuff like this and think it's policing or wokeness gone wrong, but frankly it builds a safe and productive environment so I'm happy to see it being done. - Company strategy and senior management direction all makes sense. I've been particularly impressed with the CEO, having not known much about them and feels like the right steward to drive excellent outcomes not just for Monzo but for all customers. Overall, I have really enjoyed my time at Monzo so far!Cons: - EM role not as rigid or clearly defined as in other companies. This is being worked on, and could be a pro since it also means there are multiple ways to be successful - onboarding can be tricky (lots of context to pick up) - (minor nitpick) could move a bit faster on some of the perks / benefits side; e.g. stock options, time to register for health insurance, etc. This is unlikely to be the right workplace or role for people who seek constant explicit direction - I have found you need to be wearing a "self-starter" hat more often than not.
- 5.0Great product and passionate team members. Important mission.Engineering Manager • Current EmployeeLondon, EnglandNovember 7, 2020Pros: Monzo is the card that you seem to see people using everywhere, great brand, loyal customers, and the best user experience. The people in Product are smart and passionate about building something meaningful. Many of the original people who built and designed the systems are still at the company.Cons: I had a difficult 2020 that caused a lot of churn and introspection, which probably made some bad decisions in hindsight. That haze has started to clear with the new leadership.
- 4.0Tech Company but also a BankEngineering Manager • Former EmployeeLondon, EnglandJune 27, 2023Pros: - Really friendly and caring people - Feels great working on stuff people know and love - Amazing work-life balanceCons: - The engineering org hadn’t fully matured yet, and the performance framework and calibrations leaned too heavily on subjective statements and “vibes”.
