Hiring SREs: What I Look For After Interviewing 100+ Candidates

Short summary

Effective SRE hiring should prioritize systems thinking, handling ambiguity with incomplete information, clear communication under pressure, and understanding automation ROI—not tool certifications or memorized answers. A comprehensive interview process evaluates technical scenarios, live incident simulation, collaboration skills, and writing ability. Key red flags include blaming people over systems, inability to explain concepts simply, and unwillingness to learn from incidents.

• •Interview for systems thinking and ambiguity handling, not tool expertise or certifications
• •Assess communication, writing ability, and automation ROI judgment through multiple structured rounds
• •Red flags: blaming people over systems, poor explanation skills, never admits knowledge gaps

Generated with AI, which can make mistakes.