One further complication is when a move back to engineering is coupled to a change in employer. As an interviewer, seeing somebody whose last job was in a mana

One further complication is when a move back to engineering is coupled to a change in employer. As an interviewer, seeing somebody whose last job was in a management role apply for an IC position is a warning signal for me. Do they just apply for that position to get a foot in the door (especially for a move to a FAANG), and will they immediately angle for a move back to management? So this is generally an area where I would ask follow up questions (and probe a bit harder in the technical interview, to assess whether any rust has crept into the technical skills). It's not an automatic red flag; we've hired former managers for IC roles and it worked out, and leadership ambition can be a positive in any role, but it's worth some exploring.