This interview process is designed to assess candidates for a Software Engineering Manager (Manager 1) position at Akamai. It evaluates technical leadership, people management skills, strategic thinking, and cultural fit within Akamai's fast-paced and innovative environment.
Rounds·5
Timeline·~14d
Experience·7 - 15 yrs
Comp band·US$180000 - US$250000
Interview time·255 min
Evaluation
Preparation
Tips
Study plan
Fig · Study plan — 04 phases
01 / 04Phase 01 of 04
Weeks 1-2: Akamai Business & Tech Overview, Industry Trends.
Weeks 1-2: Deep dive into Akamai's business, products, and technology stack. Understand the company's strategic goals and how engineering contributes. Review Akamai's culture and values. Familiarize yourself with common industry challenges in CDN, cloud, and security.
Phase 02 of 04
Weeks 3-4: People Management Principles, STAR Method Practice.
Weeks 3-4: Focus on people management principles. Study leadership theories, performance management, conflict resolution, hiring best practices, and career development strategies. Prepare specific examples using the STAR method for common management scenarios.
Phase 03 of 04
Weeks 5-6: System Design, Scalability, Architecture Review.
Weeks 5-6: Refresh core software engineering concepts, including system design, scalability, performance optimization, and architectural patterns. Review common data structures and algorithms, though the focus will be on applying these concepts at a team level rather than individual coding.
Phase 04 of 04
Week 7: Leadership Philosophy, Mock Interviews, Strategic Vision.
Week 7: Practice articulating your leadership philosophy, management style, and strategic vision. Prepare to discuss how you would approach common challenges faced by engineering managers at Akamai. Conduct mock interviews focusing on behavioral and situational questions.
Questions
Locations
Fig · Regions — 02 locations
01 / 02Location
Interview focus
Common questions
Tips
Location
Interview focus
Common questions
Tips
Rounds
Expand a step for evaluation criteria, sample questions, and prep notes.
HR / Recruiter Screen · 45 min · Recruiter / HR
This initial round is conducted by a member of the Akamai recruiting team. The primary goal is to assess your overall fit with Akamai's culture, your communication skills, and your basic qualifications for the role. They will discuss your resume, career aspirations, and motivation for applying. This is also an opportunity for you to learn more about Akamai and the specific role.
What they look for
Evaluation
Sample questions
Tell me about yourself.
Why are you interested in Akamai?
Why are you looking to move from your current role?
What are your salary expectations?
What are your strengths and weaknesses?
Prep for this round
Common rejection reasons
Hiring Manager Interview · 60 min · Hiring Manager
This round is with the Hiring Manager, who will delve deeper into your experience as a leader and manager. Expect a mix of behavioral and situational questions focused on your ability to lead teams, manage projects, develop talent, and drive results. The Hiring Manager will assess your leadership style, your approach to common management challenges, and your strategic thinking.
What they look for
Evaluation
Sample questions
Describe a time you had to manage a conflict within your team. How did you resolve it?
How do you foster innovation and creativity within an engineering team?
Tell me about a challenging project you managed from inception to completion.
How do you balance technical debt with new feature development?
What are your strategies for attracting and retaining top engineering talent?
How do you handle underperforming team members?
Describe your experience with agile methodologies and how you've adapted them.
How do you ensure the quality and scalability of software developed by your team?
Prep for this round
Common rejection reasons
Technical & Architectural Interview · 60 min · Senior Engineering Leader / Architect
This round focuses on your technical leadership and architectural capabilities. You'll likely discuss system design principles, scalability challenges, and how you guide your team in making sound technical decisions. The interviewer will assess your understanding of complex systems, your ability to think strategically about technology, and how you collaborate with product management and other engineering leaders.
What they look for
Evaluation
Sample questions
How would you design a highly available and scalable content delivery network?
Describe a time you had to make a significant technical decision that involved trade-offs. What was your process?
How do you ensure your team is building maintainable and scalable software?
What are the key considerations when migrating a monolithic application to microservices?
How do you stay updated with emerging technologies and evaluate their potential impact?
Prep for this round
Common rejection reasons
Senior Leadership Interview · 60 min · Senior Engineering Director / VP
This round is typically with a senior engineering leader (Director or VP). The focus shifts to your strategic thinking, business acumen, and ability to operate at a higher organizational level. You'll discuss your vision for engineering teams, how you align technical strategy with business goals, and your experience collaborating with other departments. This is a chance to demonstrate your potential to contribute to Akamai's broader success.
What they look for
Evaluation
Sample questions
What is your vision for a high-performing engineering team at Akamai?
How do you prioritize roadmap items when faced with competing business demands?
Describe a time you had to influence senior leadership or other departments to adopt a new strategy or technology.
How do you measure the success of your team and its contribution to the business?
What are the biggest challenges facing engineering leaders in the current tech landscape, and how do you address them?
Prep for this round
Common rejection reasons
Team / Peer Interview · 30 min · Potential Peer Manager / Team Member
This round often involves meeting with potential peers or team members. The goal is to assess your collaborative style, how you interact with colleagues, and your overall cultural fit within the immediate team. It's a two-way street, allowing you to ask questions about the day-to-day work, team dynamics, and challenges.
What they look for
Evaluation
Sample questions
How do you approach collaboration with your peers?
What do you enjoy most about software engineering management?
How do you handle disagreements within a team?
What are you looking for in a team environment?
Prep for this round
Common rejection reasons
DSA
Frequently reported on Akamai loops
Other guides
