# Software Engineering Manager
**Role:** Software Engineering Manager · **Level:** Manager 2
**Company:** [Akamai](https://scaleengineer.com/companies/akamai)
**Difficulty:** High
**Salary:** US$180000 - US$250000
**Experience:** 8 - 15
**Timeline:** ~14 days
This interview process is designed to assess candidates for a Software Engineering Manager (Manager 2) role at Akamai. It evaluates technical leadership, people management skills, strategic thinking, and cultural fit within Akamai's fast-paced and innovative environment.
Canonical: https://scaleengineer.com/interviews/akamai/manager-2-software-engineering-manager
---
## Overall evaluation

- Technical and Leadership Capabilities
- Problem Solving and Adaptability

## Questions asked

- Tell me about your leadership philosophy.
- Describe a time you had to make a difficult decision that impacted your team. What was the outcome?
- How do you motivate your team during challenging times?
- What is your approach to performance management and career development for your engineers?
- How do you handle conflict within your team?
- Describe a project where you had to manage significant technical debt. How did you prioritize and address it?
- How do you ensure your team stays aligned with the company's strategic goals?
- What are your strategies for attracting and retaining top engineering talent?
- Tell me about a time you failed. What did you learn from it?
- How do you foster innovation and continuous improvement within your team?
- Describe your experience with agile methodologies and how you've adapted them.
- How do you balance the needs of your team with the demands of the business?
- What are your strengths and weaknesses as a manager?
- Why Akamai?

## Preparation tips

### lists

- Deep dive into Akamai's products, services, and company culture.
- Review your past projects and identify key achievements, challenges, and learnings.
- Prepare specific examples using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) for behavioral questions.
- Brush up on software development best practices, architectural patterns, and agile methodologies.
- Understand common management challenges and how you would address them.
- Practice articulating your leadership philosophy and management style.
- Research current industry trends and how they might impact Akamai.
- Prepare thoughtful questions to ask the interviewers about the role, team, and company.

### studyPlan

- {"title":"Company and Role Immersion","longDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Akamai Overview & Company Culture. Focus on understanding Akamai's mission, values, business units, key products (CDN, security, edge computing), and recent news. Familiarize yourself with Akamai's engineering culture and leadership principles. Review the job description thoroughly and map your experience to the requirements.","shortDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Akamai's business, products, culture, and job requirements."}
- {"title":"People Management Skills","longDescription":"Weeks 3-4: Leadership and People Management. Review your experience in leading teams, mentoring engineers, performance management, conflict resolution, hiring, and fostering a positive team environment. Prepare specific examples using the STAR method. Study common management frameworks and best practices.","shortDescription":"Weeks 3-4: Leadership, team management, mentoring, performance, conflict resolution."}
- {"title":"Technical Leadership and Execution","longDescription":"Weeks 5-6: Technical Acumen and Project Delivery. Refresh your understanding of software architecture, design patterns, SDLC, and agile methodologies. Prepare to discuss your experience in managing complex projects, technical challenges, and ensuring quality delivery. Think about how you balance technical debt with feature delivery.","shortDescription":"Weeks 5-6: Software architecture, SDLC, agile, project delivery, technical debt."}
- {"title":"Strategic and Analytical Skills","longDescription":"Week 7: Strategic Thinking and Problem Solving. Prepare to discuss how you align team goals with business objectives, your approach to strategic planning, and how you handle ambiguity and solve complex problems. Consider Akamai's market position and competitive landscape.","shortDescription":"Week 7: Business alignment, strategic planning, problem-solving, market awareness."}
- {"title":"Final Preparation and Practice","longDescription":"Week 8: Mock Interviews and Final Preparation. Conduct mock interviews focusing on behavioral, situational, and technical management questions. Refine your answers and ensure your communication is clear and concise. Prepare a list of insightful questions to ask the interviewers.","shortDescription":"Week 8: Mock interviews, refining answers, preparing questions."}

## Location differences

- {"location":"Global","differences":{"tips":["Be prepared to discuss specific examples from your past experience that demonstrate leadership and problem-solving skills.","Understand Akamai's business and technology stack to tailor your answers.","Showcase your ability to think strategically and connect technical decisions to business outcomes.","Emphasize your experience in building and developing high-performing teams.","Be ready to discuss your approach to managing technical challenges and trade-offs.","Prepare questions for the interviewer that demonstrate your engagement and interest in the role and Akamai."],"interviewFocus":["Demonstrated ability to lead and mentor engineering teams.","Proven track record of successfully delivering complex software projects.","Strong understanding of software development lifecycle and best practices.","Experience in hiring, performance management, and team building.","Strategic thinking and ability to align technical execution with business objectives.","Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.","Cultural fit with Akamai's values of innovation, collaboration, and customer focus."],"commonQuestions":["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. What were the key challenges and how did you overcome them?","How do you balance technical debt with delivering new features?","What are your strategies for attracting and retaining top engineering talent?","How do you ensure your team is aligned with the company's strategic goals?","Describe your experience with agile methodologies and how you've adapted them to your team's needs.","How do you handle underperforming team members?","What is your approach to performance reviews and career development for your engineers?","How do you stay current with emerging technologies and industry trends?"]}}
- {"location":"India","differences":{"tips":["Highlight any experience you have working with or managing teams in India.","Be prepared to discuss your understanding of the Indian technology ecosystem.","Showcase your ability to manage remote or hybrid teams and address the challenges associated with them.","Emphasize your adaptability and cross-cultural communication skills.","Research Akamai's presence and operations in India.","Be ready to discuss your strategies for talent acquisition and retention in the Indian market."],"interviewFocus":["Experience managing engineering teams in the Indian market or similar emerging markets.","Ability to manage distributed and diverse teams effectively.","Understanding of the Indian tech landscape and talent market.","Adaptability in management style to suit local cultural and business contexts.","Proven ability to drive results in a high-growth environment.","Strong understanding of operational efficiency and resource management.","Experience with cross-cultural communication and collaboration."],"commonQuestions":["How do you approach scaling engineering teams in a rapidly growing market like India?","Describe your experience managing distributed teams across different time zones.","What are the unique challenges of managing engineering teams in India, and how have you addressed them?","How do you foster a sense of ownership and accountability in a remote or hybrid team environment?","What are your strategies for ensuring effective communication and collaboration across geographically dispersed teams?","How do you handle cultural nuances when managing a diverse team?","Tell me about a time you had to adapt your management style to suit the local context.","What are your thoughts on the talent pool for engineering managers in India?","How do you ensure compliance with local labor laws and regulations?","How do you promote a work-life balance for your team members in the Indian context?"]}}

## Round 1: HR Screening
**Type:** HR/Recruiter Screen · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 45 min
Initial screening call to assess basic qualifications and cultural fit.
This initial screening call with a recruiter or HR representative is designed to assess your overall fit for the role and Akamai. They will review your resume, discuss your career aspirations, and provide an overview of the company and the position. This is also an opportunity for you to ask initial questions about the process and the company.
**Interviewers look for:** Clear and concise communication.; Enthusiasm for the role and Akamai.; Basic understanding of management responsibilities.; Alignment with company values.
**Evaluation criteria:** Initial assessment of communication skills.; Understanding of basic management principles.; Cultural alignment with Akamai.; Motivation for the role and company.
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of clear leadership vision.; Inability to provide specific examples of managing teams or projects.; Poor communication or interpersonal skills.; Lack of strategic thinking or business acumen.; Failure to demonstrate cultural fit with Akamai's values.
## Questions

- Tell me about yourself and your career progression.
- Why are you interested in this Software Engineering Manager role at Akamai?
- What are your salary expectations?
- What do you know about Akamai?

## Preparation tips

- Be prepared to talk about your resume and career path.
- Research Akamai's mission, values, and recent news.
- Practice articulating why you are interested in this specific role and company.
- Prepare a few questions to ask the recruiter.

## Round 2: Technical Leadership Interview
**Type:** Technical Deep Dive · **Difficulty:** High · **Duration:** 60 min
Assesses technical leadership, system design, and problem-solving skills.
This round focuses on your technical leadership capabilities. You will be asked to discuss your experience with software architecture, system design, development methodologies, and how you've tackled complex technical challenges. Expect questions about scalability, performance, reliability, and your approach to technical decision-making.
**Interviewers look for:** Strong technical background.; Ability to think critically and solve complex technical problems.; Experience in system design and architecture.; Understanding of scalability, performance, and reliability.; Ability to mentor and guide engineers on technical matters.
**Evaluation criteria:** Technical depth and breadth relevant to Akamai's stack.; Ability to guide architectural decisions.; Understanding of software development lifecycle and best practices.; Problem-solving and analytical skills.; Ability to manage technical challenges and trade-offs.
**Common rejection reasons:** Inability to articulate technical vision or strategy.; Lack of experience in managing complex technical projects.; Poor problem-solving skills.; Difficulty in explaining technical concepts clearly.; Not demonstrating a proactive approach to technical challenges.
## Questions

- Describe a complex system you designed or significantly contributed to. What were the key challenges and trade-offs?
- How do you ensure the scalability and performance of the systems your team builds?
- What is your approach to managing technical debt?
- How do you stay updated with new technologies and evaluate their potential adoption?
- Walk me through your process for debugging a critical production issue.

## Preparation tips

- Review common software architecture patterns and principles.
- Prepare to discuss your experience with cloud technologies (if applicable to the role).
- Think about how you've managed technical debt and ensured code quality.
- Be ready to whiteboard a system design or discuss trade-offs in a technical solution.
- Understand Akamai's core technologies and how they operate.

## Round 3: People Management Interview
**Type:** People Management Interview · **Difficulty:** High · **Duration:** 60 min
Evaluates people management, leadership, and team-building skills.
This interview focuses on your people management and leadership skills. You'll be asked behavioral questions about how you've managed teams, handled conflicts, motivated individuals, and fostered career growth. The interviewer will assess your ability to build and lead a high-performing engineering team.
**Interviewers look for:** Proven ability to lead, motivate, and develop engineers.; Empathy and strong interpersonal skills.; Effective conflict resolution strategies.; Experience in performance management and career growth planning.; Ability to build and maintain a high-performing team.
**Evaluation criteria:** People management skills (mentoring, coaching, performance management).; Conflict resolution and team building abilities.; Communication and interpersonal skills.; Ability to foster a positive and productive team environment.; Experience in hiring and retaining talent.
**Common rejection reasons:** Inability to provide concrete examples of people management.; Poor conflict resolution skills.; Lack of empathy or understanding of team dynamics.; Difficulty in articulating career development strategies.; Not demonstrating a proactive approach to team building.
## Questions

- Describe a time you had to manage a difficult team member. How did you handle it?
- How do you motivate your team, especially during challenging projects?
- Tell me about your approach to performance reviews and career development for your engineers.
- How do you foster a culture of collaboration and knowledge sharing within your team?
- Describe your experience with hiring engineers. What do you look for?

## Preparation tips

- Prepare specific examples using the STAR method for questions related to team management, conflict resolution, and performance.
- Think about your management philosophy and how you create a positive team culture.
- Be ready to discuss your strategies for hiring, onboarding, and retaining talent.
- Consider how you approach performance reviews and provide constructive feedback.

## Round 4: Strategic Alignment Interview
**Type:** Managerial/Strategic Interview · **Difficulty:** High · **Duration:** 60 min
Assesses strategic thinking, business acumen, and cross-functional collaboration.
This interview with a senior leader assesses your strategic thinking, business acumen, and ability to align technical initiatives with Akamai's overall business goals. You'll discuss how you collaborate with other departments, manage stakeholders, and contribute to the company's strategic direction. This is also a chance to understand the broader vision of the organization.
**Interviewers look for:** Ability to think strategically and connect technology to business goals.; Experience in collaborating with product management, sales, and other departments.; Strong decision-making and problem-solving skills.; Proactive and results-oriented mindset.; Alignment with Akamai's values and long-term vision.
**Evaluation criteria:** Strategic thinking and business acumen.; Ability to align technical execution with business objectives.; Cross-functional collaboration and stakeholder management.; Problem-solving and decision-making skills.; Overall leadership potential and cultural fit.
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of strategic vision or alignment with business goals.; Inability to articulate how technical decisions impact business outcomes.; Poor communication with cross-functional stakeholders.; Not demonstrating a proactive approach to problem-solving.; Failure to show ownership and accountability.
## Questions

- How do you ensure your team's work is aligned with the company's strategic objectives?
- Describe a time you had to influence stakeholders outside of your engineering team. How did you approach it?
- What are the biggest challenges facing Akamai today, from a technology perspective?
- How do you balance innovation with operational stability?
- What is your vision for the future of engineering at Akamai?

## Preparation tips

- Research Akamai's business strategy, market position, and competitive landscape.
- Think about how technology drives business value.
- Prepare examples of how you've collaborated with non-technical stakeholders.
- Be ready to discuss your vision for an engineering team and its contribution to the company.
- Formulate questions that demonstrate your strategic thinking and interest in Akamai's future.