# Software Engineering Manager
**Role:** Software Engineering Manager · **Level:** Senior 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 role at Akamai, specifically at the Senior Manager 2 level. 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/senior-manager-2-software-engineering-manager
---
## Overall evaluation

- Technical and Leadership Competencies
- Execution and Collaboration

## Questions asked

- Describe your leadership style and how you motivate engineers.
- How do you handle underperforming team members?
- Tell me about a time you had to make a significant technical decision. What was the process and outcome?
- How do you balance the needs of your team with the strategic goals of the company?
- What are your strategies for fostering innovation and creativity within an engineering team?
- Describe a challenging project you managed. What were the key challenges and how did you overcome them?
- How do you stay current with technology trends and ensure your team does as well?
- How do you approach performance reviews and career development for your team members?
- Tell me about a time you had to manage a conflict within your team. How did you resolve it?
- What are your thoughts on technical debt and how do you manage it?
- How do you ensure quality and reliability in the software your team delivers?
- Describe a time you had to influence stakeholders outside of your direct control.
- What are your expectations for this role and for Akamai?
- How do you foster a culture of psychological safety within your team?

## Preparation tips

### lists

- Deeply understand Akamai's mission, values, products, and recent news.
- Review common software engineering management interview questions, focusing on behavioral and situational examples.
- Prepare specific examples using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to illustrate your experience.
- Brush up on key technical areas relevant to Akamai's business (e.g., distributed systems, cloud computing, networking, security).
- Think about your leadership philosophy and how you foster a positive and productive team environment.
- Consider how you would approach common management challenges like performance issues, team conflicts, and resource allocation.
- Be prepared to discuss your career aspirations and how this role aligns with them.

### studyPlan

- {"title":"Company Immersion","longDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Deep dive into Akamai's business, products, and culture. Research recent company news, financial reports, and leadership profiles. Understand Akamai's position in the market and its competitive landscape. Familiarize yourself with Akamai's core technologies and the challenges they address.","shortDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Akamai Business & Culture Research."}
- {"title":"Management Fundamentals","longDescription":"Weeks 3-4: Focus on leadership and people management principles. Review concepts like servant leadership, coaching, performance management, conflict resolution, and team building. Prepare specific examples from your past experience using the STAR method to demonstrate these skills.","shortDescription":"Weeks 3-4: Leadership & People Management Skills."}
- {"title":"Technical Acumen","longDescription":"Weeks 5-6: Refresh your understanding of software development lifecycle, agile methodologies, system design principles, and common technical challenges in distributed systems and cloud environments. Consider how you would guide a team through technical decision-making and architectural discussions.","shortDescription":"Weeks 5-6: Technical & System Design Refresher."}
- {"title":"Interview Practice","longDescription":"Week 7: Practice articulating your thoughts clearly and concisely. Conduct mock interviews focusing on behavioral questions, situational judgment, and strategic thinking. Prepare questions to ask the interviewers that demonstrate your engagement and understanding of the role.","shortDescription":"Week 7: Mock Interviews & Question Preparation."}

## Location differences

- {"location":"Global (with specific emphasis on regional nuances)","differences":{"tips":["Research Akamai's presence and key projects in this specific region.","Be prepared to discuss your experience managing teams in a global context.","Highlight any experience with local hiring practices or talent development initiatives."],"interviewFocus":["Emphasis on understanding local market talent pool and competitive landscape.","Assessment of experience with specific regional compliance or regulatory requirements.","Evaluation of ability to manage distributed or hybrid teams if applicable to the location."],"commonQuestions":["Describe a time you had to manage a difficult stakeholder relationship. How did you navigate it?","How do you foster innovation within your team?","Tell me about a complex technical challenge your team faced and how you guided them through it.","What are your strategies for attracting and retaining top engineering talent?","How do you balance technical debt with new feature development?"]}}
- {"location":"Cambridge, MA","differences":{"tips":["Understand Akamai's core business and strategic priorities.","Be ready to articulate your leadership philosophy and how it aligns with Akamai's values.","Prepare examples that demonstrate your impact on business outcomes."],"interviewFocus":["Focus on strategic alignment with Akamai's global product roadmap.","Assessment of ability to drive technical excellence and innovation at scale.","Evaluation of experience in managing cross-functional projects and dependencies."],"commonQuestions":["How do you ensure your team aligns with broader company objectives?","Describe your approach to performance management and career development for your engineers.","How do you handle conflicts within your team?","What is your experience with Agile methodologies and how do you adapt them?","Tell me about a time you had to make a difficult decision that impacted your team."]}}

## Round 1: HR/Recruiter Screen
**Type:** HR Screening · **Difficulty:** High · **Duration:** 45 min
Initial screening to assess basic qualifications and cultural fit.
This initial round is conducted by an HR representative or recruiter to assess your overall fit for the role and Akamai. They will review your resume, discuss your career aspirations, and gauge your understanding of the position. This is also an opportunity for you to learn more about Akamai and the specific team.
**Interviewers look for:** Enthusiasm for the role and Akamai.; Basic understanding of management principles.; Clear communication and professional demeanor.
**Evaluation criteria:** Communication skills; Initial cultural fit assessment; Understanding of the role's basic requirements
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of clear leadership vision.; Inability to provide specific examples of management success.; Poor communication or interpersonal skills.; Failure to demonstrate strategic thinking.; Lack of alignment with Akamai's culture or 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 strengths and weaknesses as a manager?
- What do you know about Akamai?

## Preparation tips

- Be prepared to talk about your resume and career journey.
- Research Akamai's mission, values, and products.
- Have clear answers for why you are interested in this role and company.
- Prepare questions to ask the interviewer about the role, team, and company culture.

## Round 2: Technical Leadership Interview
**Type:** Technical Leadership & System Design · **Difficulty:** High · **Duration:** 60 min
Assesses technical vision, system design, and ability to lead technical initiatives.
This round focuses on your technical leadership and strategic thinking. You'll be asked to discuss your experience with system design, architecture, and managing complex technical projects. The interviewer will assess your ability to guide a team through technical challenges and make informed decisions that align with Akamai's technical strategy.
**Interviewers look for:** Strong technical background relevant to Akamai's domain.; Ability to think critically about technical challenges.; Experience in making sound technical decisions.; Understanding of scalability, performance, and reliability.
**Evaluation criteria:** Technical leadership capabilities; System design and architecture understanding; Problem-solving approach; Ability to guide technical direction
**Common rejection reasons:** Inability to articulate technical vision or strategy.; Lack of depth in technical problem-solving.; Poor examples of leading technical initiatives.; Difficulty in explaining complex technical concepts.; Not demonstrating an understanding of scalable systems.
## Questions

- Describe a complex system you were responsible for designing or significantly improving. What were the key considerations?
- How do you balance the need for rapid feature development with maintaining system stability and scalability?
- Tell me about a time you had to make a difficult technical trade-off. What was your reasoning?
- How do you ensure your team adopts best practices in software development (e.g., testing, CI/CD, code reviews)?

## Preparation tips

- Review system design principles for distributed systems, cloud computing, and high-traffic applications.
- Prepare to discuss past technical challenges and how you led your team to solutions.
- Think about how you foster technical excellence and innovation.
- Be ready to discuss your approach to managing technical debt and ensuring code quality.

## Round 3: People Management Interview
**Type:** People Management & Leadership · **Difficulty:** High · **Duration:** 60 min
Focuses on your ability to manage, mentor, and develop engineering teams.
This round delves into your people management capabilities. You will be asked to share specific examples of how you have managed teams, developed talent, handled conflicts, and driven performance. The interviewer wants to understand your philosophy on leadership and how you create an environment where engineers can thrive.
**Interviewers look for:** Proven ability to build, lead, and develop high-performing engineering teams.; Empathy and strong interpersonal skills.; Experience in fostering a positive and inclusive team culture.; Ability to handle difficult conversations and manage performance.
**Evaluation criteria:** People management skills; Coaching and mentoring abilities; Conflict resolution; Team building and motivation; Performance management
**Common rejection reasons:** Inability to provide concrete examples of people management.; Poor conflict resolution skills.; Lack of empathy or understanding of team dynamics.; Failure to demonstrate effective coaching and development strategies.; Difficulty in managing performance issues.
## Questions

- Describe a time you had to manage a team member who was consistently underperforming. What steps did you take?
- How do you identify and nurture high-potential individuals on your team?
- Tell me about a time you had to resolve a conflict between two engineers on your team.
- How do you ensure your team is motivated and engaged, especially during challenging times?

## Preparation tips

- Prepare detailed examples using the STAR method for situations involving team leadership, conflict resolution, performance management, and career development.
- Think about your approach to hiring and onboarding new team members.
- Consider how you foster collaboration and psychological safety within a team.
- Be ready to discuss your philosophy on feedback and continuous improvement.

## Round 4: Senior Leadership Interview
**Type:** Managerial & Strategic Fit · **Difficulty:** High · **Duration:** 45 min
Evaluates strategic thinking, business alignment, and stakeholder management.
In this final round, you'll meet with a senior leader to discuss your strategic thinking, business acumen, and how you align with Akamai's broader goals. You'll discuss how you manage stakeholders, prioritize work, and contribute to the company's success at a higher level. This is also a chance to ensure alignment on expectations for the Senior Manager 2 role.
**Interviewers look for:** Ability to think strategically and connect team efforts to business objectives.; Experience in collaborating with cross-functional teams (Product, Sales, etc.).; Strong decision-making skills and ability to prioritize.; Alignment with Akamai's leadership principles and values.
**Evaluation criteria:** Strategic thinking and business acumen; Stakeholder management; Prioritization and execution planning; Cultural alignment; Overall fit for the Senior Manager 2 level
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of strategic alignment with business goals.; Inability to articulate a clear vision for the team.; Poor stakeholder management skills.; Difficulty in prioritizing effectively.; Not demonstrating a strong understanding of business impact.
## Questions

- How do you ensure your team's work is aligned with the company's strategic objectives?
- Describe a time you had to influence a decision made by a different department. How did you approach it?
- How do you prioritize competing demands from different stakeholders?
- What is your vision for a high-performing engineering team at Akamai?

## Preparation tips

- Understand Akamai's business strategy and how engineering contributes to it.
- Prepare examples of how you've driven business impact through your teams.
- Think about how you manage relationships with product management, sales, and other departments.
- Be ready to discuss your long-term vision for an engineering team.
- Prepare thoughtful questions about the company's strategic direction and challenges.