# Software Engineering Manager **Role:** Software Engineering Manager · **Level:** L5 **Company:** [Asana](https://scaleengineer.com/companies/asana) **Difficulty:** High **Salary:** US$170000 - US$220000 **Experience:** 5 - 10 **Timeline:** ~14 days Asana is looking for experienced Software Engineering Managers (L5) to lead and mentor high-performing engineering teams. This role involves a blend of technical leadership, people management, and strategic thinking to drive product development and foster a collaborative engineering culture. Canonical: https://scaleengineer.com/interviews/asana/l5-software-engineering-manager --- ## Overall evaluation - Technical and Leadership Competencies - People and Project Management - Cultural Alignment and Drive ## Questions asked - Tell me about a time you had to manage a difficult team member. How did you handle it, and what was the outcome? - How do you foster a culture of innovation and psychological safety within your team? - Describe your process for setting team goals and measuring success. - How do you balance the need for speed with the importance of code quality and technical excellence? - Walk me through a challenging project you managed from inception to delivery. What were the key challenges, and how did you overcome them? - How do you approach performance reviews and career development for your engineers? - What is your philosophy on technical debt, and how do you manage it? - Describe a time you had to make a difficult technical decision. What was the situation, and how did you arrive at your decision? - How do you stay current with technology trends and ensure your team is leveraging appropriate tools and practices? - How do you handle conflict within your team or with other stakeholders? - What are your strategies for effective cross-functional collaboration? - Tell me about a time you failed. What did you learn from it? ## Preparation tips ### lists - Deeply understand Asana's mission, values, and products. - Review common Software Engineering Manager interview questions, focusing on leadership, people management, and technical strategy. - Prepare specific examples using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to illustrate your experience. - Familiarize yourself with Asana's engineering blog and recent company news. - Think about your leadership philosophy and how you foster a positive team culture. - Be ready to discuss your approach to technical decision-making and architectural guidance. - Practice articulating your career growth and learning experiences. ### studyPlan - {"title":"Company Immersion and Behavioral Foundations","longDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Focus on Asana's company culture, mission, and product suite. Understand their approach to software development and team management. Review common behavioral interview questions related to leadership, conflict resolution, and team building. Prepare STAR method examples for these scenarios.","shortDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Asana culture, values, product. Behavioral questions (leadership, conflict, team building) with STAR examples."} - {"title":"People Management and Technical Leadership","longDescription":"Weeks 3-4: Dive into people management topics. Study performance management, career development, coaching, feedback delivery, and motivating teams. Prepare examples of how you've successfully managed engineers at different levels and handled challenging people situations. Also, review technical leadership principles and how you guide technical decisions.","shortDescription":"Weeks 3-4: People management (performance, coaching, feedback). Technical leadership principles. STAR examples for people management."} - {"title":"Strategy, Planning, and System Oversight","longDescription":"Weeks 5-6: Focus on strategic thinking, project management, and system design/architecture from a management perspective. Understand how to prioritize, plan roadmaps, and manage technical debt. Prepare to discuss how you've contributed to or driven technical strategy and how you ensure scalability and reliability of systems.","shortDescription":"Weeks 5-6: Strategic thinking, project planning, roadmap prioritization. System design/architecture from a management view. STAR examples for strategy and execution."} ## Location differences - {"location":"Remote/Hybrid","differences":{"tips":["Highlight experience with distributed teams and asynchronous communication tools.","Be prepared to discuss strategies for maintaining team morale and engagement remotely.","Showcase your understanding of effective remote performance management."],"interviewFocus":["Adaptability to remote/hybrid management styles","Cross-time zone collaboration","Building inclusive remote team cultures"],"commonQuestions":["How do you handle underperforming engineers in a remote setting?","Describe a time you had to manage a conflict between team members working across different time zones.","What strategies do you use to foster team cohesion and collaboration in a hybrid work environment?"]}} - {"location":"Office-based (e.g., San Francisco)","differences":{"tips":["Emphasize your experience in fostering strong team relationships and a positive office environment.","Be ready to discuss how you leverage in-person interactions for effective communication and problem-solving.","Showcase your ability to manage cross-functional relationships within an office setting."],"interviewFocus":["On-site team dynamics and collaboration","Stakeholder management in a physical office","Driving team productivity in a co-located setting"],"commonQuestions":["How do you manage stakeholder expectations in a fast-paced, in-office environment?","Describe your approach to onboarding new engineers into an established office culture.","How do you balance the needs of individual team members with the overall goals of the organization in a co-located setting?"]}} ## Round 1: Recruiter Screen **Type:** Recruiter Screen · **Difficulty:** High · **Duration:** 45 min Initial screening to assess overall fit, motivation, and basic qualifications. This initial screening call with a recruiter aims to assess your overall fit for the role and Asana. They will review your resume, discuss your career aspirations, and gauge your understanding of management principles. Be prepared to share high-level examples of your leadership and management experience. **Interviewers look for:** Enthusiasm for the role and Asana; Clear communication of past experiences; Basic understanding of management principles; Alignment with Asana's core values **Evaluation criteria:** Leadership potential; Communication skills; Initial assessment of experience and fit **Common rejection reasons:** Lack of clear examples demonstrating leadership capabilities.; Inability to articulate a coherent people management philosophy.; Poor communication or inability to convey ideas effectively.; Lack of strategic thinking or product sense.; Failure to demonstrate cultural fit with Asana's values. ## Questions - Tell me about your background and why you're interested in this Software Engineering Manager role at Asana. - What are your strengths and weaknesses as a manager? - Describe your experience managing software engineering teams. - What do you know about Asana and our products? ## Preparation tips - Research Asana's mission, values, and recent news. - Prepare a concise summary of your career and management experience. - Have specific examples ready to illustrate your leadership style. - Be ready to articulate why you are interested in this specific role at Asana. ## Round 2: People Management Interview **Type:** People Management Interview · **Difficulty:** High · **Duration:** 60 min Deep dive into people management, coaching, and team development skills. This round focuses on your people management and leadership skills. You'll be asked behavioral questions about how you've managed teams, coached individuals, handled performance issues, and fostered a positive team environment. Prepare specific examples using the STAR method. **Interviewers look for:** Demonstrated ability to grow and develop engineers; Experience in handling performance issues and providing feedback; A clear philosophy on team building and culture; Empathy and strong interpersonal skills; Ability to manage conflict constructively **Evaluation criteria:** People management skills; Coaching and mentoring abilities; Performance management approach; Conflict resolution strategies; Ability to foster team culture **Common rejection reasons:** Inability to provide concrete examples of people management successes.; Lack of structured approach to performance management and career development.; Difficulty in articulating how they foster team growth and address underperformance.; Poor handling of hypothetical people management scenarios.; Failure to demonstrate empathy or understanding of team dynamics. ## Questions - Describe a time you had to manage an underperforming engineer. What steps did you take, and what was the outcome? - How do you approach career development and growth for your team members? - Tell me about a time you had to resolve a conflict between two engineers on your team. - How do you motivate your team, especially during challenging times? - What is your approach to giving and receiving feedback? ## Preparation tips - Review your past experiences in managing, mentoring, and developing engineers. - Prepare detailed STAR examples for situations involving performance management, conflict resolution, and team building. - Think about your leadership philosophy and how you create an inclusive and productive team environment. - Be ready to discuss how you set goals and provide feedback. ## Round 3: Technical and Strategic Interview **Type:** Technical and Strategic Interview · **Difficulty:** High · **Duration:** 60 min Evaluates technical leadership, strategic thinking, and system design capabilities. This round assesses your technical leadership, strategic thinking, and ability to guide engineering efforts. You'll discuss your approach to system design, technical decision-making, project planning, and managing technical debt. Be prepared to talk about how you ensure the quality and scalability of the software your team builds. **Interviewers look for:** Ability to guide technical strategy; Sound judgment in technical decision-making; Understanding of scalability, reliability, and performance; Ability to balance technical needs with business objectives; Experience in managing technical roadmaps and priorities **Evaluation criteria:** Technical leadership and decision-making; System design and architecture understanding; Strategic thinking and product sense; Ability to manage technical projects and roadmaps; Understanding of software development best practices **Common rejection reasons:** Lack of strategic vision or inability to connect technical decisions to business goals.; Poor understanding of system design principles or scalability concerns.; Inability to articulate technical trade-offs effectively.; Difficulty in prioritizing technical initiatives or managing technical debt.; Lack of experience in driving technical direction for a team. ## Questions - Describe a complex system you helped design or manage. What were the key considerations? - How do you prioritize technical initiatives and manage your team's roadmap? - What is your approach to ensuring code quality and maintainability within a team? - Tell me about a time you had to make a significant technical trade-off. What was the decision, and why? - How do you balance delivering new features with addressing technical debt? ## Preparation tips - Review system design principles and common architectural patterns. - Think about how you prioritize technical work and manage roadmaps. - Prepare examples of how you've influenced technical direction or made significant technical decisions. - Understand how to balance technical excellence with business needs. - Be ready to discuss your approach to managing technical debt and ensuring code quality. ## Round 4: Hiring Manager / Executive Interview **Type:** Hiring Manager / Executive Interview · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 45 min Final assessment of cultural fit, vision, and long-term potential. This final interview with a senior leader (often the hiring manager or a Director/VP) is to assess your overall fit with Asana's culture, your long-term potential, and your vision. They will ask about your career goals, leadership philosophy, and how you see yourself contributing to Asana's success. **Interviewers look for:** Alignment with Asana's mission and values; Passion for building great products and teams; Clear career goals and aspirations; Ability to articulate a compelling vision; Positive attitude and collaborative spirit **Evaluation criteria:** Cultural fit; Alignment with Asana's values; Motivation and career aspirations; Vision and strategic thinking; Overall impression and enthusiasm **Common rejection reasons:** Lack of alignment with Asana's leadership principles or values.; Inability to articulate a clear vision for a team or product area.; Poor cultural fit or perceived lack of collaboration.; Difficulty in answering questions about motivation and career goals.; Failure to demonstrate enthusiasm or passion for the role. ## Questions - What are your long-term career aspirations? - How do you see yourself contributing to Asana's mission? - What kind of team culture do you strive to build? - What are you looking for in your next role? - Do you have any questions for me? ## Preparation tips - Reflect on your career goals and how this role aligns with them. - Think about your leadership philosophy and how you embody Asana's values. - Prepare questions to ask the interviewer about the team, company strategy, and growth opportunities. - Showcase your enthusiasm and passion for the role and the company.