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

- Technical Acumen
- People Management
- Strategic & Business Acumen
- Cultural Fit

## Questions asked

- Tell me about a time you had to make a difficult decision that impacted your team. What was the outcome?
- How do you foster a culture of innovation and continuous improvement within your team?
- Describe your approach to managing underperforming engineers.
- How do you balance technical debt with delivering new features?
- Walk me through a complex system you designed or significantly contributed to. What were the key challenges and trade-offs?
- How do you ensure your team is aligned with the company's strategic goals?
- Describe a time you had to manage a conflict within your team or with another department. How did you resolve it?
- What is your philosophy on hiring and building high-performing engineering teams?
- How do you stay current with emerging technologies and industry trends?
- Tell me about a time you failed. What did you learn from it?

## Preparation tips

### lists

- Deeply understand Cohesity's products, mission, and values.
- Review common software engineering management interview questions, focusing on leadership, strategy, and people management.
- Prepare specific examples using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to illustrate your experience.
- Brush up on system design principles and be ready to discuss architectural trade-offs.
- Think about your leadership philosophy and how you foster a positive and productive team environment.
- Be prepared to discuss your career aspirations and how they align with this role.

### studyPlan

- {"title":"Company & Foundational Knowledge","longDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Focus on understanding Cohesity's business, products, and market position. Review company values and recent news. Begin researching common software engineering manager interview topics, including leadership frameworks, agile methodologies, and performance management best practices.","shortDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Cohesity overview, leadership frameworks, agile, performance management."}
- {"title":"People Management Skills","longDescription":"Weeks 3-4: Dive deep into people management. Study topics like hiring, onboarding, performance reviews, career development, conflict resolution, and motivating teams. Prepare examples for each of these areas using the STAR method.","shortDescription":"Weeks 3-4: People management (hiring, performance, conflict, motivation) with STAR examples."}
- {"title":"Technical Leadership & System Design","longDescription":"Weeks 5-6: Focus on technical leadership and system design. Review distributed systems concepts, scalability, reliability, and common architectural patterns. Practice explaining complex technical concepts clearly and concisely. Prepare to discuss your experience with technical decision-making and trade-offs.","shortDescription":"Weeks 5-6: System design, distributed systems, scalability, technical decision-making."}
- {"title":"Strategic & Business Acumen","longDescription":"Weeks 7-8: Concentrate on strategic thinking and business acumen. Understand how engineering aligns with business goals. Prepare to discuss project prioritization, roadmap planning, resource allocation, and stakeholder management. Practice articulating your vision for a team or product.","shortDescription":"Weeks 7-8: Strategy, business alignment, prioritization, roadmapping, stakeholder management."}
- {"title":"Mock Interviews & Refinement","longDescription":"Week 9: Conduct mock interviews focusing on behavioral questions, leadership scenarios, and technical discussions. Seek feedback and refine your answers. Ensure you are comfortable articulating your strengths and experiences clearly and confidently.","shortDescription":"Week 9: Mock interviews, behavioral, leadership, technical Q&A, feedback."}

## Location differences

- {"location":"Remote/Hybrid","differences":{"tips":["Highlight experience with remote collaboration tools and methodologies.","Provide specific examples of how you've managed performance and fostered growth in remote team members.","Emphasize your ability to create an inclusive environment for all team members, regardless of location."],"interviewFocus":["Remote team management strategies","Cross-cultural communication","Building trust and engagement in distributed teams"],"commonQuestions":["How do you handle underperforming engineers in a remote setting?","Describe a time you had to manage a project with a geographically distributed team. What were the challenges and how did you overcome them?","What are your strategies for fostering team cohesion and collaboration in a hybrid work environment?"]}}
- {"location":"On-site (e.g., San Francisco Bay Area)","differences":{"tips":["Showcase your ability to build strong relationships with on-site stakeholders.","Provide examples of how you've fostered a collaborative and high-performance culture within an office setting.","Emphasize your experience in mentoring and developing engineers in a direct, in-person capacity."],"interviewFocus":["On-site team dynamics","Stakeholder management","Driving technical excellence and innovation"],"commonQuestions":["How do you manage stakeholder expectations in a fast-paced, on-site environment?","Describe a time you had to resolve a conflict between engineers working closely together.","What are your strategies for driving innovation and technical excellence within an on-site team?"]}}

## Round 1: HR/Recruiter Screen
**Type:** HR Screening · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 30 min
Initial screening to assess basic qualifications and cultural fit.
This initial screening call with HR or a recruiter is designed to assess your overall fit for the role and Cohesity. They will review your resume, discuss your career aspirations, and provide an overview of the company and the position. It's also an opportunity for you to ask initial questions about the process and the company.
**Interviewers look for:** Clear and concise communication; Genuine interest in Cohesity; Positive attitude; Basic understanding of the role
**Evaluation criteria:** Communication skills; Cultural alignment; Understanding of Cohesity's values; Enthusiasm for the role
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of clear communication; Inability to provide specific examples; Poor cultural fit; Lack of strategic thinking
## Questions

- Tell me about yourself and your career background.
- Why are you interested in this role at Cohesity?
- What are your salary expectations?
- What are your strengths and weaknesses as a manager?

## Preparation tips

- Be prepared to talk about your resume and career goals.
- Research Cohesity's mission, values, and products.
- Have a few questions ready about the role, team, or company culture.

## Round 2: Technical Deep Dive & System Design
**Type:** Technical & System Design Interview · **Difficulty:** High · **Duration:** 60 min
Assesses technical depth, system design, and problem-solving skills.
This round focuses on your technical expertise and system design capabilities. You'll be asked to discuss your experience with complex technical challenges, architectural decisions, and how you guide engineering teams through technical execution. Expect questions on distributed systems, scalability, performance, and reliability.
**Interviewers look for:** Deep understanding of software development lifecycle; Ability to design scalable and reliable systems; Sound technical judgment; Mentorship potential
**Evaluation criteria:** Technical leadership capabilities; System design and architecture knowledge; Problem-solving approach; Ability to mentor engineers technically
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of technical depth; Inability to articulate technical decisions; Poor problem-solving skills; Weak system design understanding
## Questions

- Design a system for [e.g., a real-time analytics dashboard]. Discuss scalability, data storage, and API design.
- Describe a challenging technical problem you solved as a manager. What was your role?
- How do you approach code reviews and ensure code quality within your team?
- What are your thoughts on microservices vs. monolithic architectures?
- How do you manage technical debt?

## Preparation tips

- Review system design principles (scalability, availability, consistency, fault tolerance).
- Practice designing common systems (e.g., URL shortener, social media feed).
- Be ready to discuss trade-offs in technical decisions.
- Refresh your knowledge of data structures and algorithms, especially as they apply to system design.

## Round 3: People Management & Leadership
**Type:** People Management & Leadership Interview · **Difficulty:** High · **Duration:** 60 min
Evaluates people management, leadership, and strategic thinking.
This interview focuses on your people management and leadership skills. You will be asked behavioral questions about how you manage teams, develop talent, handle conflicts, and drive performance. The interviewer will also assess your strategic thinking and ability to align engineering efforts with business objectives.
**Interviewers look for:** Proven ability to lead and grow engineering teams; Strong communication and interpersonal skills; Strategic mindset; Empathy and understanding of team dynamics
**Evaluation criteria:** People management philosophy and practice; Leadership effectiveness; Strategic thinking and planning; Ability to foster a positive team culture
**Common rejection reasons:** Poor people management skills; Inability to handle conflict; Lack of strategic vision; Difficulty in motivating teams
## Questions

- Describe your approach to performance management and career development for your engineers.
- Tell me about a time you had to deliver difficult feedback to a team member. How did you handle it?
- How do you foster collaboration and a positive team culture?
- What is your strategy for hiring and retaining top engineering talent?
- How do you prioritize projects and manage your team's roadmap?

## Preparation tips

- Prepare specific examples using the STAR method for common management scenarios (hiring, firing, performance reviews, conflict resolution, motivation).
- Think about your leadership style and how you empower your team.
- Be ready to discuss your approach to career development for engineers.
- Consider how you set goals and measure success for your team.

## Round 4: Hiring Manager Interview
**Type:** Hiring Manager Interview · **Difficulty:** High · **Duration:** 45 min
Final interview with the hiring manager to assess overall fit and strategic alignment.
This is typically the final interview with the hiring manager, who is likely a Director or VP. This interview focuses on your overall fit for the role, your leadership vision, strategic thinking, and how you align with Cohesity's culture. You'll discuss how you would approach the role, your long-term goals, and how you see yourself contributing to the company's success.
**Interviewers look for:** Strong leadership presence; Ability to think strategically and connect engineering to business outcomes; Cultural alignment; Clear and compelling communication
**Evaluation criteria:** Alignment with Cohesity's culture and values; Strategic vision and alignment with business goals; Executive presence and communication; Problem-solving at a higher level
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of alignment with company culture; Poor communication with senior leadership; Inability to articulate vision; Mismatch in expectations
## Questions

- What is your vision for this team in the next 1-2 years?
- How would you approach building and scaling a high-performing engineering team here?
- Describe a time you had to influence senior leadership on a technical or strategic decision.
- What are the biggest challenges you anticipate in this role, and how would you address them?
- What are your long-term career aspirations?

## Preparation tips

- Reiterate your understanding of Cohesity's business and strategic priorities.
- Clearly articulate your vision for an engineering team at Cohesity.
- Be prepared to discuss your leadership philosophy and how you drive results.
- Ask thoughtful questions about the team, the challenges, and the future direction of the company.