# Software Engineering Manager
**Role:** Software Engineering Manager · **Level:** L3
**Company:** [DXC Technology](https://scaleengineer.com/companies/dxc-technology)
**Difficulty:** High
**Salary:** US$130000 - US$180000
**Experience:** 5 - 10
**Timeline:** ~14 days
The interview process for a Software Engineering Manager (L3) at DXC Technology is designed to assess leadership potential, technical acumen, and strategic thinking. It typically involves multiple stages, including initial screening, technical interviews, behavioral assessments, and a final interview with senior management.
Canonical: https://scaleengineer.com/interviews/dxc-technology/l3-software-engineering-manager
---
## Overall evaluation

- Leadership and Technical Competence
- People and Project Management
- Technical Depth and Best Practices

## Questions asked

- Describe your leadership style and how you motivate your team.
- How do you handle underperforming team members?
- Tell me about a challenging project you managed and how you overcame obstacles.
- How do you stay updated with the latest technology trends?
- What is your experience with Agile methodologies and Scrum?
- How do you foster a culture of innovation and continuous improvement?
- Describe a time you had to make a difficult decision that impacted your team.
- How do you manage stakeholder expectations?
- What are your strengths and weaknesses as a manager?
- Why are you interested in this role at DXC Technology?

## Preparation tips

### lists

- Thoroughly review your resume and be prepared to discuss every project and responsibility in detail.
- Understand DXC Technology's mission, values, and recent news.
- Research common interview questions for Software Engineering Managers, focusing on leadership, technical, and behavioral aspects.
- Prepare specific examples using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to illustrate your skills and experiences.
- Practice articulating your leadership philosophy and how you build and motivate high-performing teams.
- Brush up on your knowledge of software architecture, design patterns, and modern development methodologies (Agile, DevOps, CI/CD).
- Be ready to discuss your experience with managing budgets, project timelines, and stakeholder expectations.
- Prepare thoughtful questions to ask the interviewer about the role, the team, and DXC Technology.

### studyPlan

- {"title":"Company and Role Immersion","longDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Deep dive into DXC Technology. Understand their business, services, clients, and recent performance. Review the job description thoroughly and map your experience to the requirements. Begin researching common leadership and management frameworks (e.g., Situational Leadership, Situational Team Management).","shortDescription":"Weeks 1-2: DXC Research & Role Alignment. Study leadership frameworks."}
- {"title":"Technical Foundation","longDescription":"Weeks 3-4: Focus on technical skills. Review core computer science concepts, software architecture principles, design patterns, and common technologies relevant to DXC (e.g., cloud platforms, microservices, data management). Practice coding problems if the role involves technical assessment, and prepare to discuss system design scenarios.","shortDescription":"Weeks 3-4: Technical Skill Refresh. Focus on architecture, design patterns, and relevant technologies."}
- {"title":"Behavioral and Situational Mastery","longDescription":"Weeks 5-6: Prepare for behavioral and situational questions. Practice using the STAR method to construct compelling answers for questions related to leadership, conflict resolution, team management, problem-solving, and decision-making. Reflect on your past experiences and identify key achievements and learning opportunities.","shortDescription":"Weeks 5-6: Behavioral & Situational Prep. Practice STAR method for leadership and problem-solving."}
- {"title":"Final Preparation and Practice","longDescription":"Week 7: Mock interviews and final preparation. Conduct mock interviews with peers or mentors to simulate the interview environment. Refine your answers, work on your delivery, and prepare insightful questions for the interviewers. Ensure you are comfortable discussing your career goals and how they align with the opportunity at DXC.","shortDescription":"Week 7: Mock Interviews & Final Polish. Refine answers and prepare questions."}

## Location differences

- {"location":"Global","differences":{"tips":["Research DXC's presence and projects in the specific region.","Be prepared to discuss your experience managing diverse teams.","Highlight any experience with international collaboration tools and practices."],"interviewFocus":["Adaptability to different work cultures","Experience with global team management","Understanding of local market trends and talent pool"],"commonQuestions":["How do you handle conflict within a team?","Describe a time you had to manage a difficult stakeholder.","What are your strategies for motivating a remote team?","How do you ensure code quality and maintainability in a large project?","What is your experience with Agile methodologies in a distributed environment?"]}}
- {"location":"North America","differences":{"tips":["Review common software engineering principles and design patterns.","Prepare examples of successful projects you've led.","Be ready to discuss your leadership philosophy and how you build high-performing teams."],"interviewFocus":["Technical depth and breadth","Problem-solving skills","Leadership and people management capabilities","Strategic thinking and business alignment"],"commonQuestions":["How do you foster innovation within a team?","Describe your approach to performance management and career development for your team members.","How do you balance technical debt with new feature development?","What are your thoughts on CI/CD pipelines and DevOps practices?","Tell me about a time you had to make a difficult technical decision under pressure."]}}
- {"location":"Europe","differences":{"tips":["Familiarize yourself with DXC's service offerings and client industries.","Be prepared to discuss your experience with specific technologies relevant to DXC's projects.","Highlight your ability to deliver results in a client-facing environment."],"interviewFocus":["Project management skills","Technical expertise in relevant domains","Understanding of DXC's technology stack and client needs"],"commonQuestions":["How do you manage project timelines and deliverables?","Describe your experience with cloud technologies (AWS, Azure, GCP).","How do you ensure security best practices are followed within your team?","What is your experience with microservices architecture?","How do you approach mentoring junior engineers?"]}}

## Round 1: HR Screening Call
**Type:** HR Screening · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 30 min
Initial screening by HR to assess basic fit and interest.
This initial screening call is conducted by an HR representative or recruiter to assess your overall fit for the role and DXC Technology. 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:** Enthusiasm and positive attitude.; Clear communication.; Basic alignment with DXC's values.
**Evaluation criteria:** Communication skills; Cultural fit; Basic understanding of the role
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of clear communication.; Inability to provide specific examples of leadership.; Poor understanding of team dynamics.; Lack of enthusiasm for the role or company.
## Questions

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

## Preparation tips

- Be prepared to talk about your resume and career goals.
- Research DXC Technology's mission and values.
- Have a few questions ready about the role and the company.

## Round 2: Technical Deep Dive
**Type:** Technical Interview · **Difficulty:** Hard · **Duration:** 60 min
Assesses technical skills, system design, and problem-solving abilities.
This round focuses on your technical expertise and problem-solving abilities. You will likely be asked to discuss your experience with software architecture, design patterns, and specific technologies. There might be a coding exercise or a system design problem to solve, assessing your ability to design and build complex systems.
**Interviewers look for:** Strong understanding of software development principles.; Ability to design scalable and robust systems.; Logical thinking and analytical skills.; Experience with relevant technologies.
**Evaluation criteria:** Technical depth and breadth.; Problem-solving skills.; System design and architectural thinking.; Ability to communicate technical ideas effectively.
**Common rejection reasons:** Inability to articulate technical solutions clearly.; Lack of depth in system design or architectural thinking.; Poor problem-solving approach.; Difficulty in explaining technical concepts to a non-technical audience.
## Questions

- Design a system for [specific problem, e.g., a URL shortener, a social media feed].
- Explain the trade-offs between microservices and monolithic architectures.
- How would you optimize the performance of a web application?
- Describe your experience with cloud platforms like AWS or Azure.

## Preparation tips

- Review fundamental computer science concepts.
- Practice system design problems.
- Be prepared to discuss your experience with various technologies and architectural patterns.
- Think about how you would approach technical challenges as a manager.

## Round 3: Leadership and Management Assessment
**Type:** Managerial/Behavioral Interview · **Difficulty:** Hard · **Duration:** 45 min
Evaluates leadership, people management, and behavioral competencies.
This interview focuses on your leadership capabilities, management style, and how you handle various team and project scenarios. You'll be asked behavioral questions to understand your past experiences in managing people, resolving conflicts, driving performance, and making strategic decisions.
**Interviewers look for:** Proven ability to lead and mentor teams.; Effective communication and interpersonal skills.; Strategic vision and business acumen.; Experience in managing performance and development.
**Evaluation criteria:** Leadership and people management skills.; Behavioral competencies.; Strategic thinking.; Problem-solving in a management context.
**Common rejection reasons:** Inability to provide concrete examples of leadership.; Poor conflict resolution skills.; Lack of strategic thinking.; Difficulty in managing team performance and development.
## Questions

- Describe a time you had to manage a conflict within your team. How did you resolve it?
- How do you foster a positive and productive team culture?
- Tell me about a time you had to deliver difficult feedback to a team member.
- How do you prioritize tasks and manage your team's workload?

## Preparation tips

- Prepare specific examples using the STAR method for common management scenarios.
- Reflect on your leadership philosophy and how you build and motivate teams.
- Think about how you handle performance issues and career development.
- Be ready to discuss your approach to project management and stakeholder communication.

## Round 4: Executive/Final Round
**Type:** Final Interview · **Difficulty:** Hard · **Duration:** 45 min
Final discussion with senior leadership on strategy and cultural fit.
This final interview is typically with a senior leader or executive who will assess your strategic thinking, leadership potential, and overall fit within DXC Technology's culture and long-term vision. They will want to understand how you can contribute to the company's success at a higher level.
**Interviewers look for:** Strategic mindset and business understanding.; Alignment with DXC's long-term goals.; Strong leadership presence.; Ability to inspire and influence.
**Evaluation criteria:** Strategic thinking and vision.; Cultural alignment with DXC.; Overall fit for the organization.; Leadership potential at a higher level.
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of alignment with DXC's strategic vision.; Poor cultural fit with senior leadership.; Inability to articulate a clear vision for the team.; Unrealistic expectations regarding role or compensation.
## Questions

- What is your vision for a high-performing software engineering team at DXC?
- How do you see technology evolving in our industry, and how would you position your team to adapt?
- Describe a time you influenced senior stakeholders or made a significant strategic decision.
- What are your long-term career aspirations, and how do they align with DXC?

## Preparation tips

- Understand DXC's strategic goals and how your role contributes to them.
- Be prepared to discuss your vision for a software engineering team.
- Articulate how your leadership style aligns with DXC's culture.
- Have thoughtful questions about the company's future and your potential impact.