The interview process for a Software Engineering Manager at Director level at Expedia is a comprehensive evaluation designed to assess leadership capabilities, technical depth, strategic thinking, and cultural fit. It typically involves multiple rounds, including HR screening, technical interviews, behavioral interviews, and a final executive interview. The goal is to identify candidates who can effectively lead engineering teams, drive technical innovation, and contribute to Expedia's overall business objectives.
Rounds·4
Timeline·~4d
Experience·10 - 15 yrs
Comp band·US$180000 - US$250000
Interview time·195 min
Evaluation
What they measure.
Leadership presence and ability to inspire teams.
Strategic thinking and business acumen.
Technical depth and understanding of software development principles.
Problem-solving and decision-making skills.
Communication and interpersonal skills.
Cultural fit and alignment with Expedia's values.
Ability to manage and mentor engineers.
Experience in hiring and retaining talent.
Proficiency in agile methodologies and project management.
Understanding of system design and architecture.
Track record of successful project delivery.
Demonstrated ability to handle complex technical challenges.
Understanding of scalability, performance, and reliability.
Experience with cloud technologies and modern development practices.
Ability to drive technical innovation and adoption of new technologies.
Effective communication with peers, subordinates, and senior leadership.
Ability to articulate technical concepts clearly.
Collaboration and teamwork skills.
Conflict resolution and negotiation abilities.
Preparation
How to prepare.
Tips
01Thoroughly research Expedia's mission, values, products, and recent news.
02Understand the company's technology stack and engineering culture.
03Prepare specific examples using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) for behavioral questions.
04Review common software engineering management principles and best practices.
05Practice articulating your leadership philosophy and management style.
06Be ready to discuss your experience with scaling teams and systems.
07Prepare questions to ask the interviewers about the role, team, and company.
Study plan
Fig · Study plan — 04 phases
01 / 04
01
Phase 01 of 04
Company and Industry Research
Weeks 1-2: Research Expedia's business, products, strategy, and values. Understand the travel industry.
Weeks 1-2: Deep dive into Expedia's business, products, and recent performance. Understand the competitive landscape in the travel industry. Review Expedia's engineering blog and public statements on technology. Focus on understanding the company's strategic goals and how engineering contributes to them. Familiarize yourself with Expedia's core values and culture.
02
Phase 02 of 04
Leadership and Management Skills
Weeks 3-4: Study leadership and management principles. Prepare STAR method examples for behavioral questions.
Weeks 3-4: Focus on leadership and management principles. Review concepts like agile methodologies, project management, performance management, hiring best practices, conflict resolution, and team building. Prepare specific examples from your past experience that demonstrate these skills, using the STAR method.
03
Phase 03 of 04
Technical Foundations
Weeks 5-6: Review system design, architecture, scalability, cloud, and modern development practices. Prepare for technical discussions.
Weeks 5-6: Brush up on technical concepts relevant to a Director-level role. This includes system design, architecture, scalability, cloud computing (AWS, Azure, GCP), microservices, CI/CD, and data management. Be prepared to discuss technical challenges you've faced and how you guided your teams through them.
04
Phase 04 of 04
Mock Interviews and Final Preparation
Week 7: Conduct mock interviews. Refine answers and prepare questions for interviewers.
Week 7: Practice mock interviews, focusing on both behavioral and technical scenarios. Refine your answers and ensure they are concise and impactful. Prepare thoughtful questions to ask the interviewers, demonstrating your engagement and interest.
Questions
Commonly asked.
Describe your experience leading engineering teams through significant growth or change.
How do you foster a culture of psychological safety and inclusivity within your teams?
Tell me about a time you had to make a difficult trade-off between speed and quality. What was the outcome?
What are your strategies for managing underperforming engineers?
How do you ensure alignment between engineering efforts and business objectives?
Describe your approach to technical roadmap planning and execution.
How do you stay current with emerging technologies and assess their potential impact on the business?
What is your experience with managing budgets and resource allocation for engineering projects?
How do you handle disagreements with senior stakeholders or product management?
What are your key metrics for measuring team success and productivity?
Tell me about a time you failed. What did you learn from it?
How do you empower your team leads and senior engineers?
What are your thoughts on the current state of the travel technology industry?
How would you build and scale a new engineering team from scratch?
Describe a situation where you had to influence a decision at a higher level.
Locations
Regional differences.
Fig · Regions — 03 locations
01 / 03
Location
London
Interview focus
Understanding of local market dynamics and talent pool.Adaptability to regional work culture and regulations.Experience with distributed teams if applicable to the location.
Common questions
How do you handle a conflict between two senior engineers on your team?
Describe a time you had to make a difficult decision that impacted your team negatively. How did you handle it?
What are your strategies for fostering innovation within an engineering team?
How do you balance technical debt with delivering new features?
In a remote or hybrid work environment, how do you ensure team cohesion and productivity?
Tips
Research Expedia's presence and recent developments in the specific region.
Be prepared to discuss your experience managing teams in similar cultural contexts.
Highlight any experience with international collaboration or managing remote teams.
Location
San Francisco Bay Area
Interview focus
Deep technical expertise and understanding of scalable systems.Proven track record of building and leading high-performing engineering teams.Strategic thinking and ability to align technology with business goals.Experience with agile methodologies and DevOps practices.
Common questions
How do you approach hiring top engineering talent in a competitive market like the Bay Area?
Describe a major technical challenge you faced and how you led your team to overcome it.
How do you mentor and develop high-performing engineers?
What is your philosophy on performance management and career growth for your team members?
How do you stay updated with the latest technology trends and ensure your team is leveraging them effectively?
Tips
Be ready to discuss specific technical architectures and design patterns.
Prepare examples of successful project delivery and team leadership.
Emphasize your experience with scaling systems and managing complex projects.
Location
Chicago
Interview focus
Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.Ability to drive results and deliver on business objectives.Understanding of product development lifecycle and customer focus.Cultural alignment with Expedia's values.
Common questions
How do you foster a culture of continuous improvement within your team?
Describe a time you had to manage a project with ambiguous requirements. How did you proceed?
What are your key principles for effective communication with stakeholders and executive leadership?
How do you delegate tasks and empower your team members?
What are your thoughts on the future of travel technology and Expedia's role in it?
Tips
Showcase your ability to influence and collaborate across different departments.
Be prepared to discuss your vision for engineering leadership at Expedia.
Highlight your understanding of the travel industry and its challenges.
Rounds
Round-by-round.
Expand a step for evaluation criteria, sample questions, and prep notes.
Med
HR Screening · 30 min · Recruiter/HR
This initial screening call with a recruiter is designed to assess your overall fit for the role and Expedia. The recruiter will discuss your background, career aspirations, and motivation for applying. They will also cover salary expectations, logistical details, and provide an overview of the interview process. This is an opportunity for you to learn more about the company and the position.
What they look for
Clear and concise communication.Positive attitude and energy.Basic understanding of the role and Expedia.Alignment with company values.
Evaluation
Communication skills.
Enthusiasm for the role and company.
Basic understanding of the role's requirements.
Cultural alignment.
Sample questions
Can you walk me through your resume and highlight your most relevant experience for this role?
BehavioralExperience
Why are you interested in joining Expedia?
MotivationCompany Fit
What are your salary expectations for this position?
LogisticsCompensation
What are your strengths and weaknesses as a leader?
BehavioralSelf-Awareness
Prep for this round
01Be prepared to talk about your resume and career history.
02Clearly articulate why you are interested in this specific role at Expedia.
03Have a good understanding of your salary expectations.
04Prepare questions about the role, team, and company culture.
Common rejection reasons
×Lack of clear communication.
×Inability to articulate past experiences effectively.
×Not demonstrating a genuine interest in Expedia or the role.
×Poor cultural fit.
High
Technical Interview (System Design) · 60 min · Senior Engineer/Architect
This round focuses on your technical expertise and ability to design and architect complex systems. You will be presented with a problem statement, and you'll need to discuss your approach to designing a solution, considering factors like scalability, performance, reliability, and maintainability. The interviewer will probe your design choices and assess your understanding of trade-offs.
What they look for
Ability to design scalable and robust systems.Sound technical judgment.Clear communication of technical concepts.Experience with modern software development practices.
Evaluation
System design and architecture skills.
Problem-solving abilities.
Technical leadership and decision-making.
Understanding of scalability, performance, and reliability.
Sample questions
Design a ride-sharing service like Uber or Lyft.
System DesignScalabilityDistributed Systems
Design a URL shortening service like Bitly.
System DesignScalabilityDatabases
Design a system to handle real-time analytics for a large e-commerce platform.
System DesignReal-timeData Processing
How would you design a notification system for millions of users?
System DesignScalabilityMessaging Queues
Prep for this round
01Review system design principles and common patterns (e.g., load balancing, caching, databases, APIs).
02Practice designing systems for scale and high availability.
03Be prepared to discuss trade-offs in your design decisions.
04Familiarize yourself with cloud technologies and distributed systems.
Common rejection reasons
×Inability to articulate technical solutions clearly.
×Lack of depth in system design or architectural thinking.
×Poor problem-solving approach.
×Not demonstrating leadership in technical decision-making.
High
Managerial/Behavioral Interview · 60 min · Engineering Director/VP
This interview focuses on your leadership, management, and strategic capabilities. You'll be asked behavioral questions about your past experiences managing teams, projects, and stakeholders. The interviewer will want to understand how you handle challenges, motivate your team, drive results, and contribute to the broader business strategy. Expect questions about your leadership philosophy, conflict resolution, and how you foster a positive team environment.
What they look for
Proven ability to lead and mentor engineering teams.Experience in driving projects to successful completion.Strategic thinking and alignment with business goals.Effective people management and conflict resolution skills.
Evaluation
Leadership and people management skills.
Project management and execution.
Strategic thinking and business acumen.
Problem-solving and decision-making in a team context.
Conflict resolution and stakeholder management.
Sample questions
Describe a time you had to manage a difficult team member. How did you handle it?
BehavioralPeople ManagementConflict Resolution
Tell me about a project that failed. What were the key learnings?
BehavioralFailureLearning
How do you prioritize work for your team when faced with competing demands?
BehavioralPrioritizationProject Management
Describe your approach to performance management and career development for your engineers.
01Prepare specific examples using the STAR method for common leadership scenarios.
02Think about your leadership philosophy and how you develop talent.
03Be ready to discuss your experience with project planning, execution, and delivery.
04Consider how you align technical work with business objectives.
Common rejection reasons
×Lack of clear examples demonstrating leadership.
×Inability to articulate how they managed teams and projects.
×Not showing strategic thinking or business impact.
×Poor conflict resolution or people management skills.
High
Executive Interview · 45 min · Senior Executive (VP/SVP of Engineering)
This final round is with a senior executive, often a VP or SVP of Engineering. The focus is on your strategic thinking, business acumen, and overall leadership potential. You'll discuss your vision for engineering at Expedia, how you align technology with business goals, and your approach to leading at a higher level. This is also an opportunity for you to ask high-level questions about the company's direction.
What they look for
A clear vision for engineering leadership.Ability to think strategically and connect technology to business outcomes.Strong communication and influencing skills.Alignment with Expedia's executive leadership principles.
Evaluation
Strategic vision and long-term planning.
Business acumen and understanding of market dynamics.
Executive presence and communication.
Cultural alignment and leadership potential.
Ability to influence and drive change at an organizational level.
Sample questions
What is your vision for the future of engineering at Expedia?
StrategyVisionLeadership
How would you balance innovation with operational excellence?
StrategyExecutionBalance
Describe a time you had to influence senior leadership on a technical or strategic decision.
BehavioralInfluenceStakeholder Management
What are the biggest challenges facing the travel technology industry today, and how should Expedia address them?
Industry KnowledgeStrategyBusiness Acumen
Prep for this round
01Develop a clear vision for engineering leadership at Expedia.
02Be prepared to discuss your strategic priorities and how they align with business objectives.
03Think about how you would contribute to Expedia's long-term success.
04Practice articulating your thoughts concisely and persuasively.
Common rejection reasons
×Lack of strategic vision.
×Inability to connect technical strategy with business goals.
×Poor communication with senior leadership.
×Not demonstrating a strong cultural fit at the executive level.
