# Software Engineering Manager
**Role:** Software Engineering Manager · **Level:** PE L6
**Company:** [Gusto](https://scaleengineer.com/companies/gusto)
**Difficulty:** High
**Salary:** US$180000 - US$250000
**Experience:** 8 - 15
**Timeline:** ~4 days
The Software Engineering Manager (PE L6) interview at Gusto is a comprehensive process designed to assess a candidate's technical leadership, people management, strategic thinking, and cultural fit. It evaluates their ability to lead engineering teams, drive technical excellence, and contribute to Gusto's mission of helping small businesses succeed.
Canonical: https://scaleengineer.com/interviews/gusto/pe-l6-software-engineering-manager
---
## Overall evaluation

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

## Questions asked

- Tell me about a time you had to manage a difficult stakeholder. How did you handle it?
- Describe your approach to setting and tracking team goals.
- How do you foster a culture of psychological safety within your team?
- Walk me through a complex technical problem you solved as a manager.
- How do you balance the need for innovation with the need for stability and reliability?
- What is your experience with hiring and onboarding new engineers?
- How do you handle underperformance on your team?
- Describe a time you had to make a difficult decision that impacted your team.
- How do you stay current with technology trends and ensure your team does as well?
- What are your thoughts on the current state of the fintech industry and Gusto's role in it?

## Preparation tips

### lists

- Deeply understand Gusto's mission, values, and product.
- Review common software engineering management interview questions, focusing on behavioral and situational scenarios.
- Prepare specific examples using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) for each of the key evaluation criteria.
- Brush up on system design principles and be ready to discuss architectural trade-offs.
- Understand modern software development practices, including CI/CD, testing strategies, and agile methodologies.
- Think about your leadership philosophy and how you foster a positive and productive team environment.
- Be prepared to discuss your experience with hiring, performance management, and career development for engineers.
- Research common challenges faced by small businesses and how technology can solve them.
- Practice articulating your thought process clearly and concisely.

### studyPlan

- {"title":"Company & Foundational Knowledge","longDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Deep dive into Gusto's business, product, and engineering culture. Understand their customer base and the problems they solve. Review company values and how they translate into engineering practices. Familiarize yourself with Gusto's tech stack and engineering blog if available. Start reviewing foundational software engineering principles and common management frameworks.","shortDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Gusto's business, product, values, tech stack. Foundational SE principles and management frameworks."}
- {"title":"People Leadership & Management","longDescription":"Weeks 3-4: Focus on people management and leadership. Study common interview questions related to hiring, performance reviews, conflict resolution, coaching, and team building. Prepare STAR method examples for each of these areas. Read articles and books on effective engineering leadership.","shortDescription":"Weeks 3-4: People management, leadership, hiring, performance, conflict resolution. Prepare STAR examples."}
- {"title":"Technical Skills & System Design","longDescription":"Weeks 5-6: Concentrate on technical skills and system design. Review system design concepts, scalability, reliability, and architectural patterns. Practice designing systems for common scenarios. Refresh knowledge on data structures, algorithms, and software development best practices. Prepare to discuss technical challenges you've overcome.","shortDescription":"Weeks 5-6: System design, scalability, reliability, architecture. Practice system design problems. Review DSA and best practices."}
- {"title":"Strategic & Business Acumen","longDescription":"Week 7: Focus on strategic thinking and business acumen. Understand how engineering contributes to business goals. Prepare to discuss product strategy, prioritization, and how you align technical roadmaps with business objectives. Practice articulating your vision for an engineering team.","shortDescription":"Week 7: Strategic thinking, business acumen, product strategy, prioritization, aligning tech with business goals."}
- {"title":"Mock Interviews & Final Review","longDescription":"Week 8: Mock interviews and final review. Conduct mock interviews with peers or mentors, focusing on all aspects of the interview process. Refine your STAR examples and practice articulating your thoughts clearly. Review Gusto's values and ensure your responses reflect them. Prepare thoughtful questions to ask the interviewers.","shortDescription":"Week 8: Mock interviews, refine STAR examples, practice articulation, review values, prepare questions."}

## Location differences

- {"location":"Remote","differences":{"tips":["Highlight experience with remote or hybrid team leadership.","Be prepared to discuss tools and techniques for effective remote communication and project management.","Emphasize your ability to create an inclusive and engaging environment for all team members, regardless of location."],"interviewFocus":["Remote team management strategies","Cross-time zone collaboration","Building trust and accountability in a distributed environment"],"commonQuestions":["How do you handle performance issues with a direct report in a remote setting?","Describe a time you had to adapt your management style for a distributed team.","What are your strategies for fostering team cohesion and collaboration across different time zones?"]}}
- {"location":"On-site (e.g., San Francisco, New York)","differences":{"tips":["Showcase your ability to leverage the benefits of in-person collaboration.","Be ready to discuss your experience with agile ceremonies and team-based problem-solving.","Emphasize your understanding of Gusto's office culture and how you would contribute to it."],"interviewFocus":["On-site team dynamics and collaboration","Agile methodologies in a co-located setting","Balancing strategic initiatives with day-to-day operational needs"],"commonQuestions":["How do you foster innovation and creativity within a co-located engineering team?","Describe your approach to managing stakeholder expectations in a fast-paced office environment.","How do you balance individual contributor growth with team project delivery in an office setting?"]}}

## Round 1: Recruiter Screen
**Type:** Recruiter Screen · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 45 min
Initial screening to assess overall fit, motivation, and basic qualifications.
This initial screening call with a recruiter or HR representative is designed to assess your overall fit for the role and Gusto. They will discuss your background, motivations for applying, and understanding of the company. It's an opportunity to learn more about the role and the interview process. Be prepared to talk about your career aspirations and why you're interested in Gusto.
**Interviewers look for:** Enthusiasm for Gusto; Clear communication; Basic understanding of the role; Alignment with core company values
**Evaluation criteria:** Communication skills; Cultural fit; Understanding of Gusto's mission and values; Initial assessment of experience and motivation
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of clear communication; Inability to provide specific examples; Poor alignment with Gusto's values; Lack of strategic thinking
## Questions

- Why are you interested in Gusto?
- Tell me about your experience as an engineering manager.
- What are your salary expectations?
- What do you know about our product?

## Preparation tips

- Research Gusto's mission, values, and recent news.
- Prepare a concise summary of your experience and why you're a good fit.
- Think about your career goals and how this role aligns with them.
- Have questions ready to ask about the role, team, and company culture.

## Round 2: Technical & System Design
**Type:** Technical & System Design Interview · **Difficulty:** High · **Duration:** 60 min
Assesses technical depth, system design skills, and problem-solving abilities.
This round focuses on your technical expertise and system design capabilities. You'll be asked to design a system or solve a complex technical problem, demonstrating your understanding of architecture, scalability, reliability, and trade-offs. Be prepared to discuss your design choices and justify them.
**Interviewers look for:** Strong technical judgment; Ability to design scalable and robust systems; Clear thinking and communication of technical concepts; Understanding of trade-offs in system design
**Evaluation criteria:** Technical depth and breadth; System design and architecture; Problem-solving abilities; Ability to think at scale
**Common rejection reasons:** Inability to articulate technical vision; Weak system design skills; Lack of understanding of scalability and reliability; Poor problem-solving approach
## Questions

- Design a system for [specific problem, e.g., a real-time notification service].
- How would you scale a web application to handle millions of users?
- Discuss the trade-offs between SQL and NoSQL databases for a specific use case.
- Describe a challenging technical problem you faced and how you solved it.

## Preparation tips

- Review system design principles (e.g., load balancing, caching, databases, APIs).
- Practice designing common systems (e.g., URL shortener, social media feed, e-commerce platform).
- Understand trade-offs between different technical solutions.
- Be ready to discuss your past technical challenges and how you overcame them.

## Round 3: People Management & Leadership
**Type:** People Management & Leadership Interview · **Difficulty:** High · **Duration:** 60 min
Evaluates people management, leadership style, and team development skills.
This interview focuses on your people management and leadership capabilities. You'll be asked behavioral questions about how you manage teams, develop engineers, handle conflicts, and drive performance. Use the STAR method to provide specific examples from your experience.
**Interviewers look for:** Empathy and strong interpersonal skills; Ability to mentor and grow engineers; Effective communication and feedback delivery; Experience in building and leading high-performing teams
**Evaluation criteria:** People management skills; Leadership style; Team building and development; Conflict resolution; Performance management
**Common rejection reasons:** Inability to provide concrete examples of leadership; Poor people management skills; Difficulty handling conflict or performance issues; Lack of strategic vision for a team
## Questions

- Tell me about a time you had to manage an underperforming employee. What steps did you take?
- How do you foster a culture of continuous learning and growth within your team?
- Describe a situation where you had to resolve a conflict between team members.
- How do you prioritize work for your team when faced with competing demands?

## Preparation tips

- Prepare examples using the STAR method for common management scenarios (hiring, firing, performance reviews, conflict resolution, coaching).
- Think about your leadership philosophy and how you foster a positive team culture.
- Be ready to discuss how you delegate, motivate, and provide feedback.
- Consider how you approach career development for your team members.

## Round 4: Hiring Manager / Director Interview
**Type:** Hiring Manager / Director Interview · **Difficulty:** High · **Duration:** 60 min
Assesses strategic thinking, product sense, business acumen, and leadership vision.
This interview with a senior leader assesses your strategic thinking, product sense, and business acumen. You'll discuss how you align engineering efforts with business goals, your approach to product strategy, and your vision for leading engineering teams at Gusto. Be prepared to discuss your experience influencing product roadmaps and collaborating with cross-functional partners.
**Interviewers look for:** Ability to think strategically and connect engineering to business outcomes; Strong product intuition; Experience influencing stakeholders; Alignment with Gusto's long-term vision
**Evaluation criteria:** Strategic thinking; Product sense; Business acumen; Leadership vision; Cross-functional collaboration
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of strategic alignment with company goals; Poor understanding of business impact; Inability to articulate a clear vision; Not a good cultural or strategic fit with leadership
## Questions

- How would you define success for an engineering team at Gusto?
- Describe a time you had to influence product direction. What was the outcome?
- How do you balance technical debt with new feature development?
- What is your vision for the future of engineering at Gusto?

## Preparation tips

- Understand Gusto's business strategy and market position.
- Think about how engineering can drive business value.
- Prepare examples of how you've influenced product decisions or strategy.
- Articulate your vision for an engineering team and its contribution to the company.

## Round 5: Executive/Final Interview
**Type:** Executive/Final Interview · **Difficulty:** High · **Duration:** 45 min
Final discussion with senior leadership to assess strategic alignment and cultural fit.
This final interview is with a senior executive (VP or C-level) to ensure alignment on strategic vision and cultural fit at the highest level. They will assess your leadership philosophy, your ability to think strategically, and your potential to contribute to Gusto's long-term success. This is also an opportunity for you to ask high-level questions about the company's direction.
**Interviewers look for:** Confidence and clarity in communication; Alignment with Gusto's overall business strategy; Strong leadership potential; Cultural alignment with senior leadership
**Evaluation criteria:** Executive presence; Strategic alignment; Leadership philosophy; Cultural fit at the executive level
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of alignment with executive leadership; Poor communication of vision; Inability to demonstrate strategic impact; Not a strong cultural fit at the executive level
## Questions

- What is your leadership philosophy?
- How do you see technology evolving to support small businesses in the next 5 years?
- What are the biggest challenges facing Gusto, and how can engineering help address them?
- What are your long-term career aspirations?

## Preparation tips

- Understand Gusto's long-term vision and strategic priorities.
- Be prepared to discuss your leadership philosophy at a high level.
- Articulate how you can contribute to the company's strategic goals.
- Prepare insightful questions for the executive about the company's future.