# Manager
**Role:** Software Engineering Manager · **Level:** TDM3
**Company:** [Indeed](https://scaleengineer.com/companies/indeed)
**Difficulty:** Hard
**Salary:** US$180000 - US$250000
**Experience:** 8 - 15
**Timeline:** ~21 days
The Software Engineering Manager (TDM3) interview at Indeed focuses on assessing leadership capabilities, technical expertise, people management skills, and strategic thinking. Candidates are evaluated on their ability to lead teams, drive technical excellence, foster a positive engineering culture, and align technical roadmaps with business objectives. The interview process is designed to identify individuals who can effectively manage and grow engineering teams while delivering high-quality software.
Canonical: https://scaleengineer.com/interviews/indeed/tdm3-software-engineering-manager
---
## Overall evaluation

- Core Competencies

## Questions asked

- Describe your experience managing software engineering teams. What is your leadership philosophy?
- How do you foster a culture of innovation and continuous improvement within your team?
- Tell me about a time you had to deal with a difficult team member. How did you handle it?
- How do you prioritize tasks and projects when faced with competing demands?
- Describe a challenging technical problem your team faced and how you guided them to a solution.
- How do you ensure the quality and scalability of the software your team produces?
- What is your approach to performance management and career development for your engineers?
- How do you stay updated with the latest technologies and industry trends?
- Tell me about a time you had to make a difficult decision that impacted your team. What was the outcome?
- How do you balance the need for speed with the need for quality and technical debt management?
- Describe a time you had to manage a conflict within your team. How did you resolve it?
- How do you delegate tasks effectively and empower your team members?
- What are your strategies for motivating a team, especially during challenging times?
- How do you ensure your team is aligned with the company's overall goals and objectives?
- What is your experience with agile methodologies and how do you adapt them to your team's needs?
- How do you handle underperforming team members?
- Describe a time you had to deliver bad news to your team. How did you handle it?
- How do you foster a culture of psychological safety within your team?
- How do you manage technical debt?
- Describe a time you had to influence a decision at a higher level.
- What are your thoughts on building a scalable and resilient architecture?
- How do you ensure your team adheres to coding standards and best practices?
- Tell me about a time you failed. What did you learn from it?
- How do you balance innovation with maintaining existing systems?
- What is your experience with cloud technologies (AWS, Azure, GCP)?
- How do you measure the success of your team and your projects?
- Describe your process for hiring and onboarding new engineers.
- How do you handle urgent production issues while maintaining team well-being?

## Preparation tips

### lists

- Understand Indeed's mission, values, and culture. Research their products and recent news.
- Familiarize yourself with common Software Engineering Manager interview questions, particularly those related to leadership, people management, technical strategy, and execution.
- Prepare specific examples using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to illustrate your experience and skills.
- Review fundamental computer science concepts, software architecture patterns, and system design principles.
- Practice articulating your leadership philosophy and how you foster a positive and productive engineering environment.
- Be ready to discuss your experience with agile methodologies, project management, and process improvement.
- Think about how you handle challenges, conflicts, and difficult conversations with team members and stakeholders.
- Prepare questions to ask the interviewers about the team, the role, and Indeed's engineering culture.
- Consider how you would approach scaling a team, managing technical debt, and ensuring software quality.
- If interviewing for a specific location, research any location-specific nuances or expectations mentioned.

### studyPlan

- {"title":"Company & Leadership Foundations","longDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Deep dive into Indeed's company culture, values, products, and recent engineering challenges. Review common leadership and people management frameworks (e.g., Situational Leadership, Situational Self-Leadership). Study effective feedback models and conflict resolution techniques. Prepare STAR stories for core leadership competencies.","shortDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Company research, leadership frameworks, feedback models, STAR stories."}
- {"title":"Technical Strategy & System Design","longDescription":"Weeks 3-4: Focus on technical strategy and system design. Review common architectural patterns, scalability principles, and cloud technologies relevant to Indeed's stack. Practice explaining complex technical concepts clearly and concisely. Prepare to discuss technical decision-making processes and managing technical debt.","shortDescription":"Weeks 3-4: Technical strategy, system design, architecture, cloud, technical debt."}
- {"title":"Execution & People Development","longDescription":"Weeks 5-6: Concentrate on execution, project management, and process improvement. Study agile methodologies (Scrum, Kanban) and how to adapt them. Prepare examples of successful project delivery, risk management, and stakeholder communication. Practice discussing performance management and career development for engineers.","shortDescription":"Weeks 5-6: Project management, agile, execution, performance management, career development."}
- {"title":"Mock Interviews & Final Review","longDescription":"Week 7: Mock interviews focusing on behavioral and situational questions. Refine STAR stories and practice articulating your leadership philosophy. Prepare insightful questions to ask the interviewers. Review all previous topics and ensure you can connect them to Indeed's context.","shortDescription":"Week 7: Mock interviews, refining answers, preparing questions."}

## Location differences

- {"location":"Austin","differences":{"tips":["Research Indeed's engineering culture and values thoroughly.","Prepare specific examples using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) for leadership and management scenarios.","Understand Indeed's product suite and the technical challenges they might face.","Be ready to discuss your experience with hiring, onboarding, and retaining engineering talent.","Demonstrate a strong understanding of software development lifecycle, CI/CD, and DevOps practices.","Articulate your vision for building and leading high-performing engineering teams.","Be prepared to discuss your approach to technical strategy and roadmap planning.","Highlight experience in mentoring and developing engineers at various career stages.","Showcase your ability to communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical audiences.","Understand the competitive landscape and how Indeed differentiates itself."],"interviewFocus":["Emphasis on strategic thinking and long-term vision.","Deeper dive into organizational design and team scaling.","More focus on cross-functional collaboration and influencing senior leadership.","Assessment of experience with complex, large-scale systems and distributed architectures.","Evaluation of ability to manage budgets and resource allocation."],"commonQuestions":["Describe a time you had to manage a conflict within your team. How did you resolve it?","How do you prioritize competing demands from different stakeholders?","Tell me about a challenging technical problem your team faced and how you guided them to a solution.","How do you foster innovation and continuous improvement within your team?","What is your approach to performance management and career development for your engineers?","How do you ensure the quality and scalability of the software your team produces?","Describe your experience with agile methodologies and how you adapt them to your team's needs.","How do you stay updated with the latest technologies and industry trends?","Tell me about a time you had to make a difficult decision that impacted your team. What was the outcome?","How do you balance the need for speed with the need for quality and technical debt management?"]}}
- {"location":"Seattle","differences":{"tips":["Be ready to share specific examples of how you've developed engineers' careers.","Prepare to discuss your approach to performance management and feedback.","Highlight your experience in building collaborative and inclusive team environments.","Understand Indeed's mission and how engineering contributes to it.","Demonstrate your ability to manage stakeholder expectations effectively.","Showcase your problem-solving skills in people and process-related challenges.","Be prepared to discuss your experience with different project management methodologies.","Emphasize your ability to communicate technical concepts clearly.","Research Indeed's recent product launches and strategic initiatives.","Practice articulating your leadership philosophy."],"interviewFocus":["Focus on people management and team dynamics.","Assessment of conflict resolution and mediation skills.","Evaluation of coaching and mentoring abilities.","Understanding of how to build and maintain team morale.","Emphasis on execution and delivery within a fast-paced environment."],"commonQuestions":["How do you handle underperforming team members?","Describe a time you had to deliver bad news to your team. How did you handle it?","What are your strategies for motivating a team, especially during challenging times?","How do you delegate tasks effectively?","Tell me about a project where you had to manage significant scope creep. What did you do?","How do you ensure your team is aligned with the company's overall goals?","What is your experience with performance reviews and feedback mechanisms?","How do you foster a culture of psychological safety within your team?","Describe a time you disagreed with your manager. How did you handle it?","How do you approach technical decision-making when there are multiple valid options?"]}}
- {"location":"San Francisco","differences":{"tips":["Be prepared to discuss your experience with system design and architecture.","Highlight your understanding of cloud-native technologies and best practices.","Showcase your ability to lead technical discussions and mentor engineers on technical growth.","Understand Indeed's core technologies and infrastructure.","Demonstrate your ability to manage technical debt and promote code quality.","Be ready to discuss your experience with incident management and post-mortems.","Prepare examples of how you've improved team productivity and efficiency.","Articulate your approach to fostering a culture of learning and experimentation.","Research Indeed's engineering blog and technical publications.","Understand the importance of data-driven decision-making in engineering management."],"interviewFocus":["Strong emphasis on technical leadership and architectural vision.","Assessment of ability to drive technical strategy and roadmap.","Evaluation of experience with distributed systems and scalability challenges.","Focus on operational excellence and system reliability.","Understanding of how to manage technical risk and make trade-offs."],"commonQuestions":["How do you manage technical debt?","Describe a time you had to influence a decision at a higher level.","What are your thoughts on building a scalable and resilient architecture?","How do you ensure your team adheres to coding standards and best practices?","Tell me about a time you failed. What did you learn from it?","How do you balance innovation with maintaining existing systems?","What is your experience with cloud technologies (AWS, Azure, GCP)?","How do you measure the success of your team and your projects?","Describe your process for hiring and onboarding new engineers.","How do you handle urgent production issues while maintaining team well-being?"]}}

## Round 1: HR/Recruiter Screen
**Type:** HR/Recruiter Screen · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 45 min
Initial screening to assess cultural fit and basic qualifications.
This initial round is conducted by a recruiter or HR representative to assess your overall fit with Indeed's culture and values. They will explore your career aspirations, motivation for applying, and high-level experience. This is also an opportunity for you to learn more about Indeed and the role. Be prepared to discuss your resume and why you are interested in this specific opportunity.
**Interviewers look for:** Positive attitude and energy.; Clear communication.; Alignment with Indeed's core values.; Basic understanding of management principles.
**Evaluation criteria:** Cultural fit with Indeed's values.; Communication style and clarity.; Enthusiasm for the role and the company.; Basic understanding of the role's responsibilities.
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of clear leadership vision.; Inability to articulate a strategy for team growth and development.; Poor communication or interpersonal skills.; Failure to demonstrate effective people management practices.; Lack of strategic thinking or alignment with business goals.
## Questions

- Tell me about yourself and your career background.
- Why are you interested in this Software Engineering Manager role at Indeed?
- What do you know about Indeed and our products?
- What are your salary expectations?
- What are your strengths and weaknesses as a manager?

## Preparation tips

- Research Indeed's mission, vision, and values.
- Prepare to talk about your career journey and why you're interested in this role.
- Practice articulating your strengths and how they align with the job description.
- Have questions ready to ask about the company culture, team, and role.

## Round 2: Technical Deep Dive
**Type:** Technical Deep Dive / System Design · **Difficulty:** Hard · **Duration:** 60 min
Assesses technical leadership, system design, and problem-solving skills.
This round focuses on your technical leadership and system design capabilities. You will likely be asked to discuss your experience with designing scalable and robust systems, making technical trade-offs, and guiding your team through complex technical challenges. Expect questions related to architecture, distributed systems, performance optimization, and best practices in software development.
**Interviewers look for:** Strong technical foundation.; Ability to think critically about complex systems.; Clear communication of technical ideas.; Sound judgment in technical decision-making.; Understanding of scalability and reliability.
**Evaluation criteria:** Technical depth and breadth.; System design and architectural thinking.; Problem-solving abilities.; Ability to guide technical decisions.; Understanding of software development best practices.
**Common rejection reasons:** Inability to articulate technical vision or strategy.; Lack of depth in system design or architectural understanding.; Poor problem-solving skills.; Difficulty in explaining technical concepts clearly.; Failure to demonstrate effective technical leadership.
## Questions

- Design a system for [specific problem, e.g., a URL shortener, a news feed].
- How would you approach optimizing the performance of a large-scale distributed system?
- Discuss your experience with microservices architecture. What are the pros and cons?
- How do you ensure the security of the systems your team builds?
- Describe a time you had to make a significant technical trade-off. What was your reasoning?

## Preparation tips

- Review system design principles and common architectural patterns.
- Practice designing systems for scale and reliability.
- Be prepared to discuss your experience with specific technologies relevant to Indeed's stack.
- Think about how you manage technical debt and ensure code quality.
- Prepare to explain your approach to technical decision-making and problem-solving.

## Round 3: People Management Interview
**Type:** People Management & Leadership · **Difficulty:** Hard · **Duration:** 60 min
Evaluates your ability to manage, mentor, and develop engineering teams.
This round focuses on your people management and leadership skills. You'll be asked behavioral questions designed to understand how you lead, motivate, develop, and manage your engineering teams. Expect questions about hiring, onboarding, performance reviews, conflict resolution, and fostering a positive team culture. The interviewer will want to see concrete examples of your management style and its impact.
**Interviewers look for:** Empathy and understanding of team dynamics.; Ability to motivate and inspire engineers.; Effective communication and feedback delivery.; Proactive approach to team development.; Experience in fostering a positive work environment.
**Evaluation criteria:** People management skills.; Coaching and mentoring abilities.; Conflict resolution and team building.; Performance management and career development.; Strategic thinking for team growth.
**Common rejection reasons:** Inability to provide concrete examples of people management.; Lack of strategic vision for team development.; Poor conflict resolution skills.; Difficulty in motivating or coaching engineers.; Failure to demonstrate effective delegation or performance management.
## Questions

- Describe your approach to performance management and providing feedback to your team members.
- Tell me about a time you had to manage a conflict between two engineers on your team. What was the outcome?
- How do you motivate your team, especially during challenging projects or periods of change?
- Describe your process for hiring and onboarding new engineers.
- How do you foster a culture of learning and continuous improvement within your team?

## Preparation tips

- Prepare specific examples using the STAR method for common people management scenarios.
- Think about your philosophy on career development and how you support your team's growth.
- Be ready to discuss how you handle underperformance and provide constructive feedback.
- Consider how you build and maintain team morale and psychological safety.
- Practice articulating your approach to delegation and empowering your team.

## Round 4: Strategic Alignment Interview
**Type:** Strategic & Business Acumen · **Difficulty:** Hard · **Duration:** 60 min
Assesses strategic thinking, business alignment, and stakeholder management.
In this round, you'll meet with a senior leader (Director, VP, or Product Lead) to discuss your strategic thinking, business acumen, and ability to align engineering efforts with company goals. You'll be expected to articulate a vision for your team, discuss how you prioritize initiatives, and demonstrate your understanding of the broader business context. This is also an opportunity to understand the strategic direction of the engineering organization at Indeed.
**Interviewers look for:** Ability to connect technical work to business value.; Strategic vision and long-term planning.; Effective communication with diverse stakeholders.; Proactive approach to problem-solving.; Understanding of Indeed's business and market.
**Evaluation criteria:** Strategic thinking and business acumen.; Vision for the team and product area.; Stakeholder management and collaboration.; Impact on business goals and outcomes.; Understanding of organizational dynamics.
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of strategic alignment with business objectives.; Inability to articulate a clear vision for the team or product area.; Poor stakeholder management or cross-functional collaboration.; Failure to demonstrate impact on business outcomes.; Lack of understanding of the broader organizational context.
## Questions

- How would you align your team's roadmap with Indeed's overall business strategy?
- Describe a time you had to influence stakeholders outside of engineering. How did you approach it?
- What is your vision for the future of [specific product area or team]?
- How do you measure the success of your team and its contribution to the business?
- Tell me about a time you had to make a difficult decision that had significant business implications.

## Preparation tips

- Research Indeed's business strategy, market position, and key objectives.
- Think about how engineering contributes to the company's success.
- Prepare examples of how you've driven business impact through your teams.
- Practice articulating your vision for a team or product area.
- Be ready to discuss how you manage stakeholder relationships and cross-functional collaboration.

## Round 5: Hiring Manager Discussion
**Type:** Hiring Manager Interview · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 45 min
Final discussion with the hiring manager to assess team fit and role expectations.
This is typically the final interview with the hiring manager for the specific team you would be joining. The focus is on ensuring a good fit between you, the team, and the manager's expectations. You'll discuss your approach to managing the team, your priorities for the role, and how you envision contributing to the team's success. This is also your chance to ask detailed questions about the team's dynamics, current projects, and challenges.
**Interviewers look for:** Enthusiasm for the role and team.; Clear understanding of expectations.; Ability to articulate how they will contribute.; Good rapport with the hiring manager.; Thoughtful questions about the team and challenges.
**Evaluation criteria:** Alignment with the hiring manager's vision for the team.; Understanding of the role's challenges and opportunities.; Potential for collaboration and team integration.; Candidate's questions and engagement level.; Overall fit for the specific team and its needs.
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of alignment with the hiring manager's expectations.; Inability to demonstrate a clear plan for the role.; Poor fit with the team's working style.; Failure to ask insightful questions.; Overall lack of enthusiasm or engagement.
## Questions

- What are your initial priorities if you were to join this team?
- How would you approach building relationships with your new team members?
- What are the biggest challenges you anticipate in this role, and how would you address them?
- How do you prefer to receive feedback from your manager?
- What are your expectations from your manager and the team?

## Preparation tips

- Revisit the job description and your understanding of the team's needs.
- Prepare specific examples of how you would tackle the challenges discussed.
- Think about your initial priorities and how you would onboard yourself into the role.
- Have thoughtful questions ready about the team's culture, processes, and goals.
- Be prepared to discuss your management style and how you collaborate with your manager.