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

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

## Questions asked

- Tell me about a time you had to manage a difficult stakeholder. How did you handle it?
- How do you balance the needs of your team with the goals of the organization?
- Describe your approach to performance management and how you handle underperforming team members.
- What are the key metrics you use to measure the success of your engineering team?
- How do you foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement within your team?
- Walk me through a complex system you designed or significantly contributed to.
- How do you stay updated with the latest technology trends and incorporate them into your team's work?
- Describe a time you failed. What did you learn from it?
- How do you delegate tasks effectively?
- What is your experience with Agile methodologies, and how do you ensure your team follows them effectively?

## Preparation tips

### lists

- Deeply understand MakeMyTrip's mission, values, and recent business developments.
- Review common Software Engineering Manager interview questions, focusing on leadership, team management, and technical strategy.
- 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.
- Understand MakeMyTrip's technology stack and the challenges faced by a travel tech company.
- Practice articulating your leadership philosophy and how you build high-performing teams.
- Be prepared to discuss your career aspirations and how they align with MakeMyTrip's growth.

### studyPlan

- {"title":"Foundation & Business Understanding","longDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Focus on understanding MakeMyTrip's business, products, and recent news. Review core software engineering principles, agile methodologies, and common management frameworks. Study system design concepts and practice case studies.","shortDescription":"Weeks 1-2: MakeMyTrip business, SE principles, Agile, System Design basics."}
- {"title":"People Management & Behavioral Skills","longDescription":"Weeks 3-4: Deep dive into people management topics: hiring, performance reviews, conflict resolution, coaching, and career development. Practice behavioral questions using the STAR method. Prepare examples of successful team leadership and project delivery.","shortDescription":"Weeks 3-4: People Management (Hiring, Performance, Conflict), STAR method practice."}
- {"title":"Technical Leadership & Strategy","longDescription":"Weeks 5-6: Focus on technical leadership and strategy. Review architectural patterns, scalability, reliability, and DevOps practices. Prepare to discuss your approach to technical decision-making, managing technical debt, and driving innovation. Practice system design questions.","shortDescription":"Weeks 5-6: Technical Leadership, Architecture, Scalability, System Design practice."}
- {"title":"Mock Interviews & Final Preparation","longDescription":"Week 7: Mock interviews with peers or mentors. Refine answers, focus on clear and concise communication. Prepare questions to ask the interviewers. Final review of all topics.","shortDescription":"Week 7: Mock Interviews, Communication refinement, Final review."}

## Location differences

- {"location":"Gurugram","differences":{"tips":["Research MakeMyTrip's recent product launches and business strategies.","Be prepared to discuss your experience managing teams in India.","Highlight your understanding of the local market dynamics."],"interviewFocus":["Understanding of the Indian tech landscape and talent pool.","Experience with scaling teams and products in a high-growth environment.","Familiarity with MakeMyTrip's business domain and competitive landscape."],"commonQuestions":["How would you handle a conflict between two senior engineers on your team?","Describe a time you had to deliver a project with a tight deadline. What was your approach?","How do you foster innovation within your team?","What are your strategies for attracting and retaining top engineering talent in the Indian market?","How do you balance technical debt with new feature development?"]}}
- {"location":"Remote","differences":{"tips":["Showcase your experience in managing diverse and geographically dispersed teams.","Emphasize your ability to adapt to different work cultures.","Be ready to discuss your approach to building a strong remote engineering culture."],"interviewFocus":["Experience with distributed teams and remote work culture.","Ability to drive technical strategy and execution in a global context.","Understanding of MakeMyTrip's international presence and expansion plans."],"commonQuestions":["How do you ensure cross-functional collaboration between engineering and product teams?","Describe a situation where you had to make a difficult decision that impacted your team.","How do you mentor and develop engineers for career growth?","What are your thoughts on remote team management and best practices?","How do you measure the success of your engineering team?"]}}

## Round 1: HR Screening Round
**Type:** HR Screening · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 45 min
HR screening to assess cultural fit and basic qualifications.
This initial round is conducted by an HR representative to assess your overall fit with MakeMyTrip's culture and values. They will delve into your career history, motivations for applying, and basic management philosophies. Expect questions about your strengths, weaknesses, and why you are interested in this specific role and company.
**Interviewers look for:** Enthusiasm for the role and company.; Basic understanding of management responsibilities.; Positive attitude and good communication.
**Evaluation criteria:** Communication skills; Understanding of HR policies and people management basics; Cultural alignment
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of clear communication.; Inability to provide specific examples.; Poor understanding of management principles.; Negative attitude towards feedback or challenges.
## Questions

- Tell me about yourself.
- Why are you interested in MakeMyTrip?
- What are your strengths and weaknesses as a manager?
- How do you handle conflict within a team?

## Preparation tips

- Research MakeMyTrip's company culture and values.
- Prepare to talk about your career journey and motivations.
- Practice answering common HR questions.
- Be ready to articulate why you are a good cultural fit.

## Round 2: System Design Round
**Type:** Technical Interview - System Design · **Difficulty:** High · **Duration:** 60 min
Assess technical depth and system design capabilities.
This round focuses on your technical expertise and system design capabilities. You will be presented with a complex problem or scenario, and you'll need to design a scalable and robust solution. The interviewer will assess your ability to think critically, consider trade-offs, and communicate your design effectively.
**Interviewers look for:** Strong understanding of software architecture and design patterns.; Ability to break down complex problems.; Sound reasoning for technical decisions.; Experience with scaling systems.
**Evaluation criteria:** Technical depth and breadth; Problem-solving skills; System design and architectural thinking; Ability to handle ambiguity
**Common rejection reasons:** Inability to articulate technical solutions clearly.; Lack of depth in system design.; Poor problem-solving approach.; Not considering scalability or trade-offs.
## Questions

- Design a system to handle flight bookings for MakeMyTrip.
- How would you design a recommendation engine for travel packages?
- Discuss the architecture of a distributed caching system.

## Preparation tips

- Review system design principles (scalability, reliability, availability, consistency).
- Practice designing common systems (e.g., URL shortener, social media feed, ride-sharing app).
- Be prepared to discuss trade-offs and justify your design choices.
- Understand common data structures and algorithms, and how they apply to system design.

## Round 3: People Management & Leadership Round
**Type:** Managerial Interview · **Difficulty:** High · **Duration:** 60 min
Assess people management, leadership, and strategic thinking.
This round is focused on your people management and leadership skills. The interviewer will ask behavioral questions to understand how you have managed teams, handled challenging situations, driven performance, and fostered a positive team environment. They will also assess your strategic thinking and ability to align team goals with business objectives.
**Interviewers look for:** Proven ability to lead and grow engineering teams.; Experience in setting technical direction and strategy.; Effective conflict resolution and people management.; Ability to mentor and develop talent.
**Evaluation criteria:** Leadership and team management skills; Strategic thinking and execution; Problem-solving in a management context; Mentorship and people development
**Common rejection reasons:** Inability to provide concrete examples of leadership.; Poor conflict resolution skills.; Lack of strategic thinking.; Difficulty in managing team performance.
## Questions

- Describe a time you had to manage a underperforming engineer. What steps did you take?
- How do you motivate your team during challenging projects?
- Tell me about a time you had to make a difficult decision that impacted your team.
- How do you balance technical debt with new feature development?

## Preparation tips

- Prepare specific examples using the STAR method for leadership, conflict resolution, and team development.
- Think about your management philosophy and leadership style.
- Be ready to discuss how you set goals, provide feedback, and manage performance.
- Consider how you foster innovation and collaboration within a team.

## Round 4: Executive Alignment Round
**Type:** Senior Leadership / Executive Interview · **Difficulty:** High · **Duration:** 45 min
Assess strategic thinking, business acumen, and alignment with senior leadership.
This final round is with senior leadership to assess your strategic thinking, business acumen, and overall fit with the company's long-term vision. You'll discuss your approach to building and scaling engineering organizations, driving innovation, and contributing to MakeMyTrip's success. Be prepared to discuss your career aspirations and how you see yourself contributing at a higher level.
**Interviewers look for:** Ability to think strategically about the business and technology.; Strong communication and influencing skills.; Understanding of MakeMyTrip's market and competitive landscape.; Alignment with company values and long-term vision.
**Evaluation criteria:** Strategic vision and alignment with MakeMyTrip's goals; Business acumen; Stakeholder management; Cultural fit and long-term potential
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of alignment with company vision.; Poor communication of strategic ideas.; Inability to influence stakeholders.; Not demonstrating a growth mindset.
## Questions

- What is your vision for the engineering team here at MakeMyTrip?
- How would you approach scaling our engineering organization to meet future demands?
- What are the biggest challenges facing the travel tech industry today, and how should MakeMyTrip address them?
- How do you foster innovation and encourage experimentation within an engineering team?

## Preparation tips

- Understand MakeMyTrip's business strategy and future goals.
- Prepare to discuss your vision for an engineering team at MakeMyTrip.
- Think about how you can contribute to the company's growth and success.
- Be ready to ask insightful questions about the company's direction.