The Software Engineering Manager interview at MakeMyTrip for a VP Engineering level role is a comprehensive process designed to assess leadership capabilities, technical depth, strategic thinking, and people management skills. It evaluates a candidate's ability to lead and scale engineering teams, drive technical vision, and contribute to the overall business objectives of the company.
Rounds·5
Timeline·~14d
Experience·10 - 15 yrs
Comp band·US$180000 - US$250000
Interview time·285 min
Evaluation
Preparation
Tips
Study plan
Fig · Study plan — 05 phases
01 / 05Phase 01 of 05
Weeks 1-2: Research MakeMyTrip, review your career, prepare STAR stories.
Weeks 1-2: Deep dive into MakeMyTrip's business model, competitive landscape, recent news, and technology stack. Understand their mission, values, and strategic goals. Review your own career history, identifying key leadership achievements and challenges. Prepare detailed STAR stories for common leadership and management scenarios.
Phase 02 of 05
Weeks 3-4: Technical leadership, system design, scalability, architecture.
Weeks 3-4: Focus on technical leadership and system design. Refresh your knowledge of scalable architectures, microservices, cloud technologies (AWS/Azure/GCP), CI/CD, and DevOps practices. Practice designing complex systems and discussing trade-offs. Prepare to talk about your experience in managing technical debt and driving architectural decisions.
Phase 03 of 05
Weeks 5-6: People management, team building, culture, performance.
Weeks 5-6: Concentrate on people management and organizational development. Study best practices in hiring, onboarding, performance management, career development, conflict resolution, and fostering a positive engineering culture. Prepare to discuss your approach to building high-performing teams and mentoring engineers.
Phase 04 of 05
Week 7: Strategic thinking, business alignment, vision, cross-functional collaboration.
Week 7: Focus on strategic thinking and business acumen. Understand how engineering aligns with business objectives. Prepare to discuss strategic planning, roadmap prioritization, budget management, and cross-functional collaboration. Practice articulating your vision for the engineering organization.
Phase 05 of 05
Week 8: Mock interviews, final review, prepare questions.
Week 8: Mock interviews and final review. Conduct mock interviews with peers or mentors, focusing on all aspects covered. Refine your answers, ensure clarity and conciseness. Review your notes and prepare any questions you want to ask the interviewers.
Questions
Locations
Fig · Regions — 02 locations
01 / 02Location
Interview focus
Common questions
Tips
Location
Interview focus
Common questions
Tips
Rounds
Expand a step for evaluation criteria, sample questions, and prep notes.
HR / Recruiter Screen · 45 min · HR Business Partner / Recruiter
This initial round is typically conducted by HR or a recruiter to assess your overall fit with the company culture, your motivation for applying, and to cover logistical aspects. They will delve into your background, career aspirations, and understanding of MakeMyTrip. This is also an opportunity for you to learn more about the role and the company. Be prepared to discuss your strengths, weaknesses, career goals, and why you are interested in MakeMyTrip.
What they look for
Evaluation
Sample questions
Tell me about yourself and your career journey.
Why are you interested in MakeMyTrip and this specific role?
What are your strengths and weaknesses as a leader?
Prep for this round
Common rejection reasons
People Management & Leadership · 60 min · Director of Engineering / Senior Engineering Manager
This round focuses on your ability to manage, mentor, and develop engineering teams. You'll be asked about your approach to hiring, performance management, career development, conflict resolution, and fostering a positive team culture. The interviewer wants to understand how you build and lead effective teams, motivate individuals, and handle challenging people-related situations. Be prepared with specific examples of how you've supported your team's growth and success.
What they look for
Evaluation
Sample questions
Tell me about a time you had to manage an underperforming engineer. What steps did you take?
How do you foster a culture of psychological safety and open communication within your team?
Describe your process for career development and mentorship for your team members.
Prep for this round
Common rejection reasons
System Design & Architecture · 60 min · Senior Engineering Leader / Principal Engineer
This round assesses your technical depth and ability to architect and scale complex systems. You will likely be asked to design a system from scratch or discuss the architecture of a system you have previously worked on. The focus will be on scalability, reliability, performance, and maintainability. Be prepared to discuss trade-offs, justify your design choices, and demonstrate a strong understanding of distributed systems, databases, caching, and other relevant technologies.
What they look for
Evaluation
Sample questions
Design a scalable system for [e.g., MakeMyTrip's flight booking engine].
How would you handle a sudden surge in traffic for our platform?
Discuss the trade-offs between monolithic and microservices architectures.
Prep for this round
Common rejection reasons
Business Acumen & Cross-Functional Collaboration · 60 min · Business Leader (e.g., Product Head, Business Unit Head)
This round involves an interview with a business leader, such as a Product Head or a Business Unit Head. The focus is on your understanding of the business, your ability to align engineering strategy with business goals, and your experience in cross-functional collaboration. You'll be expected to discuss how you prioritize engineering efforts based on business impact, manage stakeholder expectations, and contribute to the overall success of the business unit. Expect questions about your experience with product development, go-to-market strategies, and driving business growth through technology.
What they look for
Evaluation
Sample questions
How do you prioritize engineering projects based on business impact?
Describe a time you worked closely with a product team to launch a new feature. What was your role?
How do you ensure your engineering team understands and contributes to the company's business goals?
Prep for this round
Common rejection reasons
Executive Leadership Interview · 60 min · Senior Leadership (e.g., CTO, VP Engineering)
This round is typically conducted by senior leadership, such as the CTO or VP of Engineering. The focus is on high-level strategic thinking, leadership philosophy, and overall vision. Candidates will be expected to discuss their approach to building and scaling engineering organizations, managing complex technical challenges, and aligning engineering efforts with business objectives. Expect questions about your leadership style, how you foster innovation, manage talent, and drive technical strategy.
What they look for
Evaluation
Sample questions
Describe your leadership philosophy and how you build and motivate engineering teams.
What is your vision for the future of engineering at MakeMyTrip?
How do you balance innovation with execution?
Prep for this round
Common rejection reasons
DSA
Frequently reported on MakeMyTrip loops
Other guides
