Salesforce Engineering Manager Interview Process at Asana

The interview process for the Salesforce Engineering Manager role at Asana is a multi-stage process designed to assess both technical expertise and leadership abilities. This position requires a deep understanding of Salesforce technologies (Apex, Visualforce, Lightning), as well as the ability to lead cross-functional teams and manage complex projects. Based on personal experience and feedback from others who have interviewed for this role, here’s a detailed breakdown of the interview process, what to expect, and how to prepare.

1. Resume Screening and Initial Contact

The first step in the Asana interview process is resume screening, where the recruiter focuses on:

• Salesforce expertise: As an engineering manager, you need to demonstrate strong knowledge of Salesforce technologies such as Sales Cloud, Service Cloud, Lightning components, Apex, and Visualforce.
• Leadership experience: They look for candidates who have managed engineering teams, particularly in scaling Salesforce solutions or managing enterprise-level applications.
• Cross-functional collaboration: Asana places a strong emphasis on working with Sales, Customer Success, Product, and other teams to ensure Salesforce solutions are integrated well with other systems and processes.
• Project management skills: Experience in managing complex, high-impact projects with multiple stakeholders is also critical.

Once your resume aligns with these criteria, you’ll be contacted by a recruiter for an initial phone screen.

2. Recruiter Phone Screen

The recruiter call typically lasts 30-45 minutes and serves to assess:

• Your motivation: The recruiter will ask about your interest in the Salesforce Engineering Manager role at Asana and why you are attracted to their culture and mission.
• Your technical background: Expect a brief discussion of your Salesforce experience, particularly around the technologies you’ve worked with (e.g., Salesforce Apex, Lightning Web Components, Visualforce, SOQL).
• Leadership style: Asana values collaborative leadership, so you’ll likely be asked about your experience leading teams, fostering team growth, and aligning technical goals with business objectives.

Example Question:

“Tell me about a time you successfully led a team to overcome a challenging Salesforce implementation.”

3. Technical Interview

If you pass the recruiter screen, the next stage is typically a technical interview with a Salesforce architect or senior Salesforce engineer. This interview lasts 60 minutes and will focus on:

• Salesforce architecture: You’ll be asked about how you would design scalable Salesforce solutions and your experience with large, enterprise-level Salesforce applications.

  Example Question:

  “How would you design a complex integration between Salesforce and a third-party system (e.g., an ERP or marketing platform)?”

• Apex and Lightning Components: Expect to discuss how you’ve worked with Apex, SOQL, Lightning Web Components, and Visualforce to build custom solutions in Salesforce.

  Example Question:

  “Can you describe a time when you developed a custom Lightning component to improve user experience? How did you ensure its scalability?”

• Data management: They may test your knowledge of Salesforce data structures and how you manage data integrity, bulk processing, and governor limits.

  Example Question:

  “How would you handle large data processing in Salesforce without hitting governor limits?”

This round will focus heavily on assessing your technical problem-solving abilities and your ability to apply Salesforce solutions to real-world problems.

4. Leadership and Behavioral Interview

The next step is typically a leadership and behavioral interview with a hiring manager or senior leader from the Engineering or Product team. This interview lasts around 60 minutes and focuses on:

• Team leadership and management: You will be asked how you manage and grow engineering teams, especially in a fast-paced environment.

  Example Question:

  “How do you build and mentor a team of engineers working on a large Salesforce implementation? How do you manage team performance and encourage growth?”

• Cross-functional collaboration: Asana emphasizes collaboration, so expect questions about how you’ve worked with other teams (e.g., Sales, Product, Customer Success) to implement Salesforce solutions that align with business needs.

  Example Question:

  “Tell us about a time you worked with the Sales team to customize Salesforce to support their specific workflows. What challenges did you face, and how did you overcome them?”

• Problem-solving and conflict resolution: Asana looks for leaders who can navigate conflicts and keep teams motivated during challenging projects.

  Example Question:

  “Can you describe a situation where there was a disagreement within your team about a technical approach? How did you resolve it?”

This round is designed to assess your leadership qualities, ability to collaborate, and approach to problem-solving in the context of managing technical teams.

5. System Design and Case Study

In some cases, you might be asked to complete a system design exercise or case study. This could involve designing a Salesforce architecture or coming up with a solution to a complex technical problem that aligns with Asana’s needs. You’ll need to demonstrate your ability to think strategically about scalability, performance, and user experience.

Example Case Study:

“Given Asana’s need for a highly scalable Salesforce implementation, design a solution for managing enterprise customer data while ensuring seamless integration with external systems (e.g., marketing platforms, ERP).”

This is where you’ll have the opportunity to showcase your Salesforce architecture skills, as well as your ability to balance technical constraints with business requirements.

6. Final Round with Executives

If you pass the previous rounds, you’ll likely have a final interview with senior executives (e.g., VP of Engineering or CTO). This interview will focus on:

• Strategic alignment: You’ll be asked about how your experience and leadership style align with Asana’s long-term goals and vision.

  Example Question:

  “Where do you see Salesforce technology evolving in the next 3-5 years, and how would you align Asana’s Salesforce strategy to stay ahead of industry trends?”

• Cultural fit: Asana values cultural alignment, so expect questions about how you would contribute to Asana’s values, especially around collaboration, inclusivity, and transparency.

  Example Question:

  “How do you ensure transparency within your team and across departments while working on large projects?”

7. Offer and Negotiation

If successful, you’ll be extended an offer. The compensation for this role typically includes:

• Base salary: The expected salary range for this role is between $200,000 and $250,000, depending on your experience and location.
• Equity and bonuses: In addition to the base salary, you may receive equity in the form of stock options and performance-based bonuses.
• Benefits: Asana offers a comprehensive benefits package, including mental health support, wellness programs, career coaching, and retirement savings plans.

Preparation Tips

• Brush up on Salesforce development: Review your knowledge of Apex, SOQL, Salesforce Lightning, and Visualforce.
• Practice system design: Be ready to design complex Salesforce solutions that involve integration, data processing, and user experience.
• Leadership experience: Be prepared to discuss your experience leading teams, managing performance, and fostering collaboration.
• Cultural alignment: Think about how your leadership style aligns with Asana’s values, particularly around collaboration, inclusivity, and transparency.