Uber reached out to me and was quick to set up a call with the “hiring manager”. The recruiter was knowledgeable about the team and my call ended up being with the person I would replace. I asked to talk with the hiring manager who I was told was busy and new. In my entire life of the corporate world this has never happened. If your direct manager doesn’t have time with you that was an immediate red flag. They proceeded to ask me to do an assignment that did not guarantee me an interview and asked for prep to a 60 minute presentation and Q&A. I did the assignment with limited effort given the negative taste in my mouth already and in turn they sent me a form email to not proceed. The culture hasn’t changed at Uber. Its also called out as one of the main risks in their financial documents which is another red flag.

Overall the interview process was good, and I would especially acknowledge the recruiting team for excellent communication and organization. My main contact was always communicative and supportive, which I have found is often not the case at other companies. The process was long and thorough. Started with an initial HR screen, followed up by a phone interview with the hiring manager. Next step was an in-depth and time-consuming project, which was tough to make time for, however also an opportunity to show what I can do. Projects are becoming the norm in the hiring process, which I do like, however this project was much earlier in the process than average. After the project I had a video call with a team member, then after that was invited onsite for several 1:1 interviews and one panel in which I presented my project. Final step was a final in-person interview with the hiring manager. This is a smart company full of smart people. My advice to candidates would be to do your research, know your game, and communicate confidently and thoughtfully.