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Applying for a job can be nerve-wracking and confusing, especially if you don’t know what to expect during the interview process. When will I hear back? Who will conduct my next interview? How many rounds will I have to complete until the job offer? As each company handles their recruiting process differently, answers to these questions vary and can be hard to find.

We at Smartcar thought: “We can do better than this!” If you are interested in applying for a job at Smartcar, the following guide will tell you what our application process is all about. Even if you aren’t looking to apply at our company, you can get some useful insights into what you should know before applying, what the main steps in the process are, and how to prepare for a job interview.

Why choose Smartcar?

Product

Smartcar’s API allows auto insurers, car sharing businesses, and electric utility providers to connect with cars. If you are interested in software, APIs, cars, the mobility space, or just one of the above, Smartcar might be a good fit for you. Check out more about our product to see for yourself!

Team

Smartcar is a remote-first company. Our team members can work from home anywhere in California. Our team is incredibly smart, down to earth, and truly embodies Smartcar’s values: purpose, respect, empowerment, and balance.

Perks

Smartcar strives to be a great place to work. Check out our perks, which include paid family leave, flexible vacation time, 401k, health insurance, and a work-from-home stipend.

Our interview process

Our interview process takes about two to three weeks from start to finish. We transparently keep candidates in the loop during the entire interview process. As Smartcar is a remote-first company, all interviews take place via video chat.

Application review

Once you find the position that’s right for you and submit your application, you will hear back from us within a few business days.

Pro Tips:

1. On your resume, we’re looking for a substantial project that you’ve worked on and that you are proud of. Tell us the good, the bad, and the ugly about that project—we want to know it all.

2. Spend time writing answers to the questions we’re asking on the application form. You can skip the cover letter.

Intro call

We got back to you and scheduled a first phone call, yay! You will speak to a member of the recruiting team. The purpose of this call is to answer all your questions about Smartcar and the role you are applying for. We also want to learn more about you. Be yourself and have fun!

After the call, our team will review your background to determine whether your skill set matches the role. If that’s the case, we will reach back out to schedule your first call with the hiring manager.

If there isn’t a match, we will let you know. However, we are always happy to help you connect with other recruiters we know. Please don’t hesitate to ask!

Pro tip: Be prepared with questions about the company and the role before your call.

Hiring manager call

During this call, the hiring manager wants to learn more about you, your background, and your motivation to apply for the position at Smartcar. If you are interviewing for an engineering role, the manager might ask you a few technical questions. If you are interviewing for a business role, they might ask you a few situational questions.

Pro Tip: Come prepared to talk about a complex project that you’ve worked on in the past and that is related to the role you are applying for. You will be asked to break down what the project was, what you were responsible for, what the most complex part was, and what you would do differently if you had to do it again.

Challenge

During this stage of the interview process, you will receive a challenge that will assess your skill set in relation to the role you’re applying for. Once you receive the challenge by email, you’ll have three days to complete it.

Pro tip: We’ve built every challenge in-house here at Smartcar. If you have any questions while working on the project, our team is happy to help!

Challenge review

The challenge review will take place with a member of our team. The team member has reviewed your challenge beforehand. They will ask you why you completed the challenge the way you did and what you would have done differently if you had more time.

Pro Tip: In this interview, we are assessing your ability to reflect on your work. Please come prepared and ready to screen share your challenge. You will be leading the conversation by explaining your thought process and strategy.

Onsite

The onsite is the last stage in Smartcar’s interview process. It differs for each role, so we will give you more details over the phone beforehand.

All onsites are usually between 4 to 5 hours long. You will have a chance to meet the hiring manager again, a few members of your team, and most likely a member of a different team to get a full picture of our culture.

Pro Tip: Make sure to use this time to interview us as well!

References

After the onsite, our team will huddle, reflect on all the interviews, and decide whether we’d like to move forward with an offer. Before we extend the final job offer, we will ask you for two references who have worked with you in the past - one manager and one co-worker. We will reach out to them and briefly speak with them about their experiences working with you, your ability to work in teams, and your ability to handle stressful situations. Once reference calls are completed, the team will discuss the feedback and decide whether to extend an offer!

Offer

Congrats, Smartcar is giving you a job offer! Now it’s on you to decide whether our company and the role are a good fit for you, and whether you’d like to accept.

Pro Tip: Don’t hesitate to reach out to the recruiting team, the hiring manager, and the team members who interviewed you, in case you have any questions or need advice. We hope that you’ll make the decision that’s right for you, and we’re excited if you join our team!

How to prepare

Like with so many things in life, being well-prepared for a job interview can go a long way. To familiarize yourself with Smartcar, learn more about who we are and what we do: