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 its 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
In short, Smartcar’s APIs allow auto insurers, car sharing businesses, and electric utility providers to connect with cars. Tracking vehicle locations, verifying mileage, sharing digital keys, and managing EV smart charging is available in-app via an effortless link to our software. If you’re interested in APIs, cars, software, 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 fully remote across all 50 states. Our team is incredibly smart and down to earth, and truly embodies Smartcar’s values: purpose, respect, empowerment, and balance. Each job posting includes who your immediate team members are as well as your manager.
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 phone call or video chat, including our final stage!
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 one 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.
Take-home assignment
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 a specified amount of days to complete it depending on the assignment.
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!
Assignment review
The review will take place with a member of our team. The team member has reviewed your challenge beforehand. They will ask you how you went about putting your assignment together, what was tough, what was easy, 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 assignment. You will be leading the conversation by explaining your thought process and strategy.
Final stage
The final stage is the last step in Smartcar’s interview process. It differs for each role, so we will give you more details over the phone beforehand. It is usually around 3 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 final stage, 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!
Pro tip: If you would like us to move even faster, feel free to send us the references before your final stage. We will not reach out without your permission.
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. Fun fact: we have a 92% offer acceptance rate!
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:
- Check out this video to get an overview of what Smartcar does
- Sign up for a developer account and try our demo app
- Meet the team!
- Follow us on social media: LinkedIn and Twitter
