I applied online. The process took 2 weeks. I interviewed at Uber (Chicago, IL) in Dec 2013
Interview
I started by sending in my resume and cover letter. A bit later I received an email from the recruiter asking me to fill out a lengthy creative assignment. The biggest problem was the assignment was given to me the day before Thanksgiving and was due that Friday. Needless to say, I was working while in the airport. I was contacted the same day I turned in the assignment and was asked to have a Skype interview, on Sunday. I then came in the next day for an in-person interview and completed an assignment that required making up a new company with an app, you have 30 mins to complete it. (be sure to know KPI) I then was interviewed by three groups of employees which took only a few hours. All of the employees were easy to talk to but be ready to make up hard numbers (growth, expenses, etc.) about your new company. Over the next day I had two follow up phone interviews. I was given an offer on a Thursday afternoon and they wanted my answer by the next day. Things move very fast, which is great, but they leave little time for personal consideration of the position.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
You have 30 mins to make up a company that utilizes an app and answer questions such as KPI, customer service issues, marketing ideas and overall company structure.
I applied online. The process took 5 weeks. I interviewed at Uber in Nov 2013
Interview
I applied for Uber in late October. I was contacted by a recruiter, Tasha, about setting up a time to chat via Skype.
We spoke a few days later and she asked me about why I was interested in working for Uber and a little about my background. She gave me details about the company and the culture and particular role. She was very nice and professional. She said she'd like to move me onto the creative exercise that most have mentioned in their reviews.
I spent a lot of time on the creative exercise and really had fun with it. I do not think that they are just asking for free work. They have teams all over the country thinking of marketing ideas all day long - I highly doubt that anything I presented was completely revolutionary or hadn't been thought of before by at least someone there at one point.
I was invited to the next round of interviews after submitting my exercise after a few weeks of waiting. I was asked to do a phone interview with a local Community Manager the same day. She was also very nice and open and I could tell she really loved her job. She loved what I did with my exercise and asked me to talk through how I visualized some of it working and how it would drive sign ups and sales.
In the end, I wasn't moved forward and found out a few days after my second interview. I feel that it most likely came down to a culture clash as that is when I felt the shift in the conversation. The ideas and implementation discussion I felt went well, but when we talked about culture that is when we came upon some awkwardness.
When I spoke to the recruiter I was told to expect a 50 - 60 hour work week with some weekend work. A tight knit group and hard working atmosphere. I was totally on board and excited. I am in night school and she asked me about that. When I explained my class schedule, meeting twice a week in the evening in one month spurts, she did not seemed concerned about it conflicting with this position.
However, when I spoke to the specific city I'd be working for and their culture, she quoted me a work week of 8AM - 1AM M-F and then both all day Saturday and Sunday, most weekend nights, and all major holidays and that I would be on constantly 24/7. I was also told that when and if they get free time, they spend it with each other.
This also, is totally fine for them and I'm happy that they are super tight and really really love what they do, but not what I was looking for in my lifestyle. When I asked her to dig into that a little bit - like how they combat burn out - she said that you just have to really love it. As I highly value quality time with my husband, friends and find it necessary for my own health and well being to have a variety of activities, like my classes and teaching dance once a week in the evening, I think we both knew I would have been miserable in that position having to give all of that up.
However, I highly recommend applying for Uber. It sounded awesome and great for someone who is most likely at a different life stage than I am. They are a great company, everyone was super nice, honest, and the interview was friendly.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Given the limited information provided, what is the most Uber could offer in a promotion and make a profit within 6 months?