How Uber hires early career talent with Hannah Knowles

Why does Uber value early career talent?

Hannah: Innovation is in our DNA at Uber and we're constantly reimagining the way the world moves which is why it’s important to bring in early career talent. Our ‘Drive Your Growth’ philosophy is Uber's unique approach to development, designed to motivate and inspire employees to take the wheel and navigate their own personalised career path at Uber.

By investing in early career talent, we provide them an opportunity to learn and grow while also benefiting from their unique insights and fresh perspectives. 

What is the hiring process for early career talent at Uber?

Hannah: It’s important that anyone interested in joining Uber understands our mission and our values. We want you to resonate with them, to want to come here and do your best to live them each day. Understanding your perspective on our mission and values through the interview, along with your functional knowledge, is an important part of getting to know you, and you getting to know us.

Given the variety of roles within Uber, our hiring process can differ between teams but typically involves 3-5 steps;  An initial conversation with a Talent Acquisition Partner, a conversation with the Hiring Manager followed by a case study exercise. For some roles, there is also an online assessment which helps us understand a candidate's functional knowledge and problem-solving approach. 

Your Talent Acquisition Partner will be with you every step of the way, providing you with tips & tricks, and resources to help you prepare and feedback after each interview. 

How do you build a strong employer brand for early career talent at Uber?

Hannah: We develop inspiring stories that show who we are and what it’s really like to work at Uber. These give talent an inside look at our vision for the future and the real deal about what it’s like to work here from real employees. We share these stories on our Careers Blog, LinkedIn, and other social platforms.

Do you have any tips for people in their early careers when they're applying for roles to stand out?

Hannah: The first tip that comes to mind is your resume. This is the very first interaction and initial impression that we can have of you. While it might be tempting to dress up your CV with fancy fonts and graphics, it’s much more compelling to have a clean, simple design and layout. It’s so important to make sure it’s up-to-date and tailored to the specific role in which you are applying.

Another tip is to make sure you have read through the job description and have specific questions ready to ask your Talent Acquisition Partner. Remember, as much as we are interviewing you, you’re also assessing if we align with your career goals and aspirations. Candidates who really stand out are the ones that are curious about our mission and values and can connect that to their own motivation for applying to Uber. 

How do you provide insights into the culture at Uber for candidates?

Hannah: We share information through various channels. When interviewing, candidates can choose to come onsite to get a feel of the office environment and culture. They will meet with a number of employees during the process and have the opportunity to ask questions not only about the position but also life at Uber. 

One of our values is ‘Great Minds Don’t Think Alike’, we showcase this on all of our job descriptions as well as highlighting all of our values on our website, in our offices and by making them part of the hiring process. Our Uber values serve as our guiding principles and it is important that we attract and hire candidates who will support and enhance our values and culture.

Learn more about life at Uber

There is no doubt that life at Uber is a great move for early career folk who want to be a part of a globally impactful team. Uber’s focus on employer brand and company values throughout the hiring process is inspiring for many other high-growth teams. 

Read more about life at Uber and keep an eye out for new roles at Uber on Hatch.