GuideSpark Interview Questions
& Process

The interview process was unnecessarily long, likely due to incompetence. It took about 4 months from the first interview to receiving an offer. There were around 6 interviews involving a total of 10 people. I noticed someone hired for the same role the following year had only about 4 interviews and was hired within two weeks. It's no wonder that department struggled and was eventually sold.

So I've interviewed people for GuideSpark and also been interviewed myself, so I know the drill. Usually, it starts with a recruiter call, then the hiring manager gives you a call, and they'll want to see a writing sample and a writing test. If they dig your sample and test, and the manager is feeling you, you'll come in for like a 3-4 hour session at the office with a bunch of people from the team. Back in my day, it was definitely more people than you'd need to meet. Usually, it's 4 team members, then the manager, then the director, and if they're really into you, the VP. They're really trying to see if you're a 'cultural fit,' which in Silicon Valley means you work super hard, play well with others, and are generally a fun person. I've seen colleagues get way too intense, grilling candidates who are already more than qualified. So my advice is to push back and ask them hard questions too. Remember, you're interviewing them as much as they're interviewing you. A lot of new hires are shocked by how much they're asked to do, and often get frustrated with the software, old processes, and feeling like they're doing repetitive, uncreative work. So don't hold back on asking about their workflow, how much creative freedom they have, and what kind of hours they expect. Ask the team members what their WORST experience has been at GuideSpark. Oh, and ask to see a demo of the backend. All that said, it's a decent company that really tries to create a good work environment. They might miss the mark on some small things, but most folks end up pretty happy here.

The interview process was similar to what others have described. I had a phone interview scheduled quickly, which seemed scripted. They asked about my work status in the U.S. and then mentioned it was an on-location-only role. When it came to the rate, I stated my desired rate, and they immediately responded that it wouldn't work. They offered $20 an hour with expected long days, 60 to 70 hours a week. What was strange was that the job was advertised on Glassdoor with a range of $45,000 to $75,000 per year, which felt like a bait and switch. I think they forgot their location in Silicon Valley, one of the most expensive places to live in the U.S.

I applied for the job and a few days later HR emailed me to set up a phone screening with the recruiter. The screening happened a few days after that and went well. Then I had a phone interview with a senior team member, which also went well. After that, HR set up face-to-face interviews. I had four 30-minute interviews with the marketing team and a sales team member. A day or two later, they asked me back for more interviews, including meeting the CEO and sitting in on their WINs meeting. That day I met another marketing person, a VP, the CEO, and had another chat with the VP of Marketing. After the WINs meeting, I got the job offer and was asked to start the next week. They move fast if they like you!