trivago Interview Questions
& Process

HR reached out via email a week after I applied. Instead of an initial call, I was immediately given a case study, estimated to take 2-3 hours. Despite negative reviews, I completed it hoping for objective feedback. However, I received a rejection, stating they moved forward with candidates who could present deeper findings. This was frustrating because a presentation wasn't mentioned, and achieving deep insights in a few hours seemed impossible unless others used AI. Overall, a poor experience, especially given the trend of companies collecting free business ideas without providing explanations.

So, there were two people interviewing me. They introduced themselves, and then I went ahead. I had some personal questions, like why I picked this field, why data, and also about a career change shown on my CV. The technical part had mostly SQL questions, some Python, and general coding concepts. I had to share my screen and print some table elements using SQL, and also do something with the "SUM" operator and other things. Basically, if you can remember all the SQL syntax, you'll pass. They're looking for people with good memory, not necessarily problem-solving skills.

I applied online and had to answer some questions on video. First, there was a 30-minute recruiter call, followed by a take-home assignment that took a week to complete. Then, I had a 1-hour technical interview and finally a stakeholder interview. I didn't pass the technical interview stage, but the recruiter, Charlotte, was great – very responsive and helpful. The take-home task was enjoyable and had clear instructions. I received good feedback throughout. The technical interview was tough, especially the business questions since I hadn't worked in advertising before. However, the interviewers were professional and helped me answer them. The SQL part was standard, and the interviewer was really nice. I made some errors, so I wasn't surprised not to move forward. Charlotte provided detailed feedback, highlighting what I missed and what I did well. Overall, it was a positive experience, and I'd apply again.

Before you get to an actual interview, you have to work on a case study, which is very time-consuming (although a working time of 4 hours is specified). Of course, you want to put in the effort and deliver good results to be invited to the interview. However, one gets the impression that the results are not read thoroughly and no feedback is given. One wonders if this is really a trainee position. Are they really looking for an apprentice or are they just using the applicants as cheap labor? The evaluation should be better tailored to trainees in order to assess their skills and potential.