Updater Interview Questions
& Process

This interview was for MoveHQ (owned by Updater) and it included a phone call with the hiring manager. After that, there was an assessment called the "Team Experience" which I had to present to a panel of 5 people, including the hiring manager. This assessment is a presentation to show how I troubleshoot or escalate issues and they said there's no right or wrong answer, but I'm not sure about that. It felt like they were looking for specific answers. I'm not sure the "Team Experience" assessment is the best way to find the right person for the job. I think having another interview, maybe two, with the team would have been better to get to know me and my personality. This assessment didn't let my personality or sense of humor show. I felt like I wasn't a good cultural fit afterwards, and they probably noticed that too. So, I wasn't surprised I didn't get an offer. They all seemed nice, though.

The recruiter, Tabitha, was great and kept me informed all the way. The hiring process was a bit lengthy, with four total interviews. I didn't get the job because the company put a hiring freeze in place right after I finished everything. I'm glad they told me before offering, saving me from a layoff, but it still stung to put in over 10 hours for a role that got axed. The interviews were a phone screening, then a chat with the team lead, followed by interviews with the hiring managers, and finally an interview with the head of marketing. Everyone on the marketing team was awesome, making the interviews feel relaxed and like a conversation.

It was a multi-stage interview process, which is pretty typical for startups. I first had a phone screen with the recruiter, Brandi, who was really nice and personable. After that, I had a call with a customer manager. Then, I spoke with three other team members, each for about 20 minutes. I was unfortunately cut after the second call, which lasted an hour, even though it seemed like I was moving forward because the manager explained the next steps and a timeline. It was a bit of a surprise to then hear nothing for several days before getting a polite rejection email from the recruiter by the end of the week. I do appreciate the follow-up, but I wish they hadn't implied I was advancing. In hindsight, I realized it wasn't the right fit anyway because of the 24/7 rotating shifts, which should have been on the job post since it could be disruptive for some people. It felt like a waste of time to go through the initial calls and prep work, especially taking time off work, only to find out about the schedule so late. They asked questions focused on specific customer scenarios, which was tough because company structures and customer bases vary, making it hard to give satisfactory answers tailored to their methods. I think they should have focused more on my actual job skills and personality, as people can learn on the job if they're willing. It's not always feasible for a customer service rep to have examples of enacting change or implementing new policies, as they don't always influence their managers.

HR reached out to schedule a phone screen. Then went on to the next round which was a video interview with two other team members. Everyone was really nice, and asked really good questions. I felt each conversation had a focus point and everyone was really prepared. HR always followed up timely and was available to answer any questions I had. Overall, it was a positive interview experience even though I did not receive an offer.