Vrbo Interview Questions
& Process

The interview process here is quite something, and now I see why they have bad reviews. It started with HR, which was fine. Then came the manager interview, followed by a math test (mostly equations) and a cognitive test. The final stage was a presentation where you had to create your own scenario since no roleplay was provided. During the presentation, they asked some really odd questions that seemed impossible to answer without inside knowledge. They also wanted me to create a performance scenario for my accounts, making up numbers and referencing past performance for accounts I hadn't even managed yet. After this hour-long presentation, they still hit me with the 'standard behavior questions.' Honestly, the whole thing felt unnecessarily difficult for the company and the salary offered. And that math test? Still clueless about its purpose.

It was a pretty quick process even though it involved 3 interviews. First, an online interview where I had to answer 5 questions, with two tries to record a video response. They give you notice and explain how it works so you can prepare a bit before the deadline to answer and submit. Once you pass this, they'll call to schedule a BlueJeans interview, which lasts about 45 minutes, and in my case, it was with a team lead. In between the first two interviews, there was a short call with the HR person handling my application to assess my English level. Finally, the in-person interview. Since I was living in Germany, we arranged for me to travel to the Madrid offices for this. The company covered my travel expenses. The interview was with one of the managers on my team, and they allocate 3-4 hours for it. After the interview, which lasted about an hour and a half, you stay with the team to see how things work. After the interview is done, they'll call within a certain time to let you know if you've been selected. In my case, they sent the contract online. Overall, the company's selection process seems good and they provide good communication, as they don't leave you waiting long wondering how you did in each interview; they quickly let you know the outcome or if they need more time or anything else.

Got referred by a friend. Recruiter set up a quick 15-20 min call. Then, I had a phone interview that was split into two parts. The first 30 minutes were behavioral and some general Spring questions. The second part involved a coding challenge on Codepair, specifically the spiral matrix problem. The onsite involved an NDA and four 1-hour interviews. The first interview started with a 15-minute chat about Vrbo and my experience, then moved to a technical question about efficiently storing data using basic types. The second interview was a LeetCode medium array problem. The third interview covered a small system design, a tree algorithm, and some Java/Spring tech questions. The fourth interview was half behavioral and half Object-Oriented Design (OOD), though I didn't get enough time on the OOD part.

The overall interview process was good, and I want to share some feedback as a genuine area for improvement, not because I didn't get the role. I interviewed for the Sr. Data Insight Analyst position. The process really tests all of a candidate's skills. It started with an HR call, followed by a video call with the hiring manager which involved brainstorming and problem-solving questions, acting as a good first filter. Then there was a rigorous, time-bound SQL technical coding round, another great filter for strong SQL skills. The final onsite round is where the feedback comes in. The case interview was exhausting, time-consuming, and lengthy; the company needs to realize this is tough for full-time employees looking for a change. I was asked to prepare a 30-40 minute presentation, leaving the rest for questions. 30 minutes is a lot of time and requires a lot of work to go deep into details, not just a summary, especially when the audience is non-technical and you need to balance depth and summary. I received constructive feedback that I touched on all points but gave the conclusion less time. I think when meeting all requirements, a candidate will naturally spend more time covering points before concluding. Another key point: I was told that after clearing the tech screening, the case interview would carry 60-70% weightage, not the onsite technical interview. However, I was later informed I was rejected solely based on feedback from the onsite technical interview. Regarding the technical onsite interview, after live coding in the screening, most onsite technical interviews focus on thought process and algorithm design, not live coding itself, like at other major tech companies. This was different; in a 40-minute interview, the interviewer had 1-2 printed pages of questions, which took significant time to read carefully. I wanted to ensure I read them and asked clarifying questions before solving. While this is good practice with most employers, I was rejected for 'taking help and asking questions to reach the final solution.' I was also asked to create Tableau charts on the fly on the interviewer's laptop. I took a moment to adjust to the new computer and understand the request, and vocalized that it was slow due to being a new machine. However, I received feedback that I 'needed help to reach the solution,' even though I reached the correct solution within the limited time. These questions were quite simple, and I work on more complex SQL and Tableau problems regularly; the SQL screening was tougher. What I want to stress is that candidates are rejected even if they reach the correct results. Most employers understand that interview settings aren't always optimal and usually don't reject candidates just for asking questions. My recommendations are: 1) If Tableau calculations are important, conduct them as part of the technical screening, as live coding is better suited for take-home assignments or tech screenings, not in-person interviews. 2) If you want candidates to work extremely hard for the case interview, deeming it most important, uphold that statement. 3) Please evaluate a candidate's thinking not just as a manager but also as an analyst; it's unrealistic to do a 30-40 minute presentation without covering all points. 4) There might be a communication issue, but ensure HR and the Hiring team are aligned.