Vulcan Interview Questions
& Process

I applied online and heard back for a phone screen. The recruiter was cool about scheduling. The phone screen gave me a good feel for the company and job. After that, I got called in for an in-person interview. They were again really helpful when I got there. The interviews were about 30 minutes each with 1-2 people from the team I'd be supporting. It was a good way to get to know the company and my future teammates. I felt like I got a solid picture of the company and what the work entails. The follow-up after the in-person was fast, and they kept in touch. I accepted the job and then had to do a background check. They were great at communicating while I waited for the results. All in all, the application process was good and I felt informed the whole way.

I was first contacted by Sue from the recruiting team last year. The process paused due to Paul Allen's passing, but we reconnected in 2019 when the role was re-posted. After reconnecting, here's what happened (my loop was a bit irregular because people were off): 1. Sue and I had a 1:1 to go over my background, the role details, and Vulcan overall. A big thing they ask is "why Vulcan," as the team really wants to know why folks want to join. 2. Then I met with 4 people from HR and recruiting. These were all separate 1:1 meetings, each lasting 30 minutes. Vulcan really values how recruiting and HR work closely together, so this was a chance to chat with important people. 3. After that, I had two more 1:1s, one with the head of technology and one with the head of HR. They wanted to see my potential as a recruiting partner and leader, and also check my executive-level interest in Vulcan. 4. The last meeting was with the head of recruiting, and it went a little over an hour. A few things made this a great experience: 1. Sue was a fantastic guide, super detail-oriented. She gave me helpful feedback and info, and always let me know what was next. 2. Things were scheduled fast and smoothly, which made it way less stressful than other interviews. 3. They were really open about everything! I got a clear picture of the role, where Vulcan is as a company, and how I'd work with everyone.

First, there was a phone chat with the recruiter. We talked about why I wanted to join Vulcan, my past work, what skills I could bring, and what I hoped to make. Then, I went in for an onsite interview. I met with four people from the department, all at different levels. They were all great and seemed engaged, even though they were really busy. One person was late because they had to drive across town, and another had to leave quickly for a meeting. It was pretty laid-back, just sitting and talking. They asked about why my skills would work for them and explained how they do things at this unique company. I had one more chat with a higher-up or department head because they weren't around for the first set of interviews. I think they had just started before me. After that, there was a few weeks' wait until they called with the offer. I guess it took so long because of new leadership getting up to speed on candidates. All in all, it was about two months from the first phone call to the final interview.

The interview process kicked off with an HR phone screening covering basic inquiries. This was followed by a call with the hiring manager. The final stage was an all-day in-person interview with seven interviewers. It was notable that they seemed to prefer former Microsoft employees. While it's described as a challenging workplace, the people are smart and engaging. There's a sense that upper management is still figuring things out. The entire process took about two months.