The document outlines Uber's interview process and provides tips for preparing. The five step interview process includes: 1) a phone interview, 2) an analytics or writing test, 3) a happy hour, 4) an in-person panel interview, and 5) a final presentation. Interview questions assess skills in areas like marketing, PR, analytics, strategy, and product design. The document recommends frameworks for answering different types of questions, such as using the Big Picture framework for marketing questions and the STAR method for behavioral questions.
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Uber Interview Questions and Process: How to Pass Easily
1. 1
Crack
the
Uber
Interview
PDF
With plans to hire over 1,000 employees this year, Uber is looking for the best
and the brightest. And they're backing that up with a intimidating interview
process that could include:
• Writing assignments
• Excel Analytics tests
• Challenging case interview questions
To help you succeed, Sarah Brown, the author of How to Ace the Uber
Interview, and I have put together our thoughts on what you can expect for the
interview process and some tips in how to prepare:
WHAT
TO
EXPECT
WITH
THE
UBER
INTERVIEW
PROCESS
According to our research and discussions with Uber candidates, Uber's
interview process has five steps:
• Phone interview
• Timed Analytic Test or Creative Writing Test
• Happy Hour
• In-Person Panel Interview
• Final Presentation
UBER'S
PHONE
INTERVIEW
Scheduled normally with the Uber recruiter, the recruiter assesses the
candidate's interest in and knowledge of Uber. The recruiter also assesses the
candidate's experience, skills, and communication ability.
Example questions include:
• Tell me about yourself?
• Why do you want to join Uber?
2. 2
UBER'S
TIMED
ANALYTICS
TEST
OR
CREATIVE
WRITING
TEST
SEE ALSO: How to Ace Uber's Analytics Test with Answers
If are applying for the following roles, Uber will likely give you their Excel
analytics test:
• Operations and Logistics
• General Manager
• Associate General Manager
• Marketing Manager
If you are applying for the following roles, Uber will likely give you their creative
writing test:
• Marketing Manager
• Community Manager
Candidates receiving the Excel analytics test will get an email with 2 .CSV files
to download and given a 2 hour timed online test to take using Microsoft Excel.
Example questions for the Excel test include:
• What hour of the day had the most completed trips?
• What is the percentage of all of the eyeballs that occurred on Fridays?
• Use the data to determine when the best end-of-day is for drivers?
For those who are assigned the creative writing test, you might be asked to draft
a blog post that addresses a real-world Uber scenario such as "How would you
write a blog post that communicates a new Uber driver commission schedule?"
Other examples for the creative writing test include:
• My Uber driver turned a 1 mile trip into a 10 mile trip. Uber sucks. I want a full
refund or else I will blog about this experience.
• I was leaving Sydney and a hostage crisis situation. I got SURGED. Are you
kidding me?
3. 3
• I ordered an UberBLACK for a special engagement proposal. The driver never
showed up. I will never use UBER again.
UBER'S
HAPPY
HOUR
Some candidates report that they've been invited to a happy hour. At the happy
hour, there are approximately 100 candidates and 25 and 30 Uber employees.
It's an opportunity for Uber employees to know candidates better and evaluate
fit.
Alternatively, some candidates report that, instead of a happy hour, they were
invited to a second phone interview with similar questions and objectives as the
first one.
UBER’S
IN-‐PERSON
PANEL
INTERVIEW
The in-person interview can last for 2 to 5 hours. They're also usually in panel
format, ranging from 2 to 4 people per panel.
Numerous candidates have shared that they rarely have an opportunity to make
personal connections before tackling challenging case or technical questions.
UBER
FINAL
PRESENTATION
At the last panel interview, candidates are often asked to:
• Choose a topic
• Create a PowerPoint presentation
• Email it to the panel within 24 hours
UBER
INTERVIEW
QUESTION
TYPES
TO
EXPECT
Many open Uber roles have general manager-type responsibilities; that is, the
candidate has to wear several different hats including:
• Operations
• Strategy
• Public Relations
• Marketing
• Data Analysis
4. 4
As a result, the case interview questions can span all of these domains, making
Uber's interview process one of the more challenging and feared processes
around.
MARKETING
Uber probes for marketing aptitude by looking for candidates with tactical
creativity and strategic thinking. Example questions include:
• An Uber competitor opens with unlimited cash capital. If you were them, how
would you steal Uber’s customers? If you were Uber, how would you
convince drivers not to leave?
• If we ask you to find us 100 new drivers this month, describe what steps you
would take?
PUBLIC RELATIONS
Uber test candidates' ability to handle tricky PR situations by evaluating
communication skills and ability to propose plans that minimize negative
consumer reactions. Example questions include:
• If there is a hostage crisis and Uber surge pricing kicks-in, users are angry as
they are charged extra - what would you do?
• How should you respond to the city official claiming that Uber disadvantages
older drivers unfamiliar with technology?
ANALYTICAL: ROI
Uber is looking for candidates ability to identify vital metrics, calculate numbers,
explain results, and have suitable recommendations. An example question:
• An Uber driver makes $20/ride with a 20% commission. How do you
convince him to upgrade to a new made-up service with a 25% commission?
What costs will the driver incur in upgrading? How much more will he have to
make each week?
5. 5
ANALYTICAL: METRICS
Uber wants candidates who can understand the success of a product, interpret
test results and make decisions. Example questions include:
• Which of the following metrics would be most valuable for determining
demand?
• What are the most important metrics for determining supply?
STRATEGY
Uber is looking for candidates who have the ability to make proposals backed
by evidence, use specifics and details that stay factual. Example questions
include:
• What would you do if a competitor undercut Uber’s pay split with the drivers?
Hypothetically, Uber’s is 80/20 and theirs is 90/10.
• What obstacles do you expect to experience if you bring Uber to your city?
What are your proposed solutions?
BEHAVIORAL QUESTIONS
These types of questions are the best predictors for employee success. Uber is
looking for candidates credibility, likeability and their ability communicate clearly
An example question:
• Provide an example of when you processed data via Excel and what the
outcome was? What data were you processing?
SITUATIONAL QUESTIONS
By asking these types of questions, Uber is looking for how candidates
knowledge of how to deal with a certain situation, have they dealt with it before,
and how well do they deal with it. Example questions include:
• What would you do on your first day?
6. 6
• How do you handle working with people who are extremely upset or not
happy with you or your company?
PRODUCT DESIGN
Uber is looking for the candidates ability to successfully answer product design
questions and come with with creative and insightful solutions. I recommend
using the CIRCLES Method™ to answer product design questions. Here's an
example question:
• Tell us about an app feature you’d like fixed?
GO-TO-MARKET
Uber is testing the candidate’s ability to create a plan and communicate that
plan effectively. For instance, Uber might ask you the following:
• Uber drops you in a new market (i.e. Oklahoma City) and you have two weeks
until you open - go! What do you do?
ODDBALL
Some questions may seem to out of left-field, but really uber is looking for the
candidates ability to communicate effectively, think quickly on their feet, and
develop creative and interesting answers. Here's an example question:
• How would you find the words that become obsolete in the English language
between the 16th and 17th Century?
TRIVIA
Uber is testing the candidates knowledge of company and the products. Here's
an example Question:
• What is the difference between UberX and UberPop?
7. 7
HOW
TO
PREPARE
FOR
THE
UBER
INTERVIEW
To prepare the the Uber Interview, I would recommend you use the following
frameworks:
MARKETING
For the marketing case interview, I'd recommend developing a marketing plan
using The Big Picture Framework. It has nine different parts, but to simplify, we
can condense the Big Picture Framework into three main categories.
This framework works, whether it's for Uber, or as one of the question's listed
here denotes, for Uber's competitor.
• Goals (I). What are the business and marketing goals? Is it to increase profits
or more likely, to drive market share? How much time do you have to achieve
the goal, and what are the core competencies to emphasize? Thinking in
terms of the marketing funnel, should the marketing plan focus on
awareness? Or is it to drive trial?
• Customer Strategy (II). What are the possible customer segments? Which
segment is ideally suited for us? And what value proposition will resonate
with them?
• Marketing Tactics (III). What are optimal channels to target the customer?
Online or offline? What advertising and promotional ideas should we
consider? Do we have any say in the product pricing or product offering?
If you're looking for more marketing case practice questions or more information
about the Big Picture marketing framework, I'd recommend this book, Rise
Above the Noise: How to Stand Out at the Marketing Interview.
PR INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
For PR interview questions, your response must cover the basics:
• What is the new product or policy change?
• How is it going to affect the reader? How do you use the product?
8. 8
• Why is this beneficial?
• Who will the affect?
• When will this product or change go live?
The italics are mine. As many of you will recognize, the italics emphasizes
the Five Ws, which every good PR communique addresses. For company
blunders, suggest this 5 step framework and discuss a time when you
successfully applied it:
1. Quickly apologize for the mistake
2. Contact everyone who is affected by the issue
3. Investigate what is happening
4. Implement long-term remedies
5. Communicate throughout the process
ANALYTICAL: ROI
For analytical ROI questions, they revolve around breakeven analysis. We've
included the breakeven formula here. If you're looking for more
breakeven practice problems, check out Interview Math: Over 50 Problems and
Solutions for Quant Case Interview Questions.
Breakeven Analysis
• Profits = Revenue - Costs
• Revenue = Price * Quantity
• Costs = Fixed Costs - Variable Costs
• Variable Costs = Cost per unit * Quantity
BEHAVIORAL QUESTIONS
Lastly, for behavioral interview questions, you can use the popular STAR
method.