SpotHero takes a squad approach to hiring. According to Kate Owens, a senior product manager who was interviewed by Built In Chicago in October, that means engineers work in cross-functional teams made up of a product manager, engineering manager, product designer and engineers, with team members potentially based in different countries and time zones.
Owens said the SpotHero engineering team is crucial to the work of the company’s product team.
“I can’t turn ideas into action without my engineering partners,” Owens said. “I bring engineers into the planning process as early as possible so that we can gain a mutual understanding of the problems we’re choosing to solve.”
Along with the nuts and bolts of the team structure, understanding the company’s approach to learning and development is also important if growth is one of your professional goals. Ieshe Washington, a senior engineering manager, told Built In Chicago back in June that the company has a culture of mentorship and knowledge-sharing between teams, which helps employees grow.
“In engineering, we developed a pair programming mentorship program in which mentees can either develop skills required to eventually transition into a new position or get cross-functional exposure, allowing them to discover new skills that give them broad understanding,” Washington said.
If the above matches your work style and professional goals, then there’s just one thing left to do before you apply. Continue reading to hear from Margarita Diaz, an IT manager, about the company’s hiring process.
What initially drew you to apply for an engineering role at SpotHero?
I was looking for an opportunity that would be focused on the person, their well-being and career progression, in addition to the type of work I would be doing. A position and work environment that better suited my work-life balance needs was one of my top priorities.
When a tech talent partner from SpotHero reached out to me on LinkedIn, I had just updated my profile to open for new opportunities. I did my due diligence and checked out SpotHero reviews on Built In and Glassdoor and read a number of online articles. Overall, I was impressed with the reviews. I also noticed that their total rewards package included generous healthcare benefits and PTO, access to a learning budget and a flexible work model that met my work-life balance needs.
In addition, it helped that I have seen many SpotHero signs around the city. As someone who grew up in LA and feared searching for parking, it was nice to know there was an app to take the stress out of it.
When applying, express why you are excited about the opportunity and what you want to learn or accomplish.”
What was the hiring process like, and how was it different from other experiences you've had?
I was one of the quickest I have ever experienced. Most times, you have a process that can take weeks before an offer is extended. The tech talent partner I was working with scheduled me for an introductory call, four interviews — with a total of seven people — and a meeting with the chief technology officer all in two weeks, or nine business days to be exact. I was then extended an offer. The tech talent partner always kept me up to date on where I was in the process so there was no room for me to wonder what was happening on the back end.
All of my interviews were virtual, but if I was able to come into the office it would have sealed the deal even more. Our Chicago office is in a great spot in the Loop right above Revival Food Hall, with cold brew on tap and fully loaded with snacks. Every time I come into the office I can expect a warm and welcoming environment, fun conversations, collaboration and laughs. And since we have a flexible work model I’m able to work from home if I need to.
What advice would you give to fellow engineers thinking about applying for one of your team's open roles?
When applying, express why you are excited about the opportunity and what you want to learn or accomplish. Because we create space for life for all of our people, we don’t solely focus on a set of skills. We want to know what the whole person will add to the team and the entire organization.
Additionally, remain open to different opportunities during the interview process. Sometimes your skills may be better suited for a different position than the one you originally applied for. SpotHero’s tech talent partners are good at looking at the full landscape of every team and assessing what’s best for the candidate. They closely collaborate with hiring teams to make for a great candidate experience.
