How to Interview at KAYAK
So you want to help people experience the world by creating their favorite travel tools. We get it — it's awesome to do what we do every day.
But do you have what it takes to be part of KAYAK? This guide will help you figure it out.
First, how do I apply?
Look at our careers page and apply directly within the job description. If you were referred to us by a current KAYAK employee, please put their name in your resume. Our hiring managers will review each submission and reach out to potential candidates within 24 hours to 1 week.
Tip #1: Applying for multiple roles will not increase your chances of being hired -- or even of being called in for an interview. We recommend applying for the one position you think is the best fit.What is KAYAK looking for?
One look at our team and you'll quickly realize there isn't a "typical" KAYAK personality. Sure, we're hard workers who value critical thinking and quick turn-around. But we're also artists, musicians, hikers, gamers, champion foosball players (if office tournaments count) and more. There are 3 values, however, that we all share: be bold, love numbers and win as one. When you're a part of KAYAK, we want you to challenge convention, use data to inform your decisions and work as a team.
The Interview.
Congratulations. Your resume got our attention. And, if you applied for an engineering job, we liked what you did in our coding challenge. Here's how our interview process works, as well as a few tips to help you along the way:
Step 1: Phone call with one of our talent specialists.
"Hello, it's me." We've determined that you look great on paper, but how do you sound in real life? First, we may schedule a quick phone/Skype call. During our chat, we'll ask you some questions to get to know you better. Tell us about your work history, what makes you a great fit and what expectations you have for the job. Have you ever used KAYAK before? Why are you interested in KAYAK? Do you have strong opinions on our signature orange? Now's the time to let us know.
Tip #2: Be yourself and remember that first impressions count.
Step 2: In-person interviews.
Your goal here is to unpack all the expertise you bring to the table.
Here's what to expect for this interview:
- Questions about your professional background and experience.
- Questions about the required skills listed in the job description.
- A challenge. We want to see what you're made of.
For potential engineers, the process can be a bit more involved, and may include:
- Questions on algorithms.
- Whiteboard coding exercises.
- Between 2 to 4 hours of chatting time. You can expect to talk to 2 to 4 people from the engineering team, each for 30 to 45 minutes.
Depending on the position you're applying for, there may be one or two rounds of these interviews. Take it as an opportunity to meet your potential future co-workers.
These interviews will either be performed via video conference or in person at one of our offices.
Don't forget to ask us any questions you might have. You're interviewing us just as much as we're interviewing you. We want to make sure that KAYAK is the right destination for you.
Tools Our Engineers Use:
- Website: Javascript, HTML, React, Less.
- Back-end: Java, Spring, SQL, HTTP, XML, JSON, Big data (Hadoop, Hive).
- Data Engineering Team: Python, Java, Hive and Pig, and Scala with Spark.
Our iOS app is written in Swift, while our Android app in Kotlin. Our mobile web is written in Typescript with Angular framework and Webpack for building.
Step 3: The wait.
Resist the urge to check your email 1,000 times/day and wondering if maybe llama husbandry is a viable career path.
Step 4: Final offer.
Congratulations, you're in. Now, let's get to work helping people experience the world by creating their favorite travel tools.