How to get a job at Uber: Almaz Rakhimbekov's experience

Almaz Rakhimbekov, 36 years old, city — Amsterdam, Staff Infrastructure Engineer, LinkedIn

About Me

My wife and I are raising three children. My work involves computer networks, cloud technologies, and their security. I also work in DevNetOps — a field where networking and automation intersect.

I have been working as a Staff Infrastructure Engineer at Uber’s Amsterdam office since June 2022. Uber is a technology company that develops services for passenger transportation, food delivery, and freight logistics, using advanced algorithms and big data analytics.

How to Join Uber

I learned about the Senior Network Engineer vacancy through a notification on LinkedIn and applied immediately. Soon, company representatives contacted me, and the interview process began.

First of all, I was lucky to be contacted. Hundreds of candidates with strong resumes usually apply for such positions. In addition to my background being a perfect match for the job description, I believe my prompt response played a role.

A Talent Acquisition Manager contacted me, explained the vacancy, interview stages, and asked questions about my experience and expectations. Then, I was scheduled for a one-hour screening interview via Zoom. A member of the team I was applying to joined this call. Typically, such interviews discuss previous experience, projects the candidate has worked on, their current company and role, as well as the technological stack they possess. In some cases, there may be questions requiring deeper technical insight.

After successfully passing the screening, I was scheduled for four one-hour interviews: three technical and one behavioral. The topics for the technical interviews were sent to the candidate in advance to allow for preparation. For example, I had an interview on Data Center and Backbone Architecture.

During the technical interviews, questions requiring detailed analysis were asked, and my knowledge and experience in relevant technologies were assessed. In the behavioral interview, we discussed my soft skills, approach to problem-solving, teamwork, and reactions to various work situations.

After successfully completing these stages, I was scheduled for a final interview with the manager. It focused on discussing my potential contribution to the team, my long-term career goals, and expectations for working at the company.

The entire process was intensive but well-structured, allowing for an objective assessment of my skills and fit for the role.

Tips for those who want to join an international company:

1. Act immediately. If you like a vacancy, do not delay — apply right away, fill out questionnaires, and send your resume. The faster you respond, the higher the chance that your resume will be reviewed.
   
2. Prepare several versions of your resume. Ideally, have two or three versions highlighting your experience in different areas. Depending on the job requirements, choose the most relevant resume.
   
3. Leverage networking. If you have friends or acquaintances at the company you are applying to, ask them to recommend you. In many international companies, at least 35% of employees are hired through referral programs. When a familiar person recommends you, they can further highlight your strengths, increasing the chances of a successful review.

My tips for successfully passing interviews:

1. Choose the nearest interview slots. When offered several time and date options, choose the closest ones. Do not postpone interviews for too long. There is a possibility that five to seven candidates will be selected for the next round, and your interview might be postponed. A quick response to an interview offer helps demonstrate your interest.
2. Do not forget about the behavioral interview. In addition to technical interviews, the behavioral interview plays a crucial role. I know many cases where candidates with excellent technical knowledge failed to pass the behavioral interview. Such interviews assess not only your knowledge but also your ability to work in a team, resolve conflicts, handle stress, and approach tasks. As I mentioned earlier, it is important to demonstrate your soft skills and ability to adapt and interact with colleagues.
3. Study the company, its culture, and mission to show during the interview that you understand what the company does and how your work fits into the bigger picture. Also, prepare examples from your past experience that will help demonstrate your skills in real-life situations.
4. Try to remain calm and confident in your abilities. Answers to questions should be clear and structured. It is important that you can not only answer the question but also explain how you arrived at the solution, if necessary.

Work Features

My position as a Staff Engineer implies that I work on large projects that extend beyond my team and impact other departments within the organization. Currently, I am leading several such projects, but unfortunately, I cannot share details.

The key aspect of these projects is having an impact. Impact can vary: in some cases, it is measured by cost savings, and in others, by creating tools that make work easier for other employees and save their time. It is important that projects adhere to SMART principles: they must be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.

Uber is a leading technology company where talented engineers from around the world work, and we use tools and technologies following the Best Practices principle. In addition to standard solutions, we use and develop internal products created specifically to meet our company’s needs. These tools help us optimize processes and maintain high work standards.

The main challenges in my position are related to the fact that projects are often complex and require detailed attention. It is important to consider the interests of many stakeholder teams with whom constant communication is necessary. Moreover, the cost of failure for these projects can be high, making the responsibility even more significant.

At the Staff Engineer level, a strong combination of hard and soft skills is required, as well as basic business skills, to effectively manage projects and interact with other departments of the company. 

In a company like Uber, there are many opportunities for professional development. Working among true professionals, you naturally start raising your own level. This inspires continuous self-improvement and skill enhancement. For example, a bright example of my professional growth was my promotion: I started my career as a Senior Engineer, but in less than two years, I was able to get a promotion and become a Staff Engineer. This process was possible not only due to the support of my team and manager but also due to access to new knowledge and technologies that Uber provides to its employees. 

Working in an international team has its own features, and one of the main ones is cultural diversity. The team consists of people with different experiences, approaches to problem-solving, and even communication styles. This can be both an advantage and a challenge, as it is important to consider different points of view and adapt to different work processes.

Effective communication at different levels is also important, as time differences and geographical distance can create difficulties in synchronizing work. Therefore, clear communication channels, flexibility, and the ability to work in a distributed environment are necessary for successful work.

Furthermore, in an international team, it is important to be open to learning and sharing experience, which helps to adapt and develop faster, considering that each team member brings a unique perspective and knowledge.

Advantages and disadvantages of working in an international team compared to a local one:

1. High competition for promotion. One of the significant disadvantages of working in international companies is considered to be high competition for promotion, as highly qualified specialists from around the world work in an international company. This can make career growth more difficult and require more time and effort.
   
2. Time difference and geographical distance. Sometimes the difficulty lies in the need to synchronize work processes with colleagues from other time zones, which can lead to delays and communication difficulties.

In my opinion, for success in my field, a combination of several key factors is important:

1. Technical knowledge and skills. It is important to constantly develop your hard skills, deepening your knowledge.
   
2. Teamwork, leadership qualities, and communication. The ability to work effectively in a team, as success depends not only on technical aspects but also on how you work with people. It is important to develop soft skills: time management skills, stress resistance, decision-making ability, and leadership qualities.
   
3. Strategic thinking. It is necessary to understand how your actions and decisions affect the company as a whole. The ability to think strategically and make decisions that support the company’s long-term goals is an important element for career growth and success in the technology field. 

About Life Abroad 

In 2016, when I was working at Kazakhtelecom, I was offered a job at Juniper Networks. At that time, I had no plans to change my country of residence. However, for the sake of gaining valuable experience, I decided to try my luck, accepted the position, and moved to the Netherlands. Later, I moved my family here as well.

It is better to find a job first or move first; in my opinion, it largely depends on qualifications and the specifics of the profession. If your specialty is in demand on the international market, it is probably easier to find a job in another country first. For example, in the Netherlands, tax benefits are offered for five years for highly qualified specialists, making relocation more attractive and beneficial.

However, for some professions, it may be more reasonable to move first and then look for a job on the spot. This depends on specific circumstances, preparation level, and field of activity.

I am sure that all international companies, including Uber, offer various relocation packages to their new employees from abroad, which help make the relocation process as comfortable as possible. These packages may include assistance with housing search, organizing visa issues, help with family document processing, and other conveniences.

However, since I accepted the offer while already in the Netherlands, I did not use this package.

I notice several differences in approaches to work and corporate culture when comparing work in an international company like Uber with my experience in Kazakhstan.

1. In international companies, initiative is encouraged, and people are expected to proactively solve problems, propose new ideas, and take responsibility. In my home country, the approach may have been more hierarchical, where decisions were often made at a higher level, and employees followed clear instructions.
2. Flexibility in work processes: In international companies, there is often more flexibility in approaches to task execution, especially regarding remote work and flexible schedules. This is particularly relevant in countries like the Netherlands, where work-life balance is valued. 

A few tips for those planning to live and work abroad:

1. Living and working abroad can be associated with a sense of uncertainty in the first period. Be prepared for cultural differences and a new work style, and be open to changes. Get used to changes and remain flexible during the adaptation process.
2. When moving to countries such as the USA, Canada, or Australia, it is important to consider the time difference and the high cost of flights. This can complicate frequent visits to relatives and friends in Kazakhstan. The time difference can affect communication, and expensive flights can make trips less frequent. These factors should be considered when making the decision to relocate and being prepared for long periods without the ability to see loved ones.