Check out this article where we explain the Stripe interview process so you can go in with confidence.
Applying for jobs in the tech industry is not just about having the technical skills needed for the role. There is a lot of background that you need to take into consideration when preparing for your sessions with big tech companies and successful startups like Stripe.
At Pathrise, we have helped over 1,000 people land great jobs in tech and we have proven, data-backed tips for each step of the way. In addition, we know that there are a lot of similarities in the application and interview processes for these companies. Knowing this should help you prepare and go into your sessions with confidence. Below, we will outline the application and interview process for Stripe.
Stripe application process
Stripe has experienced great growth since they were in Y Combinator in 2010. In the past 11 years, they have raised hundreds of millions of dollars and hired over 2,500 employees. And they are continuing to grow extensively! You can find their openings on their Jobs page, where they have 1,250 open positions or on the larger job boards like LinkedIn. We always recommend that you spend time optimizing your LinkedIn profile before applying to roles on that platform because they share your profile when you submit an app.
When a company is hiring for so many positions, it means that you will have a lot of competition for the openings. Therefore, you cannot rely solely on sending an application into their online portal. Instead, you need to do more to get your application and resume seen. At Pathrise, we always work with job-seekers on sending compelling and concise cold emails or LinkedIn messages to recruiters and hiring managers along with their applications. This triples application response rates, on average, and leads to more interviews.
Cold emailing
Before you send a cold email, you need to find the right person to contact. Large companies like Stripe do not have team pages on their site, so head to LinkedIn to search for technical recruiters, high level team members, or managers. Then, look through these results for someone who has a connection to you. This connection will warm up your cold email or LinkedIn message. Maybe you both went to the same school, you are from the same hometown, or you have similar academic or professional interests. There are 476 results when you search “Stripe technical recruiter” on LinkedIn, so you should be able to find at least one person who has something in common with you.
You can also use our guide, which explains how to reach out to recruiters and includes a list with contact info for specific Stripe recruiters, based on the types of role they work on.
Once you find the right person, you can craft your cold email or message. Keep in mind: it should be brief, interesting, and polite. The other person is busy, so make sure you get to the point quickly and end the email with a clear call-to-action. Check out our cold email templates and information so you know what to say.
Stripe interview process
Stripe has established interview processes, which is great, because it means you can prepare for each step. Most tech companies follow the same or similar structures, which is helpful to know as you go into your sessions.
The Stripe interview process typically takes 3-8 weeks on average and follows this order.
Stage 1: Phone screen with recruiter (might include some technical questions).
Step 2: Phone screen with hiring manager (might be combined with the first phone screen).
Stage 3: 1-2 technical phone interviews with team members (one might be an at-home assignment).
Step 4: Onsite interview, which includes 5-6 rounds with each team. There are around 4 technical interviews per team and a lunch interview. The questions are technical, behavioral, and cross-functional.
How to prepare for these interviews
Most phone screens are typically brief and casual. However, they should be taken seriously because they are the gatekeeper to the rest of the interviews. For the most part, they want to get a sense of who you are and how your background relates. That is why they mainly ask questions about your experience, current role, and what you want with your next position. They also might ask a couple technical questions to ensure you have the right knowledge. The goal is for the recruiter to make sure you are the right type of candidate technically and behaviorally so you can move on with the process.
To prepare, you should research the company so you can learn about their mission, values, culture, and products. Even if you have interacted with Stripe products at stores and online, you should spend the time to understand the company as a whole as well as the products individually. You can find information on their About, Jobs, and Life at Stripe pages and then plan to insert what you learned into your responses. Check out our list of phone interview questions and answers to help you practice for your phone screens.
Technical and behavioral interviews
For your technical challenges and onsite technical interviews, you should make sure you are well-prepared by practicing the types of problems they will ask you. Mimic the environment as best you can. Usually, we suggest that you sit in a quiet room, use a whiteboard or online code editor (depending on how they will test you), and time yourself. For engineers, working with a partner in pair programming practice sessions can also be helpful. We have a list of Stripe interview questions that you can use to practice for software engineering, data science, product design, and product management interviews.
Once you go onsite, you will also have behavioral interviews, where you can put your research on company values and mission to work again. Prepare for these sessions by writing down your responses and practicing them in front of a mirror or with a partner. We have also compiled a list of behavioral interview questions from top tech companies that you can use to prepare.
Stripe offer process
Recruiters expect negotiation, so make sure you prepare as well. Stripe offers are on the very high end of the scale when compared to some of the other prestigious tech companies like Twitter, Facebook, and Amazon. Even so, prepare to negotiate so you don’t leave money (or benefits) on the table. Remember: compensation is more than just salary. It also includes equity, signing and relocation bonuses, PTO, and other benefits.
When you are applying and interviewing, never mention specific numbers or even salary ranges, if you can help it. If they ask, explain that you would like to do research on market rates or say, “Negotiable, within reason.” Check out our negotiation guide for more information on how to negotiate successfully, including an email template you can adapt.
For more specific information on how to get a job at top tech companies, check out our guides with interview processes, questions, values, and everything else you need.
Pathrise is an online mentorship program that works with students and professionals 1-on-1 so they can land their dream job in tech. With our tips and guidance, fellows in our program 3x their application response rate and double their interview scores.
If you want to work with any of our mentors 1-on-1 to optimize your applications, interviews, or with any other aspect of the job search, become a Pathrise fellow.
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