- Tesla received more than 3.6 million applications in 2022.
- Tesla's hiring process can include up to nine interviews, presentations, and possibly a letter to Elon Musk.
- Ten Tesla engineers explained the process in detail and gave tips on how to land a job at Musk's company.
Millions of people are lining up to work at Tesla.
The electric car maker announced that it received more than 3.6 million applications for 2022. But Tesla engineers say landing a role at Elon Musk's most famous company is no easy task.
Tesla's engineering hiring process can involve up to nine interviews, a series of tests, and even a letter to Musk himself.
Business Insider spoke to 10 current Tesla engineers about what it takes to work at the company. The employees spoke on condition of anonymity to protect their jobs, but their identities and roles at Tesla have been confirmed by BI.
Multiple engineers said it takes multiple attempts to land a role at the company, and the process can be painstaking. Typically, when applying for a new role externally, applicants need to start from the beginning of the process.
From start to finish, it can take up to six months to receive your offer letter.
The first step in the application process is pretty standard
Tesla typically sets up an interview with a recruiter or human resources representative after a successful application.
Tesla engineers can get started by submitting their resumes to the application form on Tesla's careers page, chatting with Tesla representatives at networking events, or having colleagues pass their resumes through our internal recommendation system. He said he had secured an interview.
“Sometimes you can actually see who you know at Tesla,” said one engineer who has worked at Tesla for six years. “It helps to go to a feeder college where your classmates can recommend you for a position.”
Recruiters often sift through thousands of applications and interview only up to 20 applicants, according to four engineers involved in the hiring process. Only about half of the candidates make it to the next step.
After an initial culture-fit interview (which includes traditional questions about why you want to work at Tesla and how you interact with others), successful candidates are typically asked at least one of their managers and future teams. Speak to one engineer individually. These interviews are more technical and may include take-home or live tests.
“Tesla is taking a no-bullshit approach,” one engineer told BI. “At other companies, you might just say something to make it sound impressive, but at Tesla you can't do that. Please admit it.”
Panel interviews can last up to 6 hours.
The next step in Tesla's hiring process involves a presentation and a series of rapid-fire interviews, which can last anywhere from four to six hours.
Applicants are typically asked to give a 15-30 minute presentation about their previous project, followed by a Q&A session about that project. Tesla employees said it's best for early-career applicants to present on a group project in college or in private business.
Four to six engineers attend the presentation, then take a break to interview candidates individually for approximately 30 minutes.
“We try to keep it pretty open-ended because it's a good way to spot red flags,” an engineer involved in the hiring process said of the presentation prompts. “We tell them not to present sensitive information, but if they present something like that, that's the biggest red flag. It's easy to say no when you know they can't be trusted.”
Some Tesla engineers say they spent more than 40 hours preparing their presentation over several weeks. Panels can be held on Zoom or in person. There will also be a short break in the middle of the session to give panelists time to eat lunch.
“We need to understand the technical details of the project thoroughly,” said one engineer. “It doesn't have to be the most complicated technique, as long as you can talk in detail about what you did. You just need to be able to communicate why you went about it that way and address other ways to accomplish it.” Similarly. ”
After a panel discussion, employees gather to “blind vote” on candidates — meaning all panelists submit their scores at once, said one engineer familiar with the process. Candidates are scored on her 1 to 4 scale. According to Engineers, if one panel member gives a candidate a score of 1 and is able to back up that opinion, that individual's application is usually rejected, but a score of 3 or 4 is not recommended by the prospective employer. considered as a sign of approval. .
According to the two engineers, only about half of the applicants who advance to the panel stage are selected.
Please wait patiently.It could take up to 6 months to find a job
Depending on the role, some applicants may be offered the job after passing a panel interview. For higher level positions, candidates can proceed to interview with Director or Vice President level employees.
Some applicants are required to fill out a form explaining three reasons why they are a good fit for Tesla, which is sent to a vice president or director-level employee, three employees said. Some of the memos were also given to Musk, the engineers said. Last year, Tesla's CEO said in an email to employees that all new hires must be approved.
From start to finish, the entire process can take one to six months, engineers say. Seven engineers said Tesla had the most intensive application process in the industry.
“Half of the time we miss out because we're too slow,” said one engineer familiar with the hiring process. “We know that, but the system is set up a certain way to find people who are so committed that they're willing to wait. They'll probably get a higher base salary at another company. They also have a chance to cash out their Tesla stock.”
A Tesla spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.
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