We’re so excited to give you a deeper dive into who CarGurus is as a company. We sat down with our friends at CarGurus to learn more about their hiring practices, culture, and some of the amazing benefits they offer to employees!
1. What is your hiring process like? What could potential candidates expect?
At CarGurus, we believe in transparency and equity throughout the hiring process and providing a positive, supportive experience that aligns with what you’ll experience as an employee. We also value your time. Clear and honest communication are hallmarks of our hiring process.
- If your application suggests you’re a good match for an open role, a recruiter will reach out to get to know you better. In this first call, you’ll discuss your work experience, skillset, and interest in CarGurus. Your recruiter can also answer any questions you have about the job, company, and hiring process
- Should our conversations progress, you’ll then meet directly with the hiring manager and other folx from the team. They’ll probe into specific skills and experiences that are relevant to the open role, and answer any questions you have about the day-to-day work
- If you’re applying for a tech role, we may also ask you to take a technical assessment. For this part, we use a tool called CoderPad that will allow you to collaborate in real-time with your interviewer as you work through a specific challenge, giving them insight into the technical skills you’ll bring to the available position
- If you receive an offer–and we hope you do!–we’ll share even more details on our robust benefits, unique culture, and “First Gear” onboarding program. We can also answer any outstanding questions you have that may impact your decision to join CG
2. What is your work environment like? Are employees expected to work in person, or are flexible work environment options available?
Our hybrid model gives Gurus flexibility to integrate work and life. Perks like free lunch, paid transportation and parking fees, and pop-up events make in-office time easy to enjoy. When employees choose to work from home or elsewhere, our technology enables us to seamlessly collaborate with one another and create an inclusive environment remotely. Gurus are expected to be in the office at least 40% of the time, and can work with their managers to find the rhythm that works best for their specific role and teams.
No matter where and how they work, Gurus’ professional development is a top priority. For example, our popular Elevate mentorship program–one of several offerings from our Learning & Development team–pairs employees from traditionally marginalized groups with experienced leaders to discuss personal and career challenges while expanding participants’ networks and skills. Access to LinkedIn Learning’s 16K+ courses and a tuition reimbursement benefit for outside coursework underscores our investment in employees’ growth.
3. What unique benefits do you receive as an employee at CarGurus?
We offer best-in-class benefits and compensation, including equity for all employees, both when they start and as they continue to grow with us. Strong foundational benefits (medical, dental, vision) and the in-office perks mentioned above are complemented by offerings that recognize an array of individual needs when it comes to family health and wellness. These include meditation and fitness apps, Care.com membership for child, elder, and pet care, and fertility health and family-forming benefits through Carrot Fertility, such as vitro fertilization and egg or sperm freezing, plus support for adoption, gestational carrier arrangements, pregnancy, menopause, and more.
This Built In Boston page does a comprehensive deep dive into the benefits that CarGurus offers and which are regularly reviewed and updated to ensure they meet employees’ needs.
4. What does community look like as an employee at CarGurus?
Community abounds at CarGurus within and across teams. Gurus connect informally at lunch, happy hours, and pop-up events, and through interest-based clubs and channels as well as our 7 employee resource groups (ERGs).
For example, our CG Running Club meets on Thursdays to explore different loops around Cambridge and Boston, while our Board Game Night crew gathers now and then to enjoy new releases and old favorites. Gurus share updates and advice in our #pet-pics, #peloton, #wanderlust (travel), #chowgurus (food), and #climategurus (environment) Slack channels among many others.
Additionally, our Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) help bring our DEIB commitments to life through various learning, celebratory, and community outreach sessions, as well as online dialogue and spontaneous meetups:
- AAPI@CarGurus connects Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander Gurus
- AccessAbililty@CarGurus supports our neurodiverse and disabled Gurus
- CG Salutes Service convenes veterans and those with service backgrounds
- LGBTQ+@CarGurus brings together Gurus from across the LGBTQ+ spectrum
- Parents@CarGurus amplifies the voices of CarGurus’ parent community
- POC@CarGurus -celebrates intersecting identities within the CarGurus community
- Women@CarGurus galvanizes Gurus who identify as women, including those in our Women in Tech and Women in Sales communities
5. Is there something I didn’t ask you that you want to make sure our Community knows about CarGurus?
In addition to having the excellent culture and benefits discussed here, we also do interesting, impactful work that brings transparency, personalization, and ease to a potentially stressful process. Over 30 million users visit the site each month, and more than 30,000 dealers use our products to connect with them. What’s more, we’re still unlocking new ways to give consumers the confidence to purchase and/or sell a vehicle either online or in person, while giving dealers the power to accurately price, effectively market, instantly acquire, and quickly sell vehicles–all with a nationwide reach. Monthly Tech Talks, and an annual Hackathon and Science Fair, complement ongoing, cross-team collaboration to drive innovation company-wide.
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After working with our friends over at CarGurus for the last two months, I can personally attest to their commitment to communication and support for their employees. I had the opportunity to visit their office space in Cambridge to plan our event and was met by some of the friendliest humans in a beautiful office space. Their office overlooks the Charles River and the energy in the space was so warm and welcoming. I can’t wait for SGO Community members to see it in September!
Click here to learn more about our Geek Out with CarGurus and how to register.