My impression of the Rivian interview process was very positive at every stage.

I applied online and heard back within two days from a recruiter who asked to schedule an introductory phone call. This call lasted about 15 minutes, during which they introduced the company and the role, and went over standard "why are you interested in this role?" type questions. I got the feeling they were trying to gauge if my personality was a good fit for Rivian's culture.

The second round was a half-hour phone interview with my hiring manager, which discussed my knowledge pertaining to the role. It was a casual, two-way conversation, but it was super productive, and we both got a good feel for what it would be like to work with each other.

A week later, I was invited to a half-day on-site interview. I was met by another recruiting coordinator who gave me a tour of the Plymouth facility and answered all of my questions along the way. Then, I was given 15 minutes to review a "Rivian 101" handbook that outlined the overall ethos of the company and the culture within Rivian's work environment.

After that, it was back-to-back one-on-one interviews with five interviewers from cross-functional departments. They all had slightly different approaches, but all of them were excited to get to know me and answer my questions. In the end, I walked away knowing that I had made a positive impression on all of them. I got an offer two weeks later.

Advice: Be prepared to talk about your experience in depth. The conversation may be casual, but they try to gauge your overall competitiveness through some technical questions. Bring examples of past projects when possible.

Talk me through one of your previous projects. What did you consider in your "hem condition" DFM study?

How would you explain what a craftsmanship engineer does to someone who is unaware?