Applying to Plotly — A Sneak Peek of What to Expect and What We Look For!

Let’s face it, interviews can be nerve-wracking! At Plotly, we work to prioritize transparency and the best candidate experience possible. So, we thought, why not give you a sneak peek into the journey from the moment you submit your application to when we close the posting, along with some general tips?

For those who might not be familiar, Plotly has been a part of the tech scene for nearly 11 years, rooted in the vibrant city of Montreal, Canada. As a remote-first company, we are always seeking the best talent to help us build our stellar Plotlegion, solve interesting problems, and be part of a team that is making waves on a global scale in the data viz world (with nearly 15 million monthly downloads of our Plotly open-source graphing libraries alone). And did we mention we are proudly Canadian? This is just the beginning, and we’re barely scratching the surface of what’s possible.

So, What Happens When You Apply at Plotly?

It all starts with an online application on our Plotly careers site or through LinkedIn. Provide some information about yourself as well as your resume. This is the perfect time to review the job posting and highlight why you’re the ideal fit for the role.

Focus on the responsibilities mentioned in the posting. What key achievements or milestones have you accomplished during your career? Where have you made an impact? We want to know what projects you have moved forward, and the depth + breadth of your skills. If you don’t have a lot of work experience, highlight other meaningful contributions you have made to projects, causes, organizations, etc. This is your time to shine! Just remember to stick to things that you have hands-on experience with.

Interview process

Candidates who move past the resume screening stage will be contacted by one of our Technical Recruiters for a video call screening. During this call, the goal is for both parties to learn more about each other and for our team to share some key information about the role. It’s an opportunity for you to showcase your accomplishments and discuss how your skills and experiences align with the role. In turn, we’ll give you insight into our culture, expectations, and the exciting challenges we’re tackling.

The number of interviews will vary depending on the level and scope of the position in question. Typically, there will be between 3–5 interview stages for a full-time role. The stages could look like this: Initial Chat (Pre-Screen), Skills-Based Assessment, Team Interview, and Culture Interview. After this, we have a reference check stage.

• Initial Chat: A conversation with one of our Technical Recruiters. Come prepared to discuss your background experience and overall goals. We want to get to know you beyond what is on your resume. In addition, the Technical Recruiter will provide an overview of what to expect and the next steps in the recruitment process.
• Skills-Based Assessment: Depending on the role, a take-home assessment or live code exercise might be required. We’ll share all the necessary details about this during the screening call. Following the completion, our hiring team will assess and review your work. After evaluation, our recruiting team will let you know if you progress.
• Team Interviews: In this stage, you can expect interviews with the hiring manager and other team members to assess the depth and breadth of your role-specific abilities. For engineering roles, this typically involves 2–3 technical interviews. Please note that the interview process may vary depending on the department.
• Culture Interview: This is a call with our VP of People Operations. We are looking for candidates who embody the ethos of our Plotlegion — a dynamic and collaborative team player ready to tackle challenges with creativity and passion. We value individuals who are naturally curious, autonomous and have a strong sense of camaraderie.

General Tips and How to Prepare for Your Interview at Plotly

• Candidates who have done their research on Plotly really stand out! Use the initial call as an opportunity to learn more about Plotly’s culture and the problems we are solving.
• Understand what it means to be part of our Plotlegion. We look for individuals who can harmonize highly autonomous work with a collaborative, cross-team mindset and maintain their course in changeable environments.
• Be honest, and don’t be afraid to elaborate on how you grew during your professional journey — we value the growth mindset at Plotly. Mistakes are opportunities, so highlight what you’ve learned at different stages in your career.
• Ask questions to the interviewer! Our hiring managers and team members love to share about their team and the projects they are working on.
• Tips on etiquette for remote interviews? Find a quiet room with no distractions. Turn off other device notifications. Ensure your camera and microphone are working correctly. Ensure your internet connection is stable. Arrive on time and prepared. Research the person interviewing you ahead of time. And if you need any accommodations be sure to let us know.

Don’t give up! Even if you didn’t make it to the offer stage, don’t be defeated. You can still apply for other roles at Plotly; one rejection for one role won’t impact other applications. Even if you don’t meet every check mark for the role, we still encourage you to apply. We’re always on the lookout for talented individuals who are passionate about what they do and are eager to learn and grow with us. 🪴

Our technical recruiter, Marie-Michèle Ross, offers advice to prospective candidates.

“Do your research on Plotly before the interview. This will ensure we have plenty of time to go through our questions, and it should help you articulate where your interest in joining us comes from.”

This preparation can help you stand out and show your genuine enthusiasm for wanting to join the team.

We hope these insights provide clarity and inspiration as you consider joining us. Together, let’s plot a course for success and make an impact in the world of data visualization!

Interested in joining our team? View our open positions.