Interview Questions Guide
Interview Questions Guide
The foundation of Remitly’s Interview Question Guide is framed around our Cultural Values.
Cultural Values are the ways we expect the Remitly team to act to achieve optimal business
results and make Remitly a place that people love to work. We believe that by hiring talent that
possesses these traits, we will build a strong, successful team and business.
As an interviewer at Remitly, you take on a critical role in the selection of future team members.
Utilize this guide and the following questions during the talent assessment and selection
process.
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Aim for the stars
We set ambitious goals and dream big.
We never settle, we think long-term, are willing to take risks, and create
amazing customer experiences.
Aim for the Stars
We do NOT: avoid all risks, optimize only for this quarter or year, allow
fear to diminish our goals
Candidates should be able to:
● Set lofty goals
● Create and execute on plans to meet or exceed objectives
● Understand how to define and measure success
● Work well under deadlines and pressure
● Prioritize effectively
Questions
1. Tell me about a goal you set that took you a long time to achieve, or something you are
still working towards?
2. Give me an example of a time when you were able to deliver an important project under
a tight deadline. What were the sacrifices you had to make to meet the deadline and how
did they impact the deliverables?
3. Describe the most significant project you have led. What challenge or opportunity
prompted the project? How did you approach leading it, and what was the outcome?
4. How do you ensure you are focusing on the right deliverables when you have several
competing priorities?
5. Give me an example of an important career goal which you set for yourself and tell me
how you reached it. What obstacles did you encounter? How did you overcome the
obstacles?
6. Tell me about a professional goal that you set that you did not reach. How did it make
you feel?
7. How have you gone about setting short-term goals and long-term goals for yourself or
your team? What steps did you take along the way to keep yourself accountable?
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Be a compassionate partner
We extend empathy beyond feelings into action.
We value positive, long-lasting relationships. We listen with curiosity,
Be a seek to understand, assume positive intent, treat everyone with
Compassionate respect, and advocate for each other.
Partner We do NOT: seek or engage in ruinous empathy, step away from hard
truths, wallow in problems, overindulge in feelings without finding
resolution
Candidates should be able to:
● Build trust with variety of individuals
● Incorporate colleagues’ ideas into projects, strategies, and/or solutions
● Genuinely value input from multiple stakeholders or groups
● Be cognizant of others needs and feelings and take action to help where necessary
● Be willing to commit to ideas or initiatives for the sake of moving forward
Questions:
1. Tell me about a time when you built rapport quickly with someone under difficult
conditions.
2. Describe a time you had to persuade a group to accept a proposal or idea. How did you
go about doing it? What was the result?
3. Tell me about a time when you helped a peer or colleague that needed a little extra
support to be successful. What was the outcome?
4. Tell me how you’ve effectively built trusting working relationships with others on your
team.
5. Tell me about a time when you had to regain trust with a team member. How did you do
that?
6. What do you do when someone comes to you with a problem?
7. When do you decide to go along with the group decision even if you disagree? Give me
an example of a time you chose to concede to the group even when you disagreed.
Would you make the same decision now?
8. Give an example of when you had to support a business initiative with which you didn’t
necessarily agree. How did you handle it?
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Be an owner
We think, act, and make decisions as owners of Remitly.
We hold ourselves accountable for company outcomes, driving success
for Remitly above team or individual goals. We prioritize the long-term
Be an Owner and are willing to delay immediate gains to create outsized value for
customers.
We do NOT: optimize for our area at the expense of the broader
business, “step over” issues that are not our problem, shift responsibility
– we take initiative and involve the right people
Candidates should be able to:
● Take initiative without excessive guidance from management
● Navigate ambiguity and make the right calls on behalf of the business
● Be resourceful
● Always do the right thing
Questions:
1. Can you describe a time when you successfully fostered an atmosphere of inclusion and
belonging either on a team or in an organization? What specific actions did you take and
what were the key outcomes or impact of your efforts?
2. What is your definition of an owner?
3. Tell me about a time you owned something. What did you enjoy the most and what were
the biggest challenges?
4. Give some examples in which you anticipated problems and were able to influence a
new direction or solution.
5. Describe a situation when you demonstrated initiative and took action without waiting for
direction. What was the outcome?
6. Describe a time when you were faced with a problem which didn’t have a clear-cut
solution. How did you decide the best course of action?
7. Tell me about a time you didn’t have enough resources to do something you felt was
important but found a creative way to get it done anyway. What drove you to seek out
creative solutions?
8. Describe a time that you successfully managed results of cross-functional or matrixed
teams.
9. Tell me about a time when you’ve been unsatisfied with the status quo. What did you do
to change it? Were you successful?
10.Tell me about a time you took on something significant outside your area of
responsibility. Why was it important? What was the outcome?
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Be global
We are united by serving our customers.
As a worldwide team, we are open, curious and value each other’s diverse
Be Global experiences, cultural backgrounds, strengths, and perspectives. We invest
in connecting with each other and being inclusive and flexible as we
partner together to serve our customers.
We do NOT: Believe our ways of thinking/communicating are the best/only,
stay siloed, expect others to bend to our views or convenience
Candidates should be able to:
● Share global learnings with others
● Take a stand to drive global strategies across sites/markets
● Influence others to think globally and inclusively
● Champion diversity of thought / inclusion of others
Questions:
1. Tell me about a time when working with a colleague from another country, the barriers
you faced to work productively together, and how you overcame them.
2. Can you share any business decisions you’ve made that were informed by feedback
from global partners or insights you had into their culture or expectations? What did you
do differently based on that information?
3. (Managers) What are some of the strategies you’ve used to connect and align teams that
are based in different countries?
4. Tell me about a time when you adapted your approach with someone who had a different
background or culture from yours?
5. Describe a situation that required you to consider a different perspective from your own
when exploring an issue?
6. Share with me an example of where your organization’s global strategy and/or tactics
(policies, procedures, or ways of doing business) were in conflict with a country’s
domestic or localized culture. What was the situation and how did you deal with it?
7. Tell me about a time when you identified a business/improvement opportunity beyond
your local market coverage and successfully rolled it out internationally?
8. Describe a challenging situation where you had to align stakeholders/teams across
multiple geographical markets and reach a consensus? How did you approach this?
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Bias for action
We move with focus and urgency.
We act on what matters most and iterate with speed until we deliver
exceptional value to our customers. We take action with a foundation of
Bias for action trust in ourselves and each other.
We do NOT: mistake activity for impact, act without considering
customer impact, start work without understanding the problem and
long-term impact
Candidates should be able to:
● Think on your feet
● React quickly to make a decision
● Remain calm in urgent situations
Questions:
1. Tell me about a time when you disagreed with a business decision. How did you handle
it? What was the outcome?
2. Tell me about a time you had to make a quick decision without all of the data? What was
the decision and how did you decide?
3. Tell me about a time when you came up with a creative solution without requiring
additional resources.
4. Can you tell me about a time when you had to think on your feet?
5. Give me an example of a business decision you made that you ultimately regretted. What
happened?
6. Can you tell me about a time you had to make a decision you weren’t sure of, but needed
to act immediately? What was the decision and the outcome?
7. Give me an example of a time when you were able to deliver an important project under
a tight deadline. What were the sacrifices you had to make to meet the deadline? How
did they impact the final deliverable?
8. Tell me about a time when you had significant unanticipated obstacles to overcome in
achieving a key goal. How were you eventually successful?
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Constructively direct
We share challenging feedback directly.
We are first clear about our own intent and thoughtful in our approach,
Constructively then give feedback that’s constructive, compassionate, timely, and
actionable. We actively seek feedback to grow.
Direct
We do NOT: indulge in or listen to gossip, allow triangulation, vent at
others’ expense, hold back giving or shy away from seeking feedback –
even if uncomfortable
Candidates should be able to:
● Give feedback, even in difficult situations
● Communicate effectively with a variety of individuals
● Receive feedback in an open and constructive way
● Listen to teammates and probe deeper with questions in a non-personal way
● Be helpful and constructive during 1:1 and group discussions
Questions:
1. How do you propose ensuring that everyone involved [in the project, on the team] gets
an opportunity to be heard during a business discussion?
2. Describe a situation when you were able to strengthen a relationship by communicating
effectively. What made your communication effective?
3. Give me an example of a time when you took an unpopular stance on an issue. Describe
the situation and how you voiced your opinion among your peers. How was the issue
resolved?
4. Describe a situation when you didn’t communicate well. What was the impact and what
did you learn from the experience?
5. Tell me about a time when you had to present complex information. How did you ensure
the other person/people understood?
6. Tell me about your approach when giving both positive feedback and constructive
criticism to colleagues or leadership.
7. Give an example of a time when you challenged your team/a project team to come up
with a more efficient solution to a problem they were already engaged in solving. What
type of feedback did you give them? How did you get the team on board?
8. Tell me about a time that you strongly disagreed with your manager on something you
deemed to be very important to the business. What was it and how did you resolve it?
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Continuously improve
We are humble, curious, and self-driven learners.
We hold a high bar for ourselves, work hard to find the “best” way to do
Continuously something, then keep trying to find an even better way. We lean into
discomfort to stretch and grow.
Improve
We do NOT: prioritize comfort over growth, expect others to inspire our
growth, stay stuck in “this is how we do things here”, berate ourselves
over past mistakes (we learn from them)
Candidates should be able to:
● Self-identify their strengths and weaknesses
● Explain how they proactively take steps to grow, develop, and improve
● Be comfortable calling out mistakes and taking steps to fix them
● Understand the outcomes of failure as part of achieving success
Questions:
1. Describe a time when you had to adjust your approach or mindset because it wasn’t
effectively driving results. What did you change and what happened?
2. What have you done to further your own professional growth and development over the
past 5 years?
3. Tell me about a time when you became aware of a gap in your work performance. What
steps did you take to improve?
4. What would the manager that knows you best say about your strengths and area of
improvement?
a. What working style / area of improvement have you improved the most over your
career?
5. Tell me about an error in judgment you made in the last year or two. What was the impact
of it?
6. Tell me about a time when you overcommitted yourself, your team, or your company and
how you resolved the issue
7. Give me an example of a goal you’ve had where you wish you would have done better.
What was the goal and how could you have improved on it?
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Customer centricity
We create exceptional products that delight our customers.
We proactively solve the right customer problems by deeply
Customer understanding their needs, challenges, and emotional drivers.
centricity Behind every customer is a story and a person, and they choose
experiences that deliver real value.
We do NOT: take customer feedback at face value, operate like a
non-profit, lose sight of market, competitor, or customer trends
Candidates should be able to:
● Understand the importance and value of our customers
● Exceed customer expectations
Questions:
1. Can you tell me about a time when you knew a customer (internal or external) had
expectations you wouldn’t be able to meet? How did you handle the situation?
2. Can you tell me about a time when you were able to solve a customer’s problem by
identifying the cause of the problem? What steps did you take to identify it, and how did
you resolve it step by step? What was the outcome?
3. Can you tell me about a time when you made a poor judgment call at work? How did you
identify that you exercised poor judgment?
4. Describe a situation where you made changes to standard procedures in order to
increase customer satisfaction metrics. How did you get support for this? What
constraints did you face? How did you measure the outcome?
5. How do you measure customer satisfaction in your current or previous roles?
Data driven
We improve our judgment and decisions through data and logic.
We use qualitative and quantitative insights to improve our judgment and
Data driven make better decisions. We are structured, rational, and logical in our
approach to solving problems and uncovering new opportunities.
We do NOT: get stuck in analysis paralysis, limit data to only numbers
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Candidates should be able to:
● Readily use data analysis as part of a decision-making process
● Be comfortable with making judgment-based decisions even if data is inaccurate or
ambiguous
● Identify the right balance of analysis vs. decision urgency and effectively apply both
tactics based on the situation
Questions:
1. In your role today as a [ job title/leader], how do you measure employee satisfaction or
engagement? Can you give me an example of 1-2 specific things you’ve done to improve
employee engagement this past year? Did it work? How do you know?
2. Describe a project or situation which best demonstrates your analytical abilities.
3. Give me a specific example when you used data and good judgment when solving a
problem. Tell me about a time when you had to make a time-sensitive decision without all
of the data you needed. What was the outcome?
4. Tell me about a time when a project team hit a roadblock or couldn’t make a critical
decision. How did you get things moving again?
5. Give me an example of a time when you had to analyze data and give a
recommendation. What was your thought process? What was the outcome?
6. Tell me about a decision for which data and analysis weren’t sufficient to provide the right
course and you had to rely on your judgment and instincts.
7. Tell me about a time when you made a bad decision, but it enabled you to make a good
decision later.
8. Tell me about a time when you had to analyze facts or data quickly, define key issues,
and respond to an urgent situation. What was the outcome?
9. Give me an example of a problem you had to solve that required in-depth thought and
analysis. How did you know you were focusing on the right things?
Dive deep
We roll up our sleeves and stay connected to the details.
Dive deep We start with ‘the why’ and are clear on the problems we’re solving.
We operate at all levels and audit frequently, with an intense focus on
the details that matter the most. We elevate insights that drive better
decisions and impact.
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We do NOT: forget to rise back up for perspective, provide
unnecessary data and metrics, let ambiguity slow us down, avoid hard
questions
Candidates should be able to:
● Work hard to achieve your goal
● Do your best
● Achieve greatness
● Encourage the team to succeed
Questions:
1. Tell me about a time when you were able to synthesize a lot of information with the right
level of detail. Who was the audience? What needed to be communicated and why?
2. What process do you use to check that you have the right details from a customer?
3. Give me an example of a time you discovered an error that been overlooked by a
colleague. What did you do? What was the outcome?
4. Tell me about a time that you were confused by a customer’s request. What steps did you
take to clarify their needs?
Earn trust through integrity
We do what’s right, even when it’s hard.
We have zero tolerance for unethical people, products, practices or
Earn trust partners. We earn the trust of our customers, partners and teammates
by improving our company and individual credibility, reliability, and the
through integrity safety and security we provide to others.
We do NOT: prioritize self-interest at the expense of others, cut
corners, act dishonestly
Candidates should be able to:
● Use good judgment
● Be honest
● Respect the dignity, diversity and rights of individuals and groups of people.
Questions:
1. Tell me about a time when you took responsibility for a failure at work.
2. Tell me about a time when you had to overcome one of your own biases influencing your
work.
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3. Tell me about a time when you challenged a decision that was being made that you did
not agree with.
4. Can you tell me about a time when you made a poor judgment call at work? How did you
identify that you exercised poor judgment?
5. Tell me about a time when you had to bend a rule or a policy at work to get something
accomplished. What was the situation? What was the impact?
Hire & grow exceptional people
We scale our culture by hiring unique and diverse talent.
We seek people who embrace challenges to drive impact, and who grow in
their craft – on the job, and through our values. We look for exceptional people
with “agency” who take initiative to find solutions when facing conflicts or
Hire & grow challenges, own their thoughts and behaviors, and have confidence in their
abilities.
exceptional We coach and invest to help each other succeed.
people
We do NOT: delay in hiring for important open roles, compromise on our
hiring bar when under time pressure, deflect our responsibility to contribute
to loops, allow bias to influence outcomes, hire only people who are “like
us”, expect to learn only through “training”, hope others will manage our
careers.
Candidates should be able to:
● Recognize the value in employee and team growth and development (Individual
Contributor + Manager)
● Understand how to evaluate strengths and weaknesses of others and tailor their
approach accordingly (Individual Contributor + Manager)
● Manage employee relations issues and employee growth and development with ease
(Manager Only)
● Identify and select top talent for specific roles (Manager Only)
● Articulate the key drivers of team morale, employee motivation, and group dynamics
(Manager Only)
Questions:
1. As a manager, tell me about your experience building cross-cultural and/or global teams?
How were you effective? What did you learn?
2. Tell me about someone you currently mentor or have mentored. Why did you choose to
mentor this person? What did you learn from your mentee?
3. Tell me about a time when you had a direct report that had low performance. How did
you manage the situation?
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4. As a manager, how do you stay connected to the details while focusing on the strategic,
bigger-picture issues? Tell me about a time when you didn’t have the right balance. What
was the outcome?
5. Tell me about a time when you pushed back against a decision that negatively impacted
your team. How did it turn out?
6. Describe a time when you significantly contributed to improving morale and productivity
on your team. What were the underlying problems and their causes? How did you
prevent them from negatively impacting the team in the future?
7. Tell me about a specific development plan that you created and carried out with an
employee. What was the situation? What were the components of the development plan?
What was the outcome?
8. What have you done to identify strengths and weaknesses of your direct reports and
how have you used these observations to help grow them?
9. Tell me about your approach when giving both positive feedback and constructive
criticism.
10.Give me an example of one of the best hires of your career. How did this person
progress through their career? What did you identify through the hiring process that
drove his or her success?
11. What’s your secret to success in setting stretch goals for your team that are challenging
yet achievable? Tell me a time that you didn’t hit the right balance. How did you adjust?
Joyful
We are optimistic and want to make a difference.
We celebrate how lucky we are to serve our customers and mission, and
get deep satisfaction from working on problems bigger than ourselves.
Joyful
We grow our resilience through gratitude and have fun on the journey
with our dedicated and talented teammates.
We do NOT: require toxic positivity, always have to be cheerful
Candidates should be able to:
● Gain energy from supporting and serving others (customers, team, stakeholders)
● Connect their value to end user (customer)
● Exhibit humbleness
● Demonstrate awareness of what sparks them and what drains them
Questions:
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1. Tell me about a time you chose to go above and beyond for a customer (what was it,
what did you do, outcome and what would you do differently)
2. Provide an example of how you’ve contributed outcomes in support of a strategy
3. What energizes you and what drains you?
4. Tell me about the most challenging but enjoyable problem you’ve solved
5. Tell me about a project whereby you motivated others to drive a common outcome
6. Provide an example of a time you sacrificed something for others
7. What’s the most fascinating problem you’ve solved. Why was it fascinating?
Lead authentically
Everyone is a leader.
We are open, self-aware, and enthusiastically share knowledge and
context to help others succeed. We bring clarity, optimize for impact, and
Lead are change leaders. We are unafraid to say what we don’t know and ask
authentically questions to learn.
We do NOT: think that only managers are leaders, hoard or block
information flow, overcomplicate and use jargon, pose, optimize for
hierarchy or politics
Candidates should be able to:
● Share data and key learnings with others
● Take a stand to drive an issue forward
● Influence outcomes / demonstrate focus on solutions
● Own mistakes - Can comfortably say “ I don’t know” - but then unearths a solution
● Champion diversity of thought / listens to others
Questions:
1. Can you give me some examples of specific actions you’ve taken as a leader to create a
work environment where your team (or a team that you’re a part of) feels like they can
share new ideas and opinions, even if those opinions differ from your own?
2. Tell me about a time you jumped in to lead through a scenario with your peers, what
approach did you take, what worked/did not - what did you do?
3. Share an example of a time you had to work through conflict between two parties
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4. How have you managed mistakes, provide an example of a time you made an error and
only you were aware (what was it, what did you do, anything you would have done
differently)
5. What’s been your biggest lesson learned in the past 12 months?
6. Tell me about some recent constructive feedback you received, what action have you
taken since receiving the feedback?
7. Tell me about a time you took an unpopular stance (what was it, why did you do it)
8. What are you known for? What do you want to be known for?
9. Tell me about a time you realized you were too focused on a problem vs a solution
10.Tell me about a time you discovered something and shared it with others with the intent
of improving their live
Reimagine what’s possible
We take risks, adapt, and learn as we go.
We drive progress with a focus on the bigger picture and long-term
Reimagine what’s impact. When we have setbacks or make mistakes, we own them,
possible openly share our learnings, and jump right back in.
We do NOT: let setbacks define us, view the short-term as the end
goal, let fear hold us back
Candidates should be able to:
● Create new and different solutions to problems
● Take calculated risks to realize material gains
● Articulate how customer-focus drives their judgment and decision making
Questions:
1. Describe a time where you had to work with someone who was different from you -
whether it be in style of operation or otherwise.
2. Describe an innovative project that you are most proud of.
3. Tell me about a problem that you solved in a unique or innovative way. What was the
outcome? Were you satisfied with it?
4. Give me an example of a calculated risk you have taken where speed was critical. What
was the situation and how did you handle it? What steps did you take to mitigate the risk?
What was the outcome?
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5. Give me an example of a time when you used customer feedback to drive improvement
or innovation. What was the situation and what action did you take?
6. Tell me about a specific metric you created that you used to identify a need for change in
your department. How did it influence the change?
7. Tell me about a time when you generated a creative solution to a problem without
requiring additional resources.
8. Give an example of a creative idea that proved to be difficult to implement. What made it
difficult to implement and was it successful?
9. Tell me about a time you were working on an initiative or goal and saw an opportunity to
do something much bigger than the initial focus.
10.Tell me about a time you took a big risk. What was the risk and what was the outcome?
Stand for excellence
We push past discomfort to raise the standard to deliver on our
promises.
We set and uphold a high bar for customers, ourselves, and each
other. We challenge the status quo and think creatively to go
Stand for excellence beyond constraints. By speaking up and debating ideas directly,
we sharpen our thinking.
We do NOT: deflect responsibility, fail to design quality
experiences, lack follow-through
Candidates should be able to:
● Follow through on their promises
● Complete tasks when asked or ask for additional support
● Be mindful of how your promises affect others
Questions:
1. Describe how you would assemble a new team to [choose the scenario: enter a new
market, improve a product - be specific, and make it relatable to the role]. What kind of
skills and experience would you want to see on the team? Why?
2. Can you tell me about a time when you promised something and were not able to fulfill
your promise? How did you handle it? What did you communicate? What did you learn?
3. Can you tell me about a time when you went the extra mile to make sure a promise was
fulfilled?
4. Tell me about a time when you promised to complete an assignment by a specific date.
What steps did you take to make sure you kept that promise
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