Anduril · Primly Community

Anduril recruiter phone screen, what they actually ask

market_realist · 4 replies

I've placed a few candidates at Anduril and have had enough candidates come back with debrief notes that I can give you a pretty reliable picture of what their recruiter phone screen looks like.

First: Anduril's talent team is solid. They're organized, move fast, and the recruiters actually know the roles. The screen is usually 30 minutes.

What gets covered: Quick resume walk. They're not reading it with you, they want to hear how you narrate your own career. What did you work on, what did it do, why did you leave. Keep it tight, 3-4 minutes. Motivation for Anduril specifically. 'Why Anduril?' is not optional, it's the first qualifying question. Vague answers about 'cutting-edge tech' don't land. Candidates who do well reference something specific: the Lattice OS, the Ghost drone, a specific defense problem they care about, or a thoughtful take on why autonomous systems matter right now. Location, clearance, and citizenship. Lots of roles are in Costa Mesa or Washington DC, some newer roles are in Seattle or Austin. Clearance eligibility (US citizenship) comes up for certain roles. The recruiter is not trying to disqualify you, they're trying to match you to the right req. Timeline and competing offers. They'll ask where else you are in the process. This is standard. Be honest, it helps them move faster if there's urgency. Comp expectations. They ask early. Know your range going in.

One thing to know: Anduril does move faster than big tech when they want a candidate. If you're aligned on the role and the mission, the loop can close in under three weeks. If you're slow to respond or vague on the mission question, they'll deprioritize and the timeline stretches.

4 replies

newgrad_neil

The speed thing matches what I heard. My recruiter told me they'd have a decision within 2 weeks of the final round. It's been 10 days and I'm going insane waiting but at least the timeline seems real.

visa_vik

Do they filter out H1B holders at the recruiter screen stage? I applied and got a response but I'm nervous about the clearance conversation.

recruiter_rita

Depends on the role. Clearance-required roles are US citizens only, no way around that. But Anduril has a meaningful portion of roles that don't require clearance, especially in software. The recruiter should tell you which bucket your role falls into in the first 5 minutes. If they don't, ask.

backend_bekah

The comp question early thing tripped me up first time I went through a loop there. I wasn't ready. Second time I had a range ready and the recruiter actually told me if I was in band without me having to ask. Much better experience.