Founded in 2010, Quri is the retail “truth detector.” The San Francisco-based, mobile and Web company provides crowdsourced retail intelligence to help brands and retailers solve product execution issues on store shelves. To achieve synchronicity with the brand, Quri utilizes a nationwide crowd-sourced consumer force that provides same-day intelligence on every shelf in every store in the U.S., allowing its customers to dramatically increase their in-store effectiveness. Tyson, Nestle, Dannon and about 25 other major consumer packaged goods companies use Quri’s technology. Quri currently has 30 full-time staff, with 11 devoted exclusively to tech. The company’s in the market for developers, and Mark Cook, Vice President of Product, shared with Dice News just how a qualified candidate can get on the company’s radar.

How to Reach Out

“While we participate in events like Rails Speed Dating, the best way is to email us at info@quri.com,” says Cook. “We use recruiters as well, but we have had success with people reaching us directly via email or social networks.”

Navigating the Job Postings

“Quri tries to absorb buzzwords in its postings, and focuses on job descriptions that qualified candidates can easily understand. I would say the most important element is being able to think end-to-end and have experience throughout the stack,” Cook explains. Who is Quri looking for right now? Full Stack Rails developers and Android developers. Ideal candidates can work anywhere in the stack and will have experience working on cloud apps. Rails is first and foremost on its wish list, says Cook, though Quri’s front end system is Java-based. And a key point “We really look at whether a person thinks logically and can write code in any language to support their concepts.”

The Interview Process

Interviews at Quri are conversational and include live exercises that give managers a sense of how candidates think on their feet. “Typically we like learning about the candidate’s experiences, familiarity with what they claim to be good at, cultural fit and ability to think logically,” Cook explains. “They’re asked to write some code, but more in the context of supporting a simple design solution to a problem.”

What Makes a Good Fit?

A good fit, says Cook, is “someone who is pro-active and self-directed in identifying what needs to be done and stepping up to do it.” A person who can think about the business and its technology, and also be a good team member who’s used to working on small teams.

Advice for Seasoned Professionals

Identify what in your background or interests is relevant to Quri, its technology and products. When you talk with its managers, be sure you can identify why you'd be a good fit. And when you go in for an interview, ask lots of questions and have opinions. Be sure to download the company’s app – and have opinions about that, too. Finally, demonstrate that you’re easy to work with.

Advice for New Graduates

“We expect a new college grad to have the same qualities as an experienced candidate,” Cook says, “just with less work experience and domain knowledge.”