How to Apply to Automattic

13 min read Last updated April 20, 2026 26 open positions
Blake Crosley
Blake Crosley Researched using publicly available information, hiring data, and ATS analysis.

Key Takeaways

  • Automattic's paid trial project is the most distinctive element of its hiring process. Unlike any other major tech company, Automattic pays you $25/hour to work on real projects with real teams for 2-8 weeks before making a hiring decision. This is not an internship or a probationary period — it is a mutual evaluation that replaces traditional interview loops.
  • The entire hiring process is overwhelmingly text-based. Expect Slack interviews instead of phone screens, written assessments instead of whiteboard sessions, and asynchronous communication throughout. Your writing ability is evaluated at every stage, because writing is how Automattic works.
  • Automattic uses Greenhouse as its ATS. Format your resume cleanly with standard section headers, upload as PDF, and know that human recruiters — not algorithms — review every application. Greenhouse provides recruiters with scorecards, not automated rejection filters.
  • Remote work experience (or demonstrated self-direction) is effectively a requirement. Automattic has been fully distributed since 2005 — this is not a company experimenting with remote work. Show evidence that you can thrive without an office, a manager looking over your shoulder, or synchronous collaboration as a crutch.
  • Open-source contributions carry significant weight. WordPress is open-source software, and Automattic's culture is built on open-source values. Contributing to WordPress, WooCommerce, or any open-source project signals alignment with the company's mission and demonstrates the kind of self-directed initiative they prize.
  • The process takes 6-10 weeks on average. Patience is part of the evaluation. Automattic is deliberate about hiring because a bad hire in a distributed company is much harder to recover from than in a co-located team. Demonstrate comfort with this timeline rather than pushing for urgency.
  • The Automattic Creed is the cultural touchstone. Read it, internalize it, and be prepared to discuss how your values align with its principles: continuous learning, proactive contribution, impact over money, open source, and communication. The Creed is not marketing — it is how the company actually operates.
  • Automattic values non-traditional backgrounds. The trial project is designed as an equalizer — your performance matters more than your pedigree. Self-taught developers, career changers, and candidates from underrepresented geographies are actively welcomed. Focus your application on what you can do, not where you have been.
  • Prepare for the trial by understanding the products. Before your trial starts, use WordPress.com, explore WooCommerce, browse Tumblr, try Simplenote or Day One. Genuine familiarity with the products you would be working on demonstrates the kind of curiosity and initiative that Automattic values above all else.

About Automattic

Automattic Inc. is one of the most influential technology companies in the world and a pioneering force in distributed work. Founded in 2005 by Matt Mullenweg, the co-creator of WordPress, Automattic is the company behind WordPress.com, WooCommerce, Tumblr, Jetpack, Akismet, Simplenote, Day One, Pocket Casts, Gravatar, Beeper, and Parse.ly. The company operates WordPress.com, the hosted version of the open-source WordPress content management system that powers over 40% of the entire internet. WooCommerce, its e-commerce platform, is the most popular online store solution in the world, powering millions of merchants globally. What makes Automattic truly distinctive is its fully distributed structure. The company has no physical headquarters and no offices — its approximately 1,400 employees (called 'Automatticians') work from nearly every country on earth, spanning over 90 countries and speaking more than 100 languages. This is not a pandemic-era remote experiment; Automattic has been distributed since its founding in 2005, making it one of the longest-running and most successful fully remote companies in technology history. Matt Mullenweg has been one of the most vocal advocates for distributed work, arguing that it produces better outcomes than co-located teams by drawing from a global talent pool and allowing people to do their best work on their own schedules. Automattic's culture is deeply rooted in open-source values. WordPress itself is open-source software, and the company contributes extensively to the WordPress.org project. The Automattic Creed — a set of guiding principles written by Mullenweg — emphasizes continuous learning, impact over money, helping colleagues, sustainable business through passionate customers, and communication as 'the oxygen of a distributed company.' The company communicates primarily through text: internal blogs (P2, their custom blogging tool), Slack, and long-form written documents rather than meetings or email. This text-first culture directly shapes the hiring process, which evaluates candidates heavily on their written communication abilities. Automattic is privately held, with significant investment from Salesforce Ventures, Tiger Global, and other institutional investors. The company was valued at $7.5 billion in its last funding round. Despite its scale and influence, Automattic maintains a startup-like culture of autonomy, experimentation, and individual ownership. Teams are small, hierarchies are flat, and Automatticians are expected to be self-directed, proactive, and comfortable working independently across time zones.

Application Process

  1. 1
    Browse open positions at automattic

    Browse open positions at automattic.com/work-with-us and submit your application through Automattic's Greenhouse-powered careers portal. Applications typically include your resume, a cover letter or written responses to role-specific questions, and links to relevant work samples. For engineering roles, include your GitHub profile, open-source contributions, or links to projects you have built. Automattic places significant weight on the quality of your written application — it is often the first filter in their process.

  2. 2
    If your application passes the initial screening, you will be invited to a text-

    If your application passes the initial screening, you will be invited to a text-based interview conducted entirely over Slack. This is not a video call or phone screen — it is a real-time or asynchronous text conversation with a member of the hiring team. The Slack interview evaluates your written communication skills, your ability to articulate your experience and thinking clearly in text, and your cultural fit for a distributed company that lives in text channels. Expect questions about your background, your interest in Automattic's mission, how you work independently, and technical or domain-specific topics relevant to the role. Some Slack interviews happen in a single sitting over 60-90 minutes; others are spread asynchronously over several days.

  3. 3
    Following the Slack interview, you will typically complete a skills assessment o

    Following the Slack interview, you will typically complete a skills assessment or take-home project tailored to the role. For engineering positions, this may involve a coding challenge, a code review exercise, or contributing to an open-source project. For design roles, you may receive a design exercise with a brief and deliverables. For business or marketing roles, expect a written case study or strategy exercise. These assessments are evaluated on the quality of your thinking, your communication, and the craftsmanship of your output — not just the 'right answer.'

  4. 4
    The centerpiece of Automattic's hiring process is the paid trial project

    The centerpiece of Automattic's hiring process is the paid trial project. This is a real work engagement lasting 2-8 weeks, typically requiring 15-35 hours of total effort, paid at a flat rate of $25 USD per hour regardless of role or seniority. During the trial, you will work on actual Automattic projects alongside the team you would be joining. The trial is designed to simulate what day-to-day work at Automattic actually feels like — asynchronous collaboration, independent problem-solving, and text-based communication. Both you and the team use this period to evaluate mutual fit. You will receive feedback throughout the trial from your hiring lead.

  5. 5
    After successfully completing the trial, many teams require a final interview wi

    After successfully completing the trial, many teams require a final interview with a senior executive or division lead. This may be conducted via Slack, video call, or occasionally in person at a company meetup. The executive interview focuses on your broader career goals, alignment with Automattic's values and mission, and any remaining questions from either side. This is less a technical evaluation and more a culture and vision conversation.

  6. 6
    If the hiring team recommends you after the trial and executive interview, the r

    If the hiring team recommends you after the trial and executive interview, the recommendation goes to Automattic's leadership (historically, Matt Mullenweg himself has had final approval on many hires) for sign-off. Once approved, the HR team contacts you to discuss compensation, benefits, and start date. The total process from application to offer typically takes 6-10 weeks, though the paid trial phase means you are compensated for a significant portion of that time.

Resume Tips for Automattic

recommended

Lead with your distributed work experience

Lead with your distributed work experience. Automattic is the gold standard of fully remote companies, and they want people who thrive in asynchronous, text-based environments. If you have worked remotely, highlight how you communicated across time zones, managed your own schedule, and delivered results without in-person supervision. If you have not worked remotely before, emphasize self-direction, independent project ownership, and strong written communication in any context.

recommended

Showcase your open-source contributions prominently

Showcase your open-source contributions prominently. Automattic is built on open-source values and contributes extensively to WordPress, WooCommerce, and other projects. If you have contributed to open-source software — even small bug fixes, documentation improvements, or community support — give it prominent placement on your resume. Link to your GitHub profile, specific pull requests, or WordPress.org contributions. For non-engineering roles, highlight any involvement with open-source communities, WordPress meetups, or WordCamps.

recommended

Demonstrate written communication skills throughout your resume

Demonstrate written communication skills throughout your resume. Since Automattic's entire culture runs on text, your resume itself is a writing sample. Use clear, precise language. Avoid jargon and buzzwords. Write complete, well-structured bullet points that show you can communicate complex ideas in writing. If you have a blog, newsletter, or portfolio of written work, include the link — Automattic values people who write well and write often.

recommended

Quantify your impact with concrete metrics tied to products used at scale

Quantify your impact with concrete metrics tied to products used at scale. Automattic's products serve hundreds of millions of users, so they value candidates who have worked on high-traffic systems. Instead of 'improved website performance,' write 'reduced page load time by 40% for a site serving 2M monthly visitors.' Frame your contributions in terms of user impact, revenue growth, system reliability, or community engagement.

recommended

Highlight experience with WordPress, WooCommerce, or related technologies

Highlight experience with WordPress, WooCommerce, or related technologies. For engineering roles, proficiency with PHP, JavaScript (React), MySQL, and the WordPress ecosystem is directly relevant. For non-engineering roles, experience using WordPress as a publisher, merchant (WooCommerce), or community organizer signals genuine familiarity with the products Automattic builds. Even basic WordPress.com or Tumblr usage experience is worth mentioning — it shows you understand the user perspective.

recommended

Keep your resume clean, simple, and ATS-friendly

Keep your resume clean, simple, and ATS-friendly. Automattic uses Greenhouse as its applicant tracking system. Use standard section headers (Experience, Education, Skills), avoid tables or multi-column layouts, and upload as PDF. Greenhouse does not auto-reject based on keyword algorithms — human recruiters review every application — but clean formatting ensures your information is parsed correctly and presented well in the recruiter's dashboard.

recommended

Emphasize autonomy, initiative, and learning

Emphasize autonomy, initiative, and learning. The Automattic Creed states 'I will never stop learning' and 'I won't just work on things that are assigned to me.' Show evidence of self-directed projects, skills you taught yourself, side projects, or times you identified and solved problems without being asked. Automattic wants people who are intrinsically motivated and do not need to be managed closely.

ATS System: Greenhouse

Automattic uses Greenhouse as its applicant tracking system to manage recruitment across all roles globally. Greenhouse is a structured hiring platform used by over 7,500 companies, emphasizing human-driven evaluation over algorithmic screening. Unlike ATS platforms that auto-reject resumes based on keyword matching, Greenhouse provides recruiters with structured scorecards — every application is reviewed and scored manually by a human recruiter against predefined criteria. When you apply through automattic.com/work-with-us, your resume and application materials are ingested by Greenhouse, parsed into structured fields, and made available to recruiters in a standardized format. Greenhouse also powers Automattic's candidate communication, interview scheduling, and offer management workflows.

  • Upload your resume as a PDF to preserve formatting through Greenhouse's parser. Avoid complex layouts, tables, graphics, or multi-column designs that may not parse correctly into the recruiter's view.
  • Use standard section headings — 'Experience,' 'Education,' 'Skills,' 'Projects' — that Greenhouse recognizes and maps to its structured candidate profile fields.
  • Greenhouse does not auto-reject applications. Every resume is reviewed by a human recruiter using a scorecard system. Focus on making your resume compelling to a human reader, not on gaming keyword algorithms.
  • Complete all optional fields in the application form. Greenhouse surfaces completeness to recruiters, and leaving fields blank (especially cover letter or written response sections) can signal low effort in a company that values thoroughness.
  • Include links to your GitHub, blog, WordPress.org profile, or portfolio directly in your resume. Greenhouse makes it easy for recruiters to click through to external resources, and Automattic's hiring team actively reviews linked work samples.
  • After applying, you can track your application status through the Greenhouse candidate portal (MyGreenhouse). Check back periodically rather than emailing recruiters for updates — Automattic's hiring process is deliberately paced and status updates will come when there is news to share.

Complete Greenhouse Resume Guide →

Interview Culture

Automattic's interview culture is unlike any other major technology company.

The process is designed to mirror the actual work environment as closely as possible, which means it is overwhelmingly text-based, asynchronous, and focused on evaluating how you perform in the conditions you would actually work in every day. There are few (if any) video calls until the final stages. No whiteboard coding sessions. No panel interviews in a conference room. Instead, Automattic evaluates you through the medium that defines their company: written communication. The Slack interview is the most distinctive element of the early process. Rather than a phone screen or video call, you engage in a real-time or semi-synchronous text conversation with a hiring team member over Slack. This is intentional — Automattic's day-to-day work happens in Slack channels, P2 blogs, and written documents, so they need to know you can think, communicate, and engage effectively in text. The Slack interview is conversational but substantive. Expect to discuss your experience in detail, explain technical decisions you have made, share your perspective on Automattic's products, and demonstrate curiosity about the role. Interviewers are looking for clarity of thought, warmth, and the ability to engage in productive asynchronous dialogue — not the fastest typist. The paid trial project is the heart of Automattic's evaluation process and the element that most clearly separates it from every other company's hiring approach. Rather than trying to assess your abilities through artificial interview questions, Automattic pays you to do the actual work. During the 2-8 week trial, you join a real team, work on real projects, communicate through real channels, and deliver real output. The trial is explicitly designed to answer the question that interviews cannot: what is it actually like to work with this person, day after day? You receive ongoing feedback from your trial lead, and you are encouraged to ask questions, push back on requirements, and demonstrate how you collaborate. Automattic's culture during the hiring process reflects the Automattic Creed. Interviewers are collegial, not adversarial. There is no stress-testing or trick questions. The company genuinely wants to find people who will thrive in their environment, and they recognize that the process should be a two-way evaluation. Candidates are encouraged to use the trial to assess whether Automattic is right for them, not just to prove themselves. The company is transparent about expectations, provides feedback at each stage, and treats candidates with respect throughout. One important cultural note: Automattic's hiring process has historically been slow and deliberate. The company prefers to take 6-10 weeks to make a well-informed hiring decision rather than rush through a compressed interview loop. Patience and comfort with ambiguity are themselves signals that the company evaluates. If you are the kind of person who needs constant updates and fast-moving processes, this is worth knowing up front. Finally, Automattic values diversity of background and perspective. As a truly global company with employees in 90+ countries, they actively seek candidates from non-traditional paths — self-taught developers, career changers, people from underrepresented geographies, and individuals who may not have prestigious credentials but demonstrate exceptional ability and alignment with the company's values. The trial project serves as a great equalizer: your performance during the trial matters far more than where you went to school or which companies appear on your resume.

What Automattic Looks For

  • Exceptional written communication skills — this is non-negotiable. Automattic is a text-first company where nearly all collaboration happens through Slack, P2 internal blogs, and written documents. You must be able to express complex ideas clearly, concisely, and persuasively in writing. Poor writing is a disqualifying factor regardless of technical ability.
  • Self-direction and intrinsic motivation. With no office, no fixed hours, and minimal managerial oversight, Automatticians must be capable of identifying what needs to be done, prioritizing their own work, and executing independently. The company looks for people who are energized by autonomy rather than paralyzed by it.
  • Passion for open-source software and the democratization of publishing. Automattic's mission is to make the web a better place, and WordPress powers over 40% of the internet. Candidates who genuinely care about open-source values, internet freedom, and making powerful tools accessible to everyone resonate strongly with the culture.
  • Comfort with asynchronous, distributed collaboration across time zones. Automattic teams span the globe, and synchronous meetings are the exception rather than the rule. You need to be effective at leaving context for colleagues in other time zones, making decisions without real-time consensus, and trusting your teammates to do the same.
  • Technical depth combined with product empathy. Whether you are an engineer, designer, marketer, or support specialist (called 'Happiness Engineers' at Automattic), the company values people who understand both how things work technically and why they matter to users. Building products that serve hundreds of millions of people requires this dual perspective.
  • A growth mindset and continuous learning habit. The Automattic Creed begins with 'I will never stop learning.' The company seeks people who are curious, who actively develop new skills, and who view challenges as opportunities to grow rather than obstacles to avoid.
  • Resilience and comfort with ambiguity. The trial project, the asynchronous work style, and the lack of traditional management structures all require a high tolerance for uncertainty. Automattic wants people who can make progress even when the path forward is not perfectly clear.
  • Cultural humility and global perspective. With employees in 90+ countries speaking 100+ languages, Automattic values people who appreciate diverse viewpoints, communicate across cultural contexts, and avoid assuming that their own experience is universal.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Automattic's paid trial project and how does it work?
The paid trial is the core of Automattic's hiring process. After passing the initial Slack interview and skills assessment, qualified candidates are invited to complete a real work project alongside the team they would join. The trial typically lasts 2-8 weeks and requires approximately 15-35 hours of total effort. All trial work is paid at a flat rate of $25 USD per hour, regardless of the role's seniority or eventual salary. During the trial, you work on actual Automattic projects, communicate through the company's real tools (Slack, P2), and receive ongoing feedback from your trial lead. The trial is designed to simulate day-to-day work as closely as possible, giving both you and the team a realistic preview of working together. You can schedule trial hours flexibly around existing commitments.
Why does Automattic conduct interviews over Slack instead of video calls?
Automattic is a fully distributed company where nearly all day-to-day work happens through text-based communication — primarily Slack and internal P2 blogs. The Slack interview directly tests the skill that matters most: your ability to communicate clearly, thoughtfully, and engagingly in writing. Since this is how you would spend the majority of your working hours as an Automattician, it makes sense to evaluate it during the interview. Video calls may occur in later stages (such as the executive interview), but the text-based approach in early rounds is both a practical assessment tool and a preview of the company's culture.
Can I complete the trial project while working at my current job?
Yes, the trial is specifically designed to accommodate candidates who are currently employed. The 15-35 hours of total work can be spread over 2-8 weeks and scheduled on evenings, weekends, or whenever works best for you. Automattic is very flexible about timing and will work with you to find a schedule that fits your existing commitments. Many successful hires have completed their trials while holding full-time jobs elsewhere. You should ensure that your current employer's policies permit outside paid work, and you should never use your current employer's time, equipment, or proprietary information during the trial.
What applicant tracking system does Automattic use, and how should I format my resume?
Automattic uses Greenhouse as its applicant tracking system. When you apply through automattic.com/work-with-us, your application is processed through Greenhouse. Unlike some ATS platforms that auto-reject based on keyword algorithms, Greenhouse provides recruiters with structured scorecards for manual evaluation — every application is reviewed by a human. Format your resume with standard section headers (Experience, Education, Skills), avoid tables or multi-column layouts, and upload as PDF. Keep it to 1-2 pages and focus on demonstrating remote work experience, open-source contributions, and written communication skills.
How long does Automattic's hiring process take from application to offer?
The full process typically takes 6-10 weeks, which is longer than most tech companies. The initial application review and Slack interview usually happen within 2-3 weeks. The skills assessment takes 1-2 weeks. The paid trial lasts 2-8 weeks. And the final executive interview and offer decision add another 1-2 weeks. The extended timeline is intentional — Automattic believes that thorough evaluation leads to better hires, especially in a distributed environment where onboarding mistakes are costly. Patience with the process is itself a signal that interviewers look for.
Does Automattic hire internationally, and do they sponsor work visas?
Yes, Automattic hires from nearly every country in the world. As a fully distributed company with no offices, geographic location is rarely a barrier. Automatticians work from 90+ countries. However, because there is no central office, traditional visa sponsorship is less applicable — you typically work as an employee or contractor in your country of residence. Automattic has entities or employs through employer-of-record services in many countries. Specific arrangements vary by location, and the HR team will discuss your situation during the offer stage. In rare cases where a role requires a specific location (such as the NYC Applied AI position), visa sponsorship may apply.
What is compensation like at Automattic, and is the $25/hour trial rate indicative of salary?
The $25/hour trial rate has no relation to your eventual compensation if hired. Automattic pays competitive salaries that vary by role, experience, and location. The company has historically used a transparent compensation framework, and offers include base salary, equity (private company stock options), comprehensive health insurance, a home office setup stipend, professional development budget, open vacation policy, and a paid sabbatical after five years. Automattic also covers co-working space costs if you prefer not to work from home. Compensation details are discussed during the offer stage, not during the trial.
What technical skills are most valued for engineering roles at Automattic?
For engineering roles, Automattic values strong proficiency in PHP and JavaScript (particularly React), as these are the primary languages of the WordPress and WooCommerce ecosystems. Experience with MySQL, REST APIs, and large-scale distributed systems is highly relevant. Knowledge of the WordPress codebase, Gutenberg block editor, or WooCommerce architecture is a significant differentiator. Automattic also values DevOps skills (Linux, Docker, CI/CD), performance optimization for high-traffic systems, and security awareness. Beyond specific technologies, the company prioritizes engineers who write clean, well-documented code and who can communicate technical decisions clearly in writing.
What is the Automattic Creed, and how important is it to the hiring process?
The Automattic Creed is a set of guiding principles written by CEO Matt Mullenweg that defines the company's values and culture. Key principles include: 'I will never stop learning,' 'I won't just work on things that are assigned to me,' 'I am more motivated by impact than money,' 'Open Source is one of the most powerful ideas of our generation,' and 'I will communicate as much as possible, because it's the oxygen of a distributed company.' The Creed is not a formality — it actively shapes hiring decisions, performance evaluations, and daily work at Automattic. Candidates who demonstrate alignment with these principles throughout the interview process have a significant advantage. Read it at automattic.com/creed before applying.
What happens if I do not pass the trial project?
If the trial does not result in a hire, Automattic will communicate the decision with feedback on why it was not the right fit. You are still paid for all trial hours completed at the $25/hour rate. The company emphasizes that a trial not resulting in an offer does not mean you are a bad candidate — it means the specific fit between you and that particular team or role was not right at that time. Some candidates have been invited to trial again for different roles or at a later date. Automattic treats the trial as a mutual evaluation, and they expect that some candidates will also decide that Automattic is not the right fit for them.

Open Positions

Automattic currently has 26 open positions.

Check Your Resume Before Applying → View 26 open positions at Automattic

Related Resources

Similar Companies

Related Articles

Sources

  1. —
  2. —
  3. —
  4. —
  5. —
  6. —
  7. —
  8. —
  9. —
  10. —