CDK Global Data Engineer Interview Questions + Guide in 2025

CDK Global is at the forefront of delivering innovative software and data insights for the automotive retail industry, aiming to transform the landscape for dealers and OEMs alike.

As a Data Engineer at CDK Global, you will play a crucial role in architecting, designing, and building scalable data platforms that support the company’s strategic initiatives. Key responsibilities include developing and optimizing data pipelines, ensuring data integrity, and collaborating with various stakeholders to understand business requirements. You will be expected to leverage data technologies such as SQL, cloud data warehouses, and data streaming tools, while implementing best practices for data governance and security. Strong programming skills in Python and proficiency in data modeling are essential for success in this role. The ideal candidate will be a collaborative innovator, embodying CDK’s values of curiosity, ownership, openness, and the creation of possibilities.

This guide is designed to help you understand the expectations for the Data Engineer role at CDK Global and prepare effectively for your interview. By focusing on the key responsibilities and skills required, you can approach your interview with confidence and clarity.

The interview process for a Data Engineer at CDK Global is structured to assess both technical and behavioral competencies, ensuring candidates align with the company's values and technical requirements. The process typically unfolds as follows:

1. Initial Screening

The first step involves a phone interview with a recruiter, which usually lasts about 30 minutes. During this conversation, the recruiter will discuss your resume, relevant experience, and motivations for applying to CDK Global. This is also an opportunity for you to ask questions about the company culture and the specifics of the role.

2. Technical Assessment

Following the initial screening, candidates may be required to complete a technical assessment. This could involve an online coding test that evaluates your proficiency in SQL, Python, and data modeling techniques. The assessment is designed to gauge your problem-solving skills and understanding of data engineering concepts.

3. Technical Interviews

Candidates who pass the technical assessment will move on to one or more technical interviews. These interviews are typically conducted by senior engineers or hiring managers and focus on your technical expertise, including your experience with data pipelines, cloud technologies, and database management. Expect scenario-based questions that require you to demonstrate your knowledge of data architecture, data integrity, and system performance.

4. Behavioral Interview

In addition to technical skills, CDK Global places a strong emphasis on cultural fit. A behavioral interview will assess how well you align with the company's values, such as curiosity, ownership, and openness. You may be asked to provide examples of past experiences where you demonstrated these values in a professional setting.

5. Panel Interview

Some candidates may be invited to a panel interview, which consists of multiple interviewers from different teams. This format allows the company to evaluate how you interact with various stakeholders and assess your collaborative skills. Questions may cover a range of topics, including your approach to problem-solving and your ability to work in a team environment.

6. Final Interview and Offer

The final step typically involves a discussion with higher management or team leads, where you may discuss your career aspirations and how they align with the company's goals. If all goes well, you will receive an offer, which may include discussions around salary and benefits.

As you prepare for your interview, it's essential to be ready for the specific questions that may arise during this process.

Here are some tips to help you excel in your interview.

Understand the Company Culture

CDK Global emphasizes values such as curiosity, ownership, openness, and creating possibilities. Familiarize yourself with these values and think of examples from your past experiences that demonstrate how you embody them. During the interview, weave these values into your responses to show that you align with the company culture.

Prepare for a Multi-Round Interview Process

Expect a structured interview process that may include multiple rounds, such as HR screening, technical interviews, and discussions with team leads or managers. Be ready to discuss your experience in detail, particularly how it relates to the responsibilities outlined in the job description. Practice articulating your past projects and the impact they had on your previous organizations.

Brush Up on Technical Skills

Given the emphasis on SQL and algorithms, ensure you are well-versed in these areas. Prepare for technical questions that may involve writing SQL queries, discussing data modeling techniques, and solving algorithmic problems. Familiarize yourself with the specific technologies mentioned in the job description, such as cloud data platforms, data pipelining, and data governance practices.

Expect Scenario-Based Questions

Interviews may include scenario-based questions that assess your problem-solving abilities and how you approach real-world challenges. Prepare to discuss how you would design data architectures or troubleshoot issues in distributed systems. Use the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) method to structure your responses effectively.

Communicate Clearly and Confidently

Strong communication skills are essential for this role, as you will need to collaborate with various stakeholders. Practice explaining complex technical concepts in simple terms, as you may need to convey your ideas to non-technical team members. Be confident in your abilities and articulate your thought process during problem-solving discussions.

Be Ready for Behavioral Questions

While technical skills are crucial, CDK Global also values cultural fit. Prepare for behavioral questions that explore your teamwork, adaptability, and conflict resolution skills. Reflect on past experiences where you demonstrated these qualities and be ready to share them during the interview.

Follow Up and Stay Engaged

Given the feedback about the hiring process, it’s important to follow up after your interviews. If you haven’t heard back within the expected timeframe, don’t hesitate to reach out to your recruiter for updates. This shows your continued interest in the position and helps you stay informed about your application status.

Embrace a Growth Mindset

CDK Global is focused on innovation and continuous improvement. During your interview, express your enthusiasm for learning and adapting to new technologies. Share examples of how you have embraced challenges in the past and how you plan to continue growing in your career.

By preparing thoroughly and aligning your experiences with CDK Global's values and expectations, you can position yourself as a strong candidate for the Data Engineer role. Good luck!

In this section, we’ll review the various interview questions that might be asked during a Data Engineer interview at CDK Global. The interview process will likely focus on a combination of technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and behavioral questions to assess your fit within the company culture. Be prepared to demonstrate your knowledge of data technologies, SQL, and your experience with data architecture and engineering principles.

Technical Skills

1. Describe your experience with SQL and how you have used it in your previous projects.

This question aims to assess your proficiency with SQL and your ability to apply it in real-world scenarios.

How to Answer

Discuss specific projects where you utilized SQL, focusing on the complexity of the queries you wrote and the outcomes of your work.

Example

“In my last role, I designed complex SQL queries to extract and analyze data from our customer database. This involved using joins, subqueries, and window functions to generate reports that informed our marketing strategies, ultimately leading to a 20% increase in customer engagement.”

2. Can you explain the difference between a data warehouse and a data lake?

This question tests your understanding of data storage solutions and their appropriate use cases.

How to Answer

Clearly define both concepts and provide examples of when you would use each.

Example

“A data warehouse is a structured storage solution optimized for query performance and reporting, while a data lake is a more flexible storage option that can handle unstructured data. I would use a data warehouse for business intelligence reporting and a data lake for storing raw data from various sources for future analysis.”

3. What strategies do you use to ensure data quality and integrity in your projects?

This question evaluates your approach to maintaining high data standards.

How to Answer

Discuss specific methodologies or tools you have used to monitor and improve data quality.

Example

“I implement data validation checks at various stages of the data pipeline, using tools like Apache Airflow for orchestration. Additionally, I regularly conduct data profiling to identify anomalies and ensure that our data meets the required quality standards.”

4. Describe a challenging data engineering problem you faced and how you solved it.

This question assesses your problem-solving skills and technical expertise.

How to Answer

Provide a specific example, detailing the problem, your approach, and the outcome.

Example

“In a previous project, we faced performance issues with our ETL process due to large data volumes. I optimized the data pipeline by implementing partitioning and parallel processing, which reduced the processing time by 50% and improved overall system performance.”

5. How do you approach designing a data model for a new application?

This question evaluates your understanding of data modeling principles.

How to Answer

Outline your process for gathering requirements, designing the model, and validating it.

Example

“I start by collaborating with stakeholders to gather functional and non-functional requirements. Then, I create an Entity-Relationship Diagram (ERD) to visualize the data model, ensuring it is normalized to reduce redundancy. Finally, I validate the model with the team and iterate based on feedback.”

Behavioral Questions

1. How do you prioritize your tasks when you have multiple deadlines?

This question assesses your time management and organizational skills.

How to Answer

Explain your approach to prioritization and any tools or methods you use.

Example

“I prioritize tasks based on their urgency and impact on the project. I use tools like Trello to manage my workload and ensure that I allocate time for high-priority tasks while keeping track of deadlines.”

2. Describe a time when you had to work with a difficult stakeholder. How did you handle it?

This question evaluates your interpersonal skills and ability to navigate challenging situations.

How to Answer

Share a specific example, focusing on your communication and conflict resolution strategies.

Example

“I once worked with a stakeholder who had conflicting priorities. I scheduled a meeting to understand their concerns and worked to find a compromise that aligned with our project goals. By maintaining open communication, we were able to collaborate effectively and meet our deadlines.”

3. Can you give an example of how you have contributed to a team’s success?

This question assesses your teamwork and collaboration skills.

How to Answer

Highlight a specific instance where your contributions positively impacted the team.

Example

“I led a cross-functional team to implement a new data processing pipeline. By facilitating regular check-ins and encouraging collaboration, we completed the project ahead of schedule, which improved our data availability for analytics.”

4. How do you stay current with industry trends and technologies?

This question evaluates your commitment to professional development.

How to Answer

Discuss the resources you use to keep your skills updated and your approach to learning.

Example

“I regularly read industry blogs, attend webinars, and participate in online courses to stay informed about the latest trends in data engineering. I also engage with professional communities on platforms like LinkedIn to exchange knowledge with peers.”

5. Why do you want to work at CDK Global?

This question assesses your motivation and alignment with the company’s values.

How to Answer

Express your interest in the company and how your values align with theirs.

Example

“I admire CDK Global’s commitment to innovation and collaboration in the automotive retail industry. I believe my passion for data engineering and my desire to contribute to impactful projects align perfectly with your mission to enhance customer experiences through data insights.”