What it Does: Tesla is an electric car company. Tesla's products include vehicles and charging stations. The company also sells its products to consumers directly through its website and online sales channel. Tesla has multiple showrooms in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Europe.
Mission: Tesla's goal is to "accelerate the world's transition to sustainable energy," as its most important product for consumers will be long-range battery electric vehicles (EV). They design, develop, manufacture, and sell advanced electric vehicle powertrain components.
Size and Presence: As of 2015, Tesla has approximately 6000 employees in 31 states and 20 countries. Their headquarters are located in Palo Alto, California.
Best Known For: Tesla is best known for its electric vehicles, which are currently riding a wave of popularity. The company's CEO, Elon Musk, is at the forefront of technological progress, with ambitious goals, including building solar panels to power houses and developing self-driving vehicles.
However, its primary focus has been on electric cars—and their success has been undeniable. The company is best known for its global network of supercharging stations and for launching the world's first fully-electric sedan in the form of the Tesla Model S. The car, which can go from 0 to 60 mph in just 2.8 seconds, was named Motor Trend's 2013 Car of the Year.
The Good Bits: Tesla employees love how much the company cares about its workers' well-being and how it encourages them to pursue their passions outside of work hours.
The Not So Good Bits: Few employees complained about being laid off less than a year after they started working at Tesla's battery plant.
Tesla Motors is a USA-based car manufacturing company co-founded by Elon Musk, JB Straubel, Martin Eberhard, Marc Tarpenning, and Ian Wright. Musk, the CEO, is best known for his work with PayPal, SpaceX, and SolarCity. The company was established in 2003 and had been producing luxury electric vehicles since then. Their first model, the Tesla Roadster, was launched in 2008. In 2012 they released their second model, the Model S. The Model S can travel up to 265 miles on a single charge and has won numerous awards, including Car of the Year from Motor Trend Magazine.
In 2015, Tesla introduced its third model, the Model X SUV. In 2016, after much anticipation and some delays due to technical challenges, Tesla began production of its newest model: the Model 3 mass-market vehicle. The Model 3 is priced at less than $35K and is intended to achieve a range of 215 miles per charge. Last year was pivotal for Tesla in terms of publicity and public interest.
Tesla doesn't have a traditional office layout like other companies. Instead, it has open spaces with desks scattered throughout the building. Employees are encouraged to move around the office to collaborate with others more easily and quickly. This helps foster an environment that encourages innovation and creativity while encouraging employees to work together.
Tesla's recruitment process is much like the other Silicon Valley companies. The company has a hiring portal that allows candidates to apply for roles. The portal is accessible from Tesla's careers page.
The company also has an applicant tracking system (ATS) that allows candidates to track their applications and get updates on their status. The ATS is accessible from the same page as the main careers page.
The Tesla recruitment process is designed to create a group of high performers. The process is rigorous and can take anywhere from three to six months to complete. Tesla wants its employees to be passionate about what they do, reflected in the company's hiring practices.
Tesla doesn't hire those who have been fired from previous jobs. It wants people who show initiative and are enthusiastic about their work — qualities necessary for success at Tesla's corporate headquarters.
Tesla has been hiring for many positions throughout the company, including engineering, manufacturing, sales, and service. Jobs are available for both full-time and part-time applicants. Tesla is always looking for talented people passionate about electric vehicles and their mission to accelerate the world's transition to sustainable energy sources.
In 2016, Tesla was named one of the top 10 most sustainable companies in the world by Corporate Knights magazine, and it ranked fourth on Fortune's 2017 list of "World's Most Admired Companies."
In addition to being environmentally conscious when designing its vehicles, Tesla offers Solar Roofs that generate solar power for homes and businesses. The company also provides zero-emissions electric vehicles that are safer for the environment than gas-powered cars.
Tesla also invests in education through its partnership with DonorsChoose.org and by providing students from underserved communities an opportunity to learn about STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering, and math). The company also annually provides scholarships through its Elon Musk Scholarship program at South African universities.
Through its philanthropic foundation, known as the Musk Foundation, Tesla also supports organizations that promote clean energy and help people living in poverty worldwide by providing access to sustainable energy sources such as solar power.