At Coupang, hiring is more than just selecting talent—it’s about shaping the future of our organization together. At the heart of this journey lies the Bar Raiser Program. A Bar Raiser is not just an interviewer, but an innovative leader who helps design Coupang’s future. Based on Coupang’s 15 Leadership Principles, they objectively assess a tech candidate’s growth potential and organizational fit. Let us now introduce Coupang’s unique hiring system—the Bar Raiser Program—and the role of the Bar Raiser.
What is a Bar Raiser?
A Bar Raiser is an interviewer who participates in tech hiring from a neutral, third-party perspective, meaning they have no direct stake in the hiring team or organization.
Their role is to assess more than just technical skills. They evaluate whether a candidate can apply Coupang’s Leadership Principles in real-world scenarios and has the potential to positively shape the company's culture.
At Coupang, we believe that hiring talent who aligns with our culture is our most critical competitive advantage, especially in a fast-paced environment. Bar Raisers are essential partners who uphold this standard, helping us maintain a consistently high hiring bar.
What Does It Take to Become a Bar Raiser?
A Bar Raiser is a seasoned professional who makes objective and thoughtful evaluations during the hiring process, grounded in a deep understanding and proven experience in practicing Coupang’s Leadership Principles.
They are selected through a rigorous process that includes structured internal training. Beyond career history or job title, what truly matters is a deep alignment with Coupang’s culture and a strong commitment to its hiring philosophy.
How is a Bar Raiser Interview Different?
While standard interviews primarily evaluate whether a candidate meets the hiring team’s needs— technical expertise, experience, and communication skills —Bar Raiser interviews take a broader, more strategic perspective. Bar Raisers serve as impartial evaluators, independent of the hiring team or organization, and concentrate on a single, critical question: “Can this candidate raise the bar for our organization?”
This means looking beyond cultural fit to assess cultural contribution—how the candidate can apply Coupang’s Leadership Principles in their work and help lead the organization in a better direction. What is it really like to be a Bar Raiser? To find out, we spoke with Moonkee, a Bar Raiser Trainer, who shared personal insights and experiences from the field.
Please introduce yourself and your current role.
Hello, I'm Moonkee, Director of the End User Technology team within the Corporate IT organization. I am currently responsible for the integrated management of our company-wide endpoint platform, as well as overseeing security control for all endpoints.
What do you think is the most important skill for becoming a Bar Raiser?
Bar Raisers play a pivotal role in helping Coupang hire top-tier talent who not only excel in their roles but also have the mindset and experience to embody our Leadership Principles and elevate our organizational standards. To fulfill this role effectively, Bar Raisers must have a deep understanding of Coupang’s Leadership Principles and consistently apply them in their daily work. This includes approaching complex problems based on those principles and using them to guide key decisions. Such alignment is essential for making fair, objective evaluations during interviews.
Why is the Bar Raiser program so important in Coupang’s hiring process?
Bar Raisers are typically individuals who have no direct organizational ties to the hiring team, allowing them to maintain full objectivity. Rather than focusing on technical skills required for the role, they assess whether candidates have the mindset and experience to apply Coupang’s Leadership Principles in their daily work. Even highly skilled candidates can pose challenges if they prioritize individual success over team goals or act in ways that conflict with our principles. These situations can create greater difficulties at the team or organizational level. That’s why it’s essential to evaluate candidates from an unbiased perspective—something Bar Raisers are entrusted to do with responsibility and care throughout the hiring process.
Any tips for candidates preparing for a Bar Raiser interview?
As previously mentioned, Coupang's hiring process places a significant emphasis not only on technical skills, but on a candidate's ability to demonstrate our Leadership Principles in their daily work, especially in terms of organizational culture and work style. Therefore, when preparing for a Bar Raiser interview, it's highly beneficial to carefully study Coupang’s Leadership Principles and thoughtfully reflect on how you’ve embodied each one in your past experiences. Preparing concrete examples and practicing how to articulate them clearly can make a meaningful difference in your interview performance.
Could you share a memorable experience with a candidate during your time as a Bar Raiser?
Over nearly three years as a Bar Raiser, I’ve interviewed hundreds of candidates, so even when someone I interviewed ends up joining Coupang, it’s not always easy to recognize each one if we happen to cross paths in the office. Still, it’s always rewarding when someone remembers me from their interview and greets me—it reminds me of the impact the Bar Raiser role can have.
A particularly memorable experience was when a candidate I had interviewed successfully joined Coupang and later became an interviewer in another hiring process where I was also serving as a Bar Raiser. As we exchanged feedback and discussed the hiring decision, they shared that their own interview experience helped them understand and perform their role as an interviewer. It was a meaningful moment that made me feel I had helped shape the standards for interviewers through the Bar Raiser experience.
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