A Live Oak Bank recruiter or team member interviewing a potential job candidate as part of the company's hiring process

How We Hire

Live Oak Bank’s interview and hiring process

Our Hiring Process

We strive to make your candidate experience as clear and smooth as possible. Here’s what you can expect when applying to join Live Oak:

Apply

The application process takes about five minutes to complete. You can view all job openings and apply here. We don’t require a cover letter, but you’re welcome to include one if you’d like. All applications submitted to Live Oak Bank are reviewed by members of our recruiting team. We do not use AI or automated systems to screen or reject applicants.

Prepare

Now that you’ve connected with a recruiter for an interview, it’s time to prepare thoroughly. We encourage you to conduct extensive research on Live Oak Bank and the specific role, with resources like our Our Story page and “The Live Oak Bank Story” video being excellent starting points.

Interview

The interview journey at Live Oak is tailored to each role, but we’ve outlined a general guide to give you an idea of what’s involved:

Recruiter Interview
Our hiring process begins with a 30-minute introductory phone call, during which a Live Oak recruiter will discuss your background, interest in the role, and provide a high-level overview of our organization. This initial conversation is also an opportunity for you to ask questions and learn how your skills align with our team.

Second Interviews
Following the initial call, you’ll connect with the hiring manager or a member of the team. This stage enables a more in-depth discussion about the role’s responsibilities and how your experience aligns with them.

Final Interviews
In the final interview stage, you’ll have the opportunity to meet with various team members across different areas of the business. This is designed to provide you with a broader, holistic sense of our culture and how collaboration drives our work.

Decision

Following your final interview, we aim to respond to you within a few business days. Should our decision process require more time, particularly when evaluating a strong pool of candidates, we appreciate your patience and will ensure you receive timely updates.

Candidate Guidance on AI Usage

At Live Oak Bank, we believe in the powerful intersection of technology and banking. We encourage our teams—and our candidates—to embrace tools like AI to enhance efficiency, creativity, and preparation. That said, we want to set clear expectations around how AI should and shouldn’t be used during the interview process.

Acceptable Uses of AI

AI can be a great resource to help you prepare, research, and refine your ideas. Here are some examples of how you might use it effectively:

“Create a list of example situational questions I may be asked in an interview.”
“Review my answer to this question and suggest how to make it more concise.”
“I’m interviewing with Live Oak Bank—can you help me understand their core values?”

Unacceptable Uses of AI

While AI can generate impressive content, we want to ensure that what you share reflects your authentic experience and abilities. Please avoid using AI to:

Fabricate experiences or examples that aren’t your own
Write scripts or answers for you to recite during interviews
Create content for presentations or case studies
Complete technical tests or analyses

Our Approach to AI in Hiring

We do not use AI or AI-driven platforms to screen resumes or make hiring decisions. Our hiring process is rooted in a human-first approach, led by real people who are genuinely interested in getting to know you. We kindly ask for the same in return: we value thoughtful, authentic engagement and appreciate when candidates approach the process with that same level of sincerity and care.

If you have any questions about using AI during your interview process, feel free to reach out to your recruiter or email us at HumanResources@liveoak.bank.

We’re excited to learn more about you—thanks for considering Live Oak Bank!

First day at Live Oak Bank

Join Our Team

As part of the Live Oak team, you’ll have the chance to shape the next chapter of banking while supporting the backbone of our nation – small businesses.

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