CalSTRS Interview Questions
& Process
Real candidates share what happened, how many rounds they had,
and how the experience turned out.
Based on 29 interview experiences · FREE TO READ
Which role are you interviewing for?
4 roles · 29 reportsCandidate interview experiences
First-hand accounts from people who interviewed at CalSTRS.
CalSTRS
Staff Services Analyst
Staff Average Positive experience Accept offer 1 round
Interview process
Recruiter call Onsite
Interview formats
Behavioral
I applied online through CalConnect and was contacted for an in-person interview. Since I was already an internal candidate, I went through one interview. I was asked about 5-6 questions and it lasted roughly around an hour.
Confirmed questions1 question
- How would you handle scheduling conflicts when trying to schedule a meeting with multiple people?
CalSTRS
Investment Professional
Mid Easy Positive experience Accept offer 3 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Technical screen Onsite
Interview formats
Behavioral Technical
The interview process was well-organized, featuring typical behavioral questions for a finance role. These are open-ended questions where you discuss an experience that showcases your strengths. This interview was conducted virtually.
Confirmed questions1 question
- Can you share an instance where you made an error and describe how you addressed it?
CalSTRS
Investments Intern
Intern Average Positive experience Accept offer 2 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Onsite
Interview formats
Behavioral Technical
Had a phone call where they asked about me and my interest in economics and investments. Then had an in person meeting with the head of my cohort. The interview was in a conference room where everyone could see, which was a bit intimidating. But, the people were really nice and professional, and seemed genuinely interested in what I had to say.
Confirmed questions1 question
- What drove your interest in economics?
CalSTRS
Portfolio Manager
Mid Average Negative experience No offer 2 rounds
Interview process
Group Onsite
Interview formats
Group Behavioral
The interview process included a group interview with the team, but it was obvious that one of the people who was interviewing me was also a candidate for the job (and since it's a public agency, I can verify that they did get the job). I think most of the non-entry level hires in the investment office are from internal candidates. I'm not really sure why they wasted everyone's time by even doing the interview, other than to check a box to say that they considered outside hires.
Confirmed questions1 question
- Why would you want to work for CalSTRS after working the private sector?
CalSTRS Interview Questions
Quoted word for word from CalSTRS interview reports.
“If you could have any superpower, what would it be?”
Read reports →“If you were in line to get something done, would you prefer to be at the front, in the middle, or at the back?”
Read reports →“What drove your interest in economics?”
Read reports →“How do you handle the difficulties of others, like if they pass away or become disabled?”
Read reports →“How would you handle scheduling conflicts when trying to schedule a meeting with multiple people?”
Read report →“How would you approach systematically solving an IT problem?”
Read report →“What actions do you take to help them?”
Read report →“What do you know about this company?”
Read report →“How do you manage your workload and decide what to do first”
Read report →Formats, difficulty and experience
Across all 29 CalSTRS interview reports.