Cambridge University Press & Assessment Manager Interview Questions
& Process

I applied through their website, which was easy to use. About a week later, they invited me for an interview and sent some online aptitude tests. These tests were pretty standard; while the questions themselves weren't too hard, they were challenging to finish in the allotted time if you weren't used to that sort of thing, like GCSE-level questions. The next week, I had an interview with three people. It started with a presentation, and I think they expected a PowerPoint. After that, they asked several questions, really digging into my answers. They seemed more focused on how I'd handle bad situations rather than what I'd done well. Some of the questions felt a bit aggressive, like they were looking for problems. They seemed hesitant about hiring someone who wasn't doing the exact same job right now, and they came across as resistant to change, new ideas, and enthusiastic managers. My not living in Cambridge was also a point of concern for them. They said I'd hear back within a week, but I never did. On the plus side, they did cover my travel expenses, though it took two months to get reimbursed.

I had to do a Data Visualization assignment using data they gave me. I spent two days on it and then presented what I found. The interview went well, no follow-up questions, things seemed to be going great. But then, three days later, I got rejected. I get that they chose another candidate, but I'm disappointed about the lack of feedback, which they said they'd give. I've followed up with HR multiple times over the last two weeks and heard nothing back. If they don't plan on giving feedback, they shouldn't promise it. I put a lot of time into this, and I think transparency and basic courtesy should be part of the hiring process.

The interview process had two stages, involving a panel that asked competency-based questions about the organization and the role. They were quite prompt in sending out invitations via email. An HR representative then contacted me via phone to extend an offer and discuss salary negotiations, which started at the lower end of the proposed range.