Cengage Interview Questions
& Process

I spoke with a recruiter who was nice and open about things. However, what they said on the phone was pretty different from the job description. The posting makes it sound like a typical customer success job focused on customer results, getting them to use the product, and managing relationships. But on the call, the recruiter said it's actually 80-90% about revenue, and the next part of the interview would be mostly sales and revenue stuff. She even gave me the product name so I could look it up. Given the revenue talk, it seems like they're really checking for sales skills. Also, the salary range posted ($67K-$87K) was cut down to $75K-$80K on the call with no explanation. So, if you're a customer success person who usually focuses on things like post-sale, onboarding, adoption, and customer outcomes, be aware that this job is actually more like an account executive or sales role than a typical CS one. The title and description don't really show that. People should know this difference before they spend time on the interview. The recruiter was great and the process moved fast. The main issue is how the role is presented, not how I was treated.

It started with an HR virtual screen about my background. Then I met with the GM and VP of the Milady business unit to talk about managing product teams, strategy, and AI initiatives. After that, I had a chat with the Director of Marketing, a peer, about similar things. Next, I met two future product team members who wanted to know about my leadership style, from strategy to delivery. Then, I had a meeting with Cengage's SVP of Product Management to discuss my background, product philosophy, and some case questions. Everything seemed to be going well, and I sent thank you notes after each round. My supervisor, the GM and VP, then asked me to meet with a Cengage Strategy Director. We met, and it seemed like we were aligned. I sent a follow-up. Weeks passed with no word, so I followed up again, and then again a few weeks later, but heard nothing. Cengage ghosted me after the whole process, no rejection email, nothing. Not professional.

The interview process was pretty standard: first a recruiter screen, then an interview with the hiring manager, and finally chats with two other team members. I had to keep on top of the recruiter to know when I was moving on because the scheduling team was slow to respond within their promised timeline. In the last talk with one of the teammates, she seemed really checked out and made it seem like I was wasting her time. I did appreciate the hiring manager being upfront about them looking at internal candidates too. That helped me know what to expect. For a role focused on 'Talent and Potential,' I guess I'd hoped they'd find some 'talented potential' from within. I wish them the best!

I was first contacted by a recruiter and did a phone screen with them. They were super helpful. Then I had two more interviews with two team members, which were also great. The last interview was with the hiring manager, but sadly they ended up going with another candidate who had prior experience in the role.