Charles Drew University Interview Questions
& Process

So the interview process started with a standard email from a staff member to schedule a meeting. There was a mix-up with the time, it said 1:30 am instead of pm, but I sorted out the right time even though the invite wasn't updated. The actual interview had a lot of technical glitches from their end at the start. Two people from the team I'd be working with interviewed me. They asked questions in the usual STAR format, like how I'd manage student interactions, university rules, and tight deadlines. It was pretty disappointing how disengaged the interviewers were. They didn't really react to my answers, and when I tried to ask follow-up questions about the job and expectations, their responses were brief and vague, not giving much detail about the role or daily tasks. One interviewer even left the room multiple times without saying why, and the other kept turning their camera off to eat lunch. They only mentioned at the very end, after I asked, that the role was student-facing. Even though I have years of experience with students, which is on my resume and I mentioned it a lot, they acted like I had no experience with them, which was a setback. It's rare to feel like an interviewer isn't listening at all. I sent a follow-up email after the interview, thanking them and asking for feedback and more info on the role. No reply. I followed up again two weeks later, still nothing. They also brought up that it's a historically black institution, implying I might not be aware, which was strange since I am black, and they weren't. I felt like they were questioning my fit with the university culture. I know university hiring can be slow and bureaucratic, with budget issues, but basic things like paying attention and responding to candidates are crucial.

The interview was about 30 minutes and mostly consisted of behavioral questions. It was an entry-level position, so the questions weren't meant to be super tough but to see how I'd handle new situations.

I first chatted with the hiring manager, then had a panel interview with folks who are currently in the same role. I really made an effort to connect with the ones who seemed less interested, and by the end, they were all really into it and smiling.

The interview for the ELM nursing program involved a series of questions that I had to answer by submitting a video. I got an email with a link to send in my video. After that, I got an acceptance letter.