Chicago Interview Questions
& Process

First, there was a brief phone screen with the recruiter to go over the basic requirements for the role. After that, I interviewed with the department and the team. Everyone who interviews for this position is asked the exact same questions. It's important to really explain your experiences in detail and how they align with the job description. They don't use any info from the interview or resume afterward to keep things fair for everybody.

This was one of the weirdest and mind-boggling interviews I've ever had. I wasn't told who I'd be meeting with prior to the interview. The day of the interview, I was ushered into a room where a woman & a man were--I was told their names, but I had NO IDEA who they were or their titles. When I sat down, the woman said: you can't take notes, put any papers/pen away, and, fyi, these questions are the same for every candidate and don't be disturbed if we are not looking at you while you're speaking because we will be taking copious notes throughout the interview. After they had asked all their questions, I had my own questions to them, including 'This position is in the 'career service'--what does that mean exactly?' The woman wasn't able to answer that, so she brought in the HR liaison. The woman declined to answer several of my questions, saying 'I can't say,'---it was as if I had an attorney in front of me. These unanswerable questions included: 'Are you considering internal candidates?', 'What's the best/worst thing about working for this department?', 'Do the supervisors over this position have private-sector experience, as well?', and 'What's the biggest challenge facing the city's small-business owners right now?'. It was a very strange interview and the process, which seemed super-bureaucratic, does not leave a good impression. Another tidbit I was told was 'when a small business fails in the city, it's rarely the city's fault.' I also wanted to confirm their HR policy/timing in contacting present employers, seeing as they have you sign a consent form to do so. The woman could not see the problem here, i.e. I don't want my current employer contacted by the city w/o a job offer, for fear of being fired. It was mind-boggling that I had to explain this to her and why I did not want my current employer contacted at this point.

The interview process included a phone screen, a panel interview, and a coding test. For me, it took 20 weeks from beginning to end, and I was ultimately not selected for a position that I already hold. I was trying to switch teams. The entire process felt drawn out and confusing, and this is the second time I've experienced it. The interview itself consisted of a panel of 6 hiring managers who each presented their open positions, and then I had to rank them while they were all present and listening, which was extremely awkward.

There were two main interviews. First, a phone screen to check my background and credentials and see how my experience matches the job. Then, a panel interview with two peer Deputy Commissioners and the Assistant Commissioner (who reports to this position). This was to check if our personalities would mesh, since they'd be people I'd work with and who would report to me. They also asked scenario-based questions and let me talk about the environment I'd be stepping into.