Cognella Interview Questions
& Process

I went through a long interview process for Cognella, for the position of Project Editor. It included a phone interview, a thorough questionnaire, and two in-person interviews. Everyone I spoke with was friendly and accessible, and Bassim (CEO) really made an effort to be available and answer my questions. They emphasized their company culture and honesty a lot. I was honest with them, and they said I had a solid skill set, but decided not to hire me based on a "gut instinct." The job requires long hours, 40-45 hrs/wk for 8 months and 45-60 hrs/wk for 4 months (busy season), so the hourly pay isn't as great as it looks despite a competitive industry salary. Their benefits package is also limited, not covering spouses, only offering a PPO, and they wouldn't name the provider. Some interviewers were dressed very casually, while others were quite formal. Despite this, everyone was friendly, and I don't have any hard feelings about not getting the job; I trust their instinct. With a new baby, I need a job that pays better hourly. This company seems to be mostly young people, likely recent grads, and I felt overqualified. I'd recommend it to recent grads looking to get into publishing. Everyone seems really friendly and helpful. Best of luck to you and Cognella. I'm optimistic about their future and wish them the best.

The interview process at Cognella could really use an update to be more current. They rely a lot on questionnaires - I had to fill out a 12-page one before even the first phone call, which felt a bit much and like questions that should have been asked in the interview itself. About a month later, there was a basic phone screen. Then I went in for a one-on-one interview and also had to complete two tests: one for skills and another for communication style, which also felt a bit outdated. After that, I had several panel interviews, including one with the CEO. They then asked for more references even though I'd already given them a list, which was strange, and then sent my references a 3-page questionnaire. It was awkward for me and a big hassle for them, definitely not how things are usually done. Finally, after all that, I got an offer, but the pay wasn't competitive, so I turned it down. It seems like they need to modernize their interview process (less tedious questionnaires) and offer a package that matches the intensity of their hiring process.

I went through two rounds of interviews for an Editorial Assistant role. The first one was great; I met the team I'd be working with and we clicked. About a month later, I had a second interview with a manager and the CEO, which wasn't as good. The CEO seemed to want to hire people just like him. He had me do a role-play exercise and asked a lot of 'what if' questions, implying that learning on the job isn't valued. After that, I really didn't want to work there.

I applied online and got a call the next day to set up an interview. I met with the Production Manager who was nice but kind of awkward. One of my references got a call later that day. Then I was asked to come back to meet other members of the team, like another production assistant and an editor. I got the job offer at the end of that interview.