Council on Foreign Relations Interview Questions
& Process
Real candidates share what happened, how many rounds they had,
and how the experience turned out.
Based on 180 interview experiences · FREE TO READ
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28 roles · 180 reportsCandidate interview experiences
First-hand accounts from people who interviewed at Council on Foreign Relations.
Council on Foreign Relations
Manager
Manager Average Negative experience No offer 5 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Phone screen Presentation Take home Onsite
Interview formats
Behavioral Technical Presentation
So I had an HR interview first, then I had a video interview with the director of the office/team who would be my supervisor. They told me the next steps were another interview, then a work assignment, and a final interview before they'd make a decision. HR said they'd let me know either way. I never heard back even after following up with HR twice. It was really disrespectful especially since they expected a 5-round interview process for a mid-level role.
Confirmed questions2 questions
- Can you tell me about your budgeting experience?
- How have you handled working with multiple priorities and conflicting deadlines?
Council on Foreign Relations
Intern
Intern Average Positive experience Accept offer 2 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Background check
Interview formats
Behavioral
It was a really nice interview process. They started with some basic questions about why I was interested in the position. Then, the hiring manager, who was great, asked me about my past experience. On top of that, they asked some general competency questions and also asked for some stories.
Confirmed questions4 questions
- What is your motivation for wanting this role?
- Can you describe your experience?
- Could you share some examples of your competencies?
Council on Foreign Relations
Program Associate
Entry Average Positive experience Accept offer 4 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Phone screen Technical screen Take home Presentation
Interview formats
Behavioral Technical Presentation
I sent in my application online with a cover letter and resume. About two weeks after, I heard back from the HR person and set up a 15-minute pre-screen interview with them for the following week. After that, I had a 30-minute video interview a week later with two deputy directors from the department. The questions were about my experience and working style. Then, I had a 30-minute interview a week after that with the managing director of the program, which was the final round. The HR person then sent me a writing test. It was a 5-part test that I had to complete in 1 hour and 15 minutes, which felt a little rushed, but it was straightforward and asked me to write samples of tasks I'd do on the job.
Confirmed questions1 question
- Could you tell me about your background in events and programming?
Council on Foreign Relations
Research Associate
Entry Easy Neutral experience No offer 1 round
Interview process
Recruiter call Phone screen
Interview formats
Behavioral Technical
The interviewer was nice and asked typical phone interview questions like why CFR, why this role, and why I'm qualified. I had 3 questions, but she kept asking if I had more, and I said I'd have more for later rounds. I already knew a lot about the company, so I didn't have more comments or questions. She didn't seem to like that. I never heard back after that. I think I might have been overqualified and I told her a salary much higher than what she mentioned. These could be reasons, but who knows. It wasn't a bad experience overall, but I didn't feel totally comfortable during the chat. I heard back about 2 weeks after applying.
Confirmed questions5 questions
- What are your career aspirations, and are you familiar with our organization?
- What skills do you bring to this role?
- Why CFR?
Council on Foreign Relations Interview Questions
Quoted word for word from Council on Foreign Relations interview reports.
“Regarding the provided JavaScript function, what value will be returned: `a=1 function f(a) { var a=2; } alert[a);`?”
Read reports →“What is an issue you think that is not in the press currently but will become a big issue 6 months from now.”
Read reports →“What do you see as the biggest geopolitical issue facing us today?”
Read reports →“Could you shorten the provided draft from 1500 words to 1200 words while also editing and fact-checking it for a potential Foreign Affairs article?”
Read reports →“Which scholars, both within and outside of CFR, do you find compelling?”
Read report →“What are your thoughts on China's position relative to the United States?”
Read report →“What are your go-to sources for news and information regarding a specific country or topic?”
Read report →“Which is more important to you: delivering something perfectly, even if it's late, or delivering it on time, even if it's not perfect?”
Read report →“Is a 28-hour work week, spread over 4 days, acceptable to you?”
Read report →Formats, difficulty and experience
Across all 180 Council on Foreign Relations interview reports.