Council on Foreign Relations Project Manager Interview Questions
& Process

The hiring process had a few steps: an HR screening, a test, and then an in-person interview. I had to keep asking for updates or to set up times - they only confirmed my final interview, which I traveled for, the day before. I found out I didn't get the job about a week after the last interview.

After submitting my application for a role with the Council on Foreign Relations, an HR rep reached out to schedule an initial phone call. This call was solely with HR and focused on going over my resume. I was told I'd hear about the next steps soon. About two weeks later, I was contacted for a second interview. Usually, this stage involves an in-person meeting, but since I'm located far from their NY office, we conducted it over Skype. This Skype interview included a brief chat with the HR rep, followed by a more in-depth discussion with the current person in the role I was applying for and a future colleague. This part delved deeper into my resume and posed specific questions about the job. Following the Skype interview, the HR rep scheduled a writing test for the following week. On the day of the test, I was sent a four-page document on regional trade agreements and asked to edit it using the Chicago Manual of Grammar. I had two hours to complete the edits and return the document. After waiting three to four weeks, the HR rep informed me that my application would not be moving forward at this time.

I applied online, so they were cool with doing Skype interviews for the first parts. First, I had a call with HR to see if I was interested and if I could move on. Then, a Skype interview with HR and two other people from the team. They gave me a skills test based on the job. After that, a Skype interview with the main bosses of the program. Finally, I had an in-person interview at their office in NYC.