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Crain Communications Interview Questions
& Process

Real candidates share what happened, how many rounds they had,
and how the experience turned out.

Based on 66 interview experiences · FREE TO READ

2.7 Rounds average
Average Typical difficulty
60.6% Positive experience

Which role are you interviewing for?

30 roles · 66 reports

Candidate interview experiences

First-hand accounts from people who interviewed at Crain Communications.

Showing 4 of 66
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Crain Communications

Graphic Designer

Design · a year ago

Entry Easy Neutral experience No offer 1 round
Interview process
Recruiter call
Interview formats
Behavioral

I had a phone screen with a recruiter that was going good until I was asked why I chose to do a phone interview instead of a video interview even though I was given the option to choose. I knew as soon as I was as asked that question I wasn't going to be pushed to the next round and was right.

Confirmed questions1 question
  • What was your reasoning for opting for a phone interview over a video call when both were offered?
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Crain Communications

Marketing and Business Development Strategist

Marketing · more than a year ago

Mid Average Positive experience Accept offer 3 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Onsite Panel
Interview formats
Behavioral Presentation

Crain's interview process was insightful and efficient. It started with a screening call with Lisa L., then an in-person with the hiring manager, and ended with a virtual discussion with leadership. They were transparent about timelines, feedback, and compensation, and focused on my career goals and skills.

Confirmed questions1 question
  • What are you looking for in your next career move, and why are you interested in Crain's?
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Crain Communications

Project Specialist

Operations · more than a year ago

Mid Average Neutral experience No offer 3 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Phone screen Technical screen
Interview formats
Behavioral Technical

I had a screening with an HR rep, then met with the direct supervisor of the dept. I'd be working in and then the SVP of marketing. My screening went well but I was originally rejected. I noticed the position had been reposted several times though so I reached back out and was moved on to the next interview. That went well was moved onto the third, But got the date wrong and missed it and they offered it to someone else before I had a chance to interview.

Confirmed questions1 question
  • How do you deal with issues involving large egos?
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Crain Communications

Reporter

Marketing · more than a year ago

Entry Difficult Negative experience No offer 4 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Phone screen Take home Technical screen Onsite
Interview formats
Behavioral Technical Other

I went through four interviews. First up was HR, then I spoke with an editor; both women were great. After that, I had a writing test where I had to write an article of 600-800 words from a data report they sent with two days' notice. This is standard for reporting jobs, but I was annoyed they didn't pay me for it. Then I met the Editor-in-Chief and managing editor, and that's when it went south. It felt like nobody communicated because I had to re-do my resume walk-through and answer basic questions. I was prepared for a different interview style, so I stumbled. Two weeks later, they reposted the job, and I was bummed I didn't get any feedback on how I could improve, especially since it was a long and time-consuming process.

Confirmed questions1 question
  • Can you walk us through your resume and tell us if you've covered a beat before? Also, what emerging tech companies are you most excited about?

Crain Communications Interview Questions

Quoted word for word from Crain Communications interview reports.

What are three daily websites you frequent that showcase digital trends you find interesting?

Read reports

Could you tell me what percentage of the content you produce is actually written by you?

Read reports

Tell me about a beat you find particularly enjoyable to cover.

Read report

Share an instance where you had to produce a story very quickly under a tight deadline.

Read report

What was your motivation for pursuing a Business Administration degree?

Read report

What was your reasoning for opting for a phone interview over a video call when both were offered?

Read report

Formats, difficulty and experience

Across all 66 Crain Communications interview reports.

Interview formats

Behavioral 61.1%
Technical 24.8%
Presentation 8.8%
Other 5.3%

Interview difficulty

Easy 28.8%
Average 60.6%
Difficult 10.6%

Candidate experience

Neutral 18.2%
Positive 60.6%
Negative 21.2%

Reports by job function

Marketing 22
Other 14
Operations 10
Sales 7
Analytics 5
Design 4