Development Counsellors International Interview Questions
& Process

I had a mix of phone and in-person interviews because of where the hiring managers and I are located. Every time I got an interview invite, it came as a calendar invite on my phone. That invite got updated/changed 2-3 times per interview before it finally reverted back to the original time we agreed on. Seriously, someone needs to figure out how to use their email's calendar feature! They scheduled a personality assessment for me through an outside vendor, which I wasn't aware was part of the process, so that was a bit weird. The assessment took about an hour. They asked me how many days I'd taken off work in the last year and if I was financially stable. Both questions felt inappropriate and were worded in a way that seemed designed to avoid anti-discrimination laws, in my opinion. At the very end, they asked for 12 references. That's like 4-6 times more than other companies usually ask for, which made me wonder if DCI is a super bureaucratic place where everything moves slowly, and if so, if it would be a good fit for me. It's crucial for everyone to remember that candidates are interviewing companies just as much as companies are interviewing candidates. I'm not sure if everyone at DCI gets that. In the end, this company wasn't the right fit for me.

DCI makes sure everyone is on the same page by clearly communicating the process and keeping you updated on the "next steps". The point of contact (Nancy) was great to deal with and happy to answer any questions. Although I applied for a different role, Nancy got to know me, my past experience and my future goals, and suggested a different role that suited me better. While there are multiple stages, you get the feeling they're ensuring you're a good fit for DCI's culture and workload. Each interviewer was friendly and provided insights into how the company operates and the expectations for new employees. It was rigorous, but also the clearest and friendliest interview process I've been through.

The interview process was very upfront and clear. It began with a phone call from the recruiter, followed by a Skype interview with the person who would be my direct supervisor. Then, there was a short, 15-minute phone chat with another supervisor. The whole thing wrapped up in about three weeks. They were really good about answering all my questions as they came up and I felt respected the whole time. It seemed like DCI is looking for people who not only have the right background and experience for the job but also have a good intrinsic personality fit.

It was fast but thorough. There were four interviews in total. They were all over the phone and Skype since I was in a different location. After two interviews, they sent a writing test. Following the writing test, there was an hour-long interview with a third-party company to assess personality fit. Finally, you have to submit 12 references (both personal and professional) and hope for the best.