EAB Research Associate Interview Questions
& Process

It started with a recruiter reaching out for an informational chat. During that call, she let me know I'd be moving forward. About two weeks later, I had a 4-hour interview. First up was a 30-minute proctored CCAT test. Then, I had an hour-long behavioral interview with two research managers – they were pretty nice. After that, there was an hour-long simulation exercise with the senior research manager, which was actually a fun task. The last part was a 300-word writing exercise where I had to take a research brief and turn it into a recommendation email.

So EAB's interview process is pretty long, especially if you're already working. It started with a phone screen, then two in-person interviews that included cases and a timed writing test. You had to do the writing test before the in-person interviews. I heard back within two weeks of applying, but they initially thought I was applying for a more senior role I wasn't qualified for. I mentioned this during my phone screen with the hiring manager, and luckily they switched me back to the original position. They also gave me some helpful feedback unsolicited, which was nice. The in-person interviews, besides the cases, were mainly behavioral questions and about my writing and research background. One case was theoretical, asking if responsibility-centered management would help or hurt some higher ed KPIs. The other was a program-demand case with some basic numbers where I had to look at trends and advise a fake client. The writing test was like the second case but without the numbers. The recruiter who first reached out wasn't great with emails. She sent me a report to prep for a case, but it never came up; one of the interviewers said that kind of thing happens a lot. They said I'd hear back in a week or two, but then they sent an email saying it would take longer because they were interviewing more people. I got another offer in the meantime, asked my recruiter for an update (still no decision from EAB), and then dropped out to take the other job.

I applied online and after about a month, I got a call for a phone interview. It was pretty standard, and the hiring manager seemed really interested in my research background. A couple of business days later, I was invited for an onsite interview at the DC office. There, I met with two different research managers. Each interview involved typical behavioral questions and a case study. The case wasn't too difficult, but it's definitely good to practice and be prepared to defend your reasoning. Everyone I met was very nice, and overall, it was a positive experience.