Economist Group Interview Questions
& Process

The interview process involved three rounds, concluding with a highly technical interview. While the experience itself wasn't comfortable due to the interviewers' personalities, not necessarily the company, I completed all three rounds. I was offered the job, and we agreed on salary and package. However, the offer was rescinded the day the contract was supposed to be sent due to a 'recruitment freeze'. I later saw someone else hired for the same role a couple of months after, leading me to believe their first choice fell through, they offered it to me, and then their first choice became available again. The hiring manager was very apologetic and seemed upset about the leadership's decision to pull the role at the offer stage. Despite agreeing to stay in touch, I've since been ghosted. I believe people who can lie like that wouldn't be the right employers for me, and I feel I dodged a bullet as I've found a great role since. Although I have a bitter taste regarding the company, I would have appreciated honesty. The initial interviewer was wonderful, but discussions with those I'd be working closely with were less comfortable and very technical, lacking any personal connection, which I overlooked due to my eagerness to make it work.

The overall vibe of the interviews was really good, chill, and welcoming. First, there was a quick screening call to check on things like notice period and expected pay, but it didn't get too deep into past work. Then, I had a meeting with the hiring manager who was super energetic and asked straightforward questions like introducing myself, my strengths, and why I was interested in this role and company, while also explaining the role itself. Finally, I presented my take-home task in person and then answered about 3-4 follow-up questions.

The interview process involved a screening call, followed by discussions with the Engineering Manager about CV and drivers. Then there was a system design interview and a values interview. Finally, I had a chat with the VP of Engineering. Even though I invested a lot of time, it felt like I was competing against many other candidates and was ghosted multiple times. They said the last interview went well and an offer was expected, but I was ghosted again. It was a strange experience, suggesting a lack of clear direction and alignment among senior leaders. There's also a strong emphasis on diversity, which likely worked against me as a white male, as I was told their bonuses are tied to diversity hiring metrics.

I had a rough time with the HR person for The Economist/Economist Impact, even though I got the offer. I decided not to take it because of how unprofessional they were. First, I emailed HR a few times with questions about the hiring process before the offer, but never heard back. I thought it was odd, but didn't think much of it. Then, HR called and gave me an offer. I asked if I could speak with another senior manager, and HR got really defensive, saying it would give me an unfair advantage and that I should just focus on the salary. They also pressured me to accept the offer right then, but I pushed back and asked for a few days to decide. The next day, I emailed about benefits and to negotiate the salary. HR ignored my salary request and only answered my benefits questions, even saying 'I don't know' to one of them, which was weird. When I asked about salary again, they said there was no flexibility. While I get that sometimes happens, the issue was that HR gave me a different salary range during the initial call, and the offer didn't match that range.