Elevate K-12 Interview Questions
& Process

I haven't worked for Elevate K-12 before, but I went through two interview rounds with them. The first interview involved teaching a German lesson using a PowerPoint they gave me. I wasn't allowed to use any other materials. The PowerPoint wasn't great, mostly just vocabulary words without a real lesson structure. The interviewer didn't give me any feedback after the demo, didn't turn on their camera, and didn't help with using their platform or screen sharing. Then, I had a second pre-interview. Again, no feedback or help. I'm really open to getting better, but without any real input, I don't know how to meet their expectations. I have a Master's in Teaching from a good US university and three years of public school teaching experience, so I try to be professional and learn. It felt like they just checked boxes, but the criteria weren't clear or communicated well. I was pretty disappointed with how unorganized, unsupportive, and unclear the whole process was. Even after going through two interviews, they contacted me again to apply for a German teaching job, like they forgot I'd already done this. If Elevate K-12 had been more clear and communicative, I would have been happy to adapt. But based on my experience, I wouldn't recommend them to schools or teachers.

The interview process started with a phone interview. However, there seemed to be a disconnect between the job description and the interview regarding the role's actual responsibilities. From my perspective as a candidate, it appeared there would be unrealistic expectations for this person to go to market (GTM) for new insurance in 2025 and implement an HRIS by the end of October. This is challenging because it typically takes at least two months just to find an HRIS, let alone implement it in time to also GTM and manage changes to insurance for 2025, plus handle open enrollment. As a candidate, I stated I was not interested in the role because it seemed impossible for anyone to successfully handle both tasks and be set up for success. Following this, I was asked to interview with the hiring manager. Later, I received an email indicating the role had shifted, though it's still posted on the website.

Applied online and went through several rounds. Started with a recruiter call, then a hiring manager call. After that, there were two 1:1s with product and engineering folks. Then I had a homework assignment which involved watching videos about their teaching sessions and products, and then presenting my key takeaways, top 3 design improvement ideas for their users, and an example of a shipped valuable feature. This presentation was given to a panel of 3 people (HM, IC product person, and a product manager). Finally, there was a meeting with an executive. They got back to me pretty quickly after most rounds, but it took them a while after the panel presentation. The homework was interesting - learn about their product and users, then figure out what's working and what's not, come up with 3 design ideas, and show something shipped. Everyone in the 1:1s and panel seemed nice. The last round was with an exec. We're in the same city, so they wanted to meet in person, but on a Saturday, which I agreed to, but then they rescheduled last minute. I don't think a Saturday meeting is great and the exec seemed distracted. They also didn't reimburse for travel. Over two weeks after that meeting, I got a generic email saying they weren't moving forward. Honestly, after making it that far and doing the homework, a more personal email or call would have been better. I asked for feedback but never heard back. I was really excited about the company because I love education, and I had good talks with the PM and product leaders, but given how it ended, maybe it's a good thing.

The interview process at Elevate K-12 was fast and challenging but also interesting. For this role, there were 3 rounds: a 15-minute recruiter call, a 30-minute call with the hiring manager, and a panel interview with the hiring manager, CEO, and Marketing Director. They give you prompts for the panel interview, and you need to be prepared. The time between rounds was very short, and a decision was made in under a few hours. It was a cool interview process because you could really prepare and show your capabilities. It wasn't rushed like other interviews, and you didn't have to wait forever for an answer. I also liked what I heard from the company. The CEO, for instance, answered questions thoughtfully and didn't make me feel unimportant or rushed. I ultimately got another offer that was better for me, but based on the interview process, Elevate K-12 seems like a great place to work.