Guthy-Renker Interview Questions
& Process

Had one quick 30 minute virtual interview, mostly basic behavioral questions and 1-2 technical ones. After that there was a short excel test. Finally, there were 2 more in-person interviews with more team members.

I applied for a senior manager position in August and had a phone interview the very next day. Then I went for two in-person interviews. A recruiter confirmed the salary range was $95 - $105 (market rate) in writing and in person for each interview. A senior recruiter offered me the role, but it was $20k below the scale. She said the salary was never $95 - $105 and asked me to prove it. I showed her her colleague's email and she agreed to the correct range, saying it was an internal mistake. I verbally accepted an offer of $100k annually and 3 weeks vacation. They said they'd send the written offer the next day but never did. Instead, they mentioned they'd be evaluating more candidates but would still keep me in consideration. A few weeks later, I withdrew my application because they said the role had been changed to a junior level with a lower salary range. Placement agencies kept contacting me about this position from August to December, always presenting it as a senior manager role at the current market rate of $95 - $105.

I applied and then got an invite for a phone interview. The HR person sounded unprofessional and didn't seem to have reviewed my resume. The questions were basic, like 'Tell me about yourself,' and she even misunderstood some business terms. They told me I was overqualified for the simpler role. I was disappointed because it wasn't a standard screening and felt like a waste of time, especially as my hopes were dashed quickly. HR should screen candidates better before interviews, as many people are eager to work, and these kinds of interviews are ridiculous. Why pretend to be interested in hiring someone?

I had a phone interview with the VP of Commerce, Senior Manager of Web Application Development, and Manager of IT for the QA Manager role. They asked about technical and administrative improvements I'd make to the QA department. I started with technical ideas and thought it was going well. But when I was about to discuss administrative stuff, I got cut off, told time was up, and the interview ended before I could finish. I figured they were just eager for the in-person interview, so I didn't dwell on it. A week later, they passed, saying I was technically strong but lacked management skills. Honestly? Maybe if they'd let me finish my answer, they'd have seen things differently. It was one of the most awkward and frankly disrespectful phone interviews I've had. As a manager, I always let candidates finish their answers, showing basic courtesy. I found out the job's been open for 5 months, and after this, I can see why. This was a phone interview, followed by an in-person interview, and then an offer stage.