Hoag Memorial Hospital Interview Questions
& Process

It took about two weeks for them to get back to me after I applied. Initially, I had a text message interview that asked about my availability and salary expectations. Following that, there was another text-based interview where they asked why I was interested in working at Hoag and requested I describe situations involving handling an upset patient or managing multiple patients simultaneously. About a week later, I had a phone call interview.

I applied online April 15th and heard back from a Hoag recruiter in June for a phone screening. This was followed by a one-hour video interview on July 5th with an independent marketing consultant. On July 22nd, I interviewed with the hiring manager, who mentioned she had been hired just three weeks prior. The interview with the hiring manager seemed to go well, with her giving positive feedback like 'Perfect answer!' and 'It's obvious you have a lot of knowledge about technical SEO and content.' However, it took a week and a half to hear back from the recruiter, so I emailed for an update. The recruiter said she'd have an update by Friday, thanking me for my patience. Friday passed without an update, and after another week, I saw my status on the Hoag Careers portal changed from 'Interview Pending' to 'Closed.' A couple of days later, on a Saturday morning, I got a rejection email stating they were pursuing other candidates whose qualifications were a better fit for their current needs. The following Monday, I noticed the position was reposted on LinkedIn. I felt I was perfectly qualified, having spent 17 years doing the exact duties required, and I believe I communicated that well during the interview. I suspect I wasn't chosen because I was open about my recent cancer diagnosis (and current NED status/clean bill of health) and my treatment through Hoag, and they might have viewed me as a liability. I had an early impression they weren't serious about hiring me but interviewed me anyway to avoid potential discrimination claims. Alternatively, it could be my age, as I might be older than the hiring manager. This situation highlights the current power imbalance favoring employers, who waste candidates' time with endless interviews or reject good candidates for 'unicorns,' or post 'ghost jobs.' I look forward to a shift in power towards candidates. Reading Glassdoor reviews, I might have dodged a bullet, as many mentioned Hoag's outdated practices and strict on-site work policy. I expected more from Hoag.

So, the interview process starts with a 30-minute phone call with HR. Before that, you gotta fill out this pre-screen questionnaire, which has some pretty detailed questions, kinda like what they'd ask in an interview. Think stuff like, 'Why Hoag?', 'What makes you a good fit skill-wise?', and 'What drives you career-wise?'. Then, on the phone call, they hit you with a few non-technical questions. For example, they might ask why you're looking to leave your current gig or if you've got any upcoming vacations. If you make it past that, they'll ask for 5 professional references. After that, it's on to the hiring manager for an in-person interview and a tour, which usually lasts about 45-60 minutes. The questions in this part can change depending on who's interviewing you, but they could include technical physical therapy questions or another 'why are you leaving?' question.

This Marketing and Business Development Manager Senior, Digital role has been open for over six months with no hire, despite continuous interviewing. A recruiter reached out at the end of 2024, and I was immediately put into the interview process. Every single interviewer was at least 10 minutes late for each scheduled call. Because of their lateness, there wasn't enough time for me to ask questions at the end of any interview. While every interviewer mentioned being impressed with my specific background, the process was stopped after my interview with the Chief Digital Officer due to 'New job requirements.' The digital team didn't explain what changed, and the recruiter seemed confused because everyone else on the team supported my application. Given they've been trying to fill this position for over six months, it's not shocking they wouldn't elaborate on why they ended the process. I'd advise other job seekers not to get their hopes up for a position on the HOAG Digital team, even if highly qualified for this specialized role, as they haven't made a decision after months of interviewing. Their clear disrespect for candidates' time by consistently being late for every interview shows the team's culture and lack of professionalism. The HOAG Digital team and leadership also demand that all work be done on-site, stating in the first interview, 'if candidates care about this job, they will get here every day in person.' Good luck to anyone looking to work in this division at HOAG; it's ironic for an organization focused on virtual health to be so rigid about remote/hybrid work for its employees. I wonder how much time they've collectively wasted with over six months of pointless interviewing with numerous candidates. I've since moved on to companies that are more eager to hire talent and show basic respect for candidates' time. Best of luck to the HOAG Digital team members I interviewed with—I'm sure they're still bogged down by endless interviewing and lack of progress.