Impact Interview Questions
& Process

I had a really chill first interview on campus, and then they invited me to a second interview in Chicago. The second interview was a group thing with 4 other candidates. We got to hear more about the company, I had a one-on-one chat, then we went out to gather signatures for a petition on the street, and there was a quick public speaking bit where I had to prep a 2-3 minute persuasive speech in 2 minutes. The whole thing lasted about 4-5 hours. Everyone was super nice, but they didn't cover travel or food costs.

First, there was an online application with a cover letter and resume. Then, a 30-minute phone interview where they described a political campaign for at least 10 minutes. After that, another online application with short answer questions. This was followed by a 30-minute, 1:1 in-person or Skype interview that focused equally on your organizing experience and your ability to commit to long hours under stress for $25K/yr. In my case, I was then referred to another part of the org to repeat the process starting from the initial online application.

I talked to a recruiter who was an alum of my college, then I had a second round interview day in Chicago. The staff was really invested in showing candidates what being an organizer is actually like, and they didn't sugarcoat anything. We did a bunch of exercises like public speaking, petitioning, and group discussions. It was a bummer though, if you showed interest in stuff besides what they were focusing on, the interviewers seemed put off. It felt like you had to agree with their specific ideas to do well. Personally, I didn't like that we had to petition on the streets of Chicago for the interview. The whole process was a lot for a job that doesn't pay much and is really difficult.

You'll start with a quick chat, in person or over the phone, with someone who's currently an organizer. After that, if things go well, you'll be invited to a group interview in a major city nearby. This group interview is a full-day affair where you'll do some canvassing, participate in a mock strategy session, give a public speaking presentation, and have some one-on-one interviews. They'll also give you more details about the job and about USPIRG/Environment America. If they're really keen on hiring you, they'll pull you out of the final strategy session for one last interview.