Institute For Humane Studies Interview Questions
& Process

I applied online and HR reached out to schedule a phone interview. But like 30 mins before the call, HR cancelled. It took a bunch of follow-up emails from me to get it rescheduled. The rescheduled call was with a different recruiter who didn't ask much, but it was clear that if you're not super libertarian, this probably isn't your gig. I'm not, but I continued. Next was a call with the Director of Events. She asked more relevant questions about the job, but again, many questions leaned heavily into the libertarian viewpoint. About a week later, I was invited for an in-person interview. It was three rounds, with two interviewers each. All the interviewers were peers or below me, no leadership. The director I spoke with earlier didn't show up, which was weird. The in-person interviews kept pushing the libertarian stuff, and it seemed like many hires had interned or volunteered there before, another red flag. Several days after my interview, despite sending nice thank you notes, I got an email from the recruiter about next steps. It had links to YouTube videos promoting the libertarian agenda. I watched them, took notes, and emailed back asking what the point was – like, was it a test or another interview? My email was ignored, and a follow-up also went unanswered. Three months later, an automated email said the position was filled. It wasn't from my recruiter, just a no-reply server. The next day, the job was posted again. Honestly, I think I dodged a major libertarian bullet.

Got contacted for a phone interview a day or so after submitting my application, but they rescheduled it three times. It was a pretty underwhelming experience. The interviewer asked just one question about my job search and seemed uninterested in my background or why I wanted the job. What should have been a 30-minute chat about my experience and the role's duties turned into a 10-minute conversation where I was mostly asking questions, and the answers were brief and unhelpful. The interviewer seemed uninterested from the start and was unprofessional. It left me questioning why I was interviewed at all after such a rough experience.

I only made it to the first round, which was a phone screening. It seems like they call everyone who applies, regardless of qualifications. The position required a Ph.D., but my application was still considered, likely due to minimum vs. preferred qualifications. I then mentioned another position that fit my qualifications better, and was considered for that instead. It was a convoluted process, and the HR Associate should have been more prepared!

First, there was a 15-minute phone call with HR to screen things. After that, I had a 30-minute phone chat with the department manager. Lastly, I went in for an in-person panel interview. There were 2-3 people on each panel, and each panel lasted 45 minutes. The people on the panel were mostly from the department I'm applying to, but there were also some others from different IHS departments.