International Republican Institute Interview Questions
& Process

It started with a quick 5-minute phone screening to see if I met the basic requirements. Then, I had a more detailed interview with the actual program team, where they told me all about the role and what it involves. The last step was a meeting with the division's bosses to talk about how my experience and ideas could fit with what they're trying to achieve and their overall goals.

It's a lengthy interview process, probably around 4 to 5 interviews for an entry-level position. They really value country and regional knowledge here. I later found out that management also really cares about team fit, even though they don't seem to prioritize language, cultural understanding, and other things that make for good programming.

I had a quick screening chat which went fine. The person I spoke with was nice and it wasn't a stressful interview. She mentioned she'd get back to me in about a week, and then sent an email to set up the actual first interview. I replied right away to confirm the time she suggested. When I joined the virtual interview the next week, no one was there. I messaged her, and she said she hadn't heard from me and they'd already hired someone else.

I applied online and heard back in about two weeks. The first was a phone screener with a recruiter, pretty basic. A few days later, I had a panel interview with four people from the country team. They asked about my work style and experience. A week later, I interviewed with the hiring manager who talked about his vision for the role. The final interview was a week after that with the associate director for the region, a casual chat about my thoughts on the country's situation and challenges. You'd need to know the country and current events well. A week later, the original recruiter called with the offer.