IREX (International Research & Exchanges Board) Interview Questions
& Process

So the interview process was pretty simple, first a quick call with the recruiter, lasted about 15-30 minutes. Then there was a panel interview with some team members, and finally, I had to do a take-home Excel assessment. They gave me 24 hours to finish it and sent over the instructions. Honestly, it was pretty straightforward and they communicated well. I really liked the questions they asked during the panel interview. But yeah, two weeks after I sent in my assessment for the third round, they messaged me saying the job is no longer available. Kinda a bummer, you know? Not sure if they hired someone else or just decided not to hire anyone after I put in all that time and effort.

So I applied for this role twice and ended up as the runner-up both times. Initially, they picked someone not qualified, which meant they had to re-recruit. Instead of just picking me since I was second, I had to go through the whole process again, and this time it was way harder. They added a technical exam, which wasn't there before. This exam was super stressful and took about 2 hours. It included essay questions, multiple-choice, true/false, an Excel task, and creating a PowerPoint to show data. I had to have my camera and screen shared the whole time, and they were watching and talking to me while I tested. After that, I had an interview with a regional and international panel, and they really grilled me.

My worst interview experience was with IREX. It started with an online recruiter call, which was tough because their microphone was terrible, and I could barely understand them. I also didn't appreciate how they reacted to my salary expectations, immediately saying they were too high and trying to negotiate by asking what number I'd say "yes" to. Even after I lowered my expectations, they kept pushing. Surprisingly, they still invited me to a second interview with the project team. They didn't let me pick a time or day, just emailed me for a Friday 10 AM interview and asked for confirmation. The time wasn't great, but I went. The moment I walked in, the three team members just stared at me like I was nothing and treated me that way too. They seemed uninterested in my answers, rushed the interview, and nitpicked everything I said, asking even tougher questions. It felt like they just wanted to see me fail. They even asked about my hobbies, which I found really inappropriate for a second interview, and their reaction was dismissive. I suspect they were looking for someone to dump their work on so they could relax. I was rejected afterward, and honestly, I'm glad. I don't want to work in a place with such a toxic atmosphere, which was evident even during the interview.

Applied early April 5, got a phone screening mid April, did a Panel Interview early May, submitted the assessment early May, and got a rejection phone call early June. The first stage was a phone screening with no camera, just a basic conversation with the recruiter. She asked questions about my experience with specific donors, team management, data management, and project implementation. Next, I had a virtual Panel Interview with four team members, camera on. We discussed leadership, collaboration, and failure. After that, I completed an Online/Timed Assessment where I had one hour to review Excel data and write an email responding to negative feedback. Finally, I got a rejection phone call a month after submitting the assessment; the recruiter informed me they had selected a different candidate.