National CineMedia Interview Questions
& Process

So, first there was a phone interview with the hiring manager. After that, I had two in-person interviews. The first in-person was back at the office with the hiring manager again and another manager. Then, I had a final interview with someone else from the team. They were really quick to get back to me and made a decision fast.

The interview experience was very good, great, confidence-inspiring, and respectful. The interview difficulty was medium. The recruiters were good and capable of conducting a good interview. I felt very comfortable, the place was good and well-ventilated, with coffee and cold water. The receptionist was polite and light.

So first there were the typical phone screens with HR, then the hiring manager, who is the head of the PMO. He was running late and seemed super rushed, like he had a ton of calls to get through. Then I had a panel interview with about 5 people, including the hiring manager and other PMs. Most of them seemed disengaged, checking their phones, while the manager kept interrupting and changing questions. He even took them out of the room individually for feedback mid-interview, which was really weird. After that, the manager took me to lunch alone. At a noisy fast-food place, he pulled out a portfolio of questions and Agile charts and asked detailed 'what would you do' questions. He talked a lot about leadership and his military background. On the way back, he asked if I was open to criticism, then told me my answers were too long and I wouldn't be successful, but then offered to mentor me. He kept telling me to explain things in 30 seconds, which is strange for a senior PM role. Back at the office, he offered me the job on the spot in his car, but the offer was $10K below market and he wouldn't budge. He tried to sell me on their movie pass benefit as compensation. The whole process felt rushed and like he forgot it's a two-way street.

I applied in early Nov 2013 and was contacted within days for an interview. It felt unstructured, more like a company info session with a few experience questions. I was told I'd hear back by week's end, but emailed a week later to follow up. They said they were 'narrowing down candidates' and I'd hear soon. Two and a half weeks after the first interview, I was invited for a second. One interviewer was unprofessional, chewing gum and fidgeting, while asking standard questions, contrasted with a professional and friendly woman. Again, I was promised a response by week's end. By early Dec, the woman I spoke with emailed to reject me, calling it a difficult decision. I thought stringing someone along for a month was unprofessional and was glad I didn't get the job.