National Restaurant Association Interview Questions
& Process

It was refreshing that the National Restaurant Association opted for an in-person interview instead of relying solely on AI filters and ATS systems, which is a common hurdle for many job applications. This approach helps prevent online cheating and ensures that applicants are genuine. I also appreciated that the interview didn't involve time-pressured riddles. It was more of a genuine conversation focused on understanding my problem-solving and thinking processes.

I had a phone interview, and then they asked me to come in for what they said would be a panel interview. But when I got there, it wasn't a panel, it was like meeting three different people from the same department, but at different times. It felt really scattered, and I found myself saying the same things over and over because they all asked the same questions. Looking back, that should have been a warning sign because they first said the CAO wanted to meet me, and then that got canceled. It just showed me they aren't organized and don't care about how they come across to people interviewing with them. If they don't respect potential employees, why would they respect actual employees? They probably don't respect the people who already work there either.

I had a phone interview in September which went well. On the same day, I was invited for an in-person interview in October. I spent a lot of time researching and preparing for it, and I paid for my own travel to DC for the interview. The in-person interview seemed to go well, but then I heard nothing back. After two weeks, I emailed the Hiring Manager for an update, but never got a response. In December, I found out through Glassdoor that the job had been reposted. It feels disrespectful and a lack of communication to not get any updates or responses. This is the kind of behavior companies feel free to engage in!

The interview process was very professional and friendly. Everyone seemed smart and hard-working, and had been with the organization for a long time. It started with a 20-minute phone interview, then a one-hour interview with the hiring manager, which was pleasant and casual. This was followed by another interview with two senior managers. None of the interviewers seemed to use a script. The staff I met during my office visits were very friendly and hospitable, and everyone had a professional demeanor.