Parsons the New School for Design Interview Questions
& Process

I applied online and heard back from the department heads about 5 months later. The interview was online and pretty straightforward, more of a casual chat. The department and interviewer were leaning towards an offer, but HR informed them that they can only hire US citizens, green card holders, or those with O-1 visas. It would have been helpful if the job posting had made this eligibility clearer, as it wasn't obvious that other visa statuses weren't eligible.

It was a tough interview process, but pretty typical for university hiring. First, there was an hour-long virtual meeting where I presented my portfolio to a group of professors. A few weeks later, I had another hour-long virtual session, this time a job talk for faculty and students, followed immediately by an hour-long interview with the search committee. The whole thing took about two months.

I had a Zoom interview with four or five people from the search committee. They reached out on a Sunday and I interviewed the very next day, Monday, which was a bit quick, but it worked for my schedule. It felt like a dream job because of my qualifications and passion. Unfortunately, they didn't get back to me. I kept checking the careers site, and the status always said 'in progress'. I emailed HR to ask if the positions were filled, and three days later they replied saying they weren't moving forward with my application. They said to reach out with questions, so I did, asking for feedback on what I didn't meet from the job description or interview. It's been over a week with no reply. It's disappointing because I'm an alumnus and expected some basic courtesy, especially since most organizations send a rejection notice. It's basic professionalism that they seem to be missing.

I found out about a TA opening for an undergrad studio class through a private listserv and replied. I was sent a link to sign up for an interview slot the following week. The interview was with two teaching faculty members who wanted to see my portfolio. Since the role was for a studio class focused on Illustrator, they were assessing my technical abilities. It was a relaxed conversation where the faculty got to know me and my work. I got an offer but had to decline. I heard from others that it was a good experience and the faculty was a great mentor.