PEN American Center Interview Questions
& Process
Real candidates share what happened, how many rounds they had,
and how the experience turned out.
Based on 23 interview experiences · FREE TO READ
Which role are you interviewing for?
9 roles · 23 reportsCandidate interview experiences
First-hand accounts from people who interviewed at PEN American Center.
PEN American Center
Program Manager
Mid Average Negative experience No offer 1 round
Interview process
Recruiter call Background check Offer
Interview formats
Behavioral
I was in a nearly five-month hiring process for a role that ultimately they lost the funding for. Received multiple hints from current employers on the DL that I should avoid working there, but I was excited about the role and it seemed like they were excited about me. I made it through entire interview/reference check process & it was heavily implied that an offer was coming my way then job was rescinded. Very frustrating experience. Who knows what's going on here, but sounds like everyone is fed up with Suzanne Nossel's leadership.
Confirmed questions2 questions
- Tell me about your qualifications for this role.
- How do you handle political tensions in the workplace?
PEN American Center
Representative
Senior Average Negative experience Decline offer 4 rounds
Interview process
Take home Technical screen Presentation Panel Group Offer
Interview formats
Technical Presentation Group Behavioral
First, we had to submit a writing sample. Then, there was a panel interview with two people. After that, we had two timed assignments: one was 90 minutes and the other was 24 hours, which involved a lot of research and strategy. The last step was a final interview with the Director. It's really surprising that after all this, they offer minimum wage ($15/hr) to senior or expert candidates. The salary should be posted upfront; it's disrespectful to put experienced professionals through this process just to offer them less than entry-level fast food jobs. It damages the organization's reputation. I tried to give feedback, but they never replied. It's a shame because their work seems great.
Confirmed questions1 question
- How would you handle challenging employees?
PEN American Center
Communications Intern
Intern Average Positive experience Accept offer 4 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Technical screen Onsite
Interview formats
Behavioral Technical
It was layered, but felt realistic. Started with an application, then a behavioral interview with two managers, followed by a technical interview that included a writing test. Finally, there was a follow up call. They were supportive, but I had to follow up constantly to get things moving.
Confirmed questions3 questions
- What general questions did they ask?
- Were there any problem-solving questions?
- What was the writing test like?
PEN American Center
Program Assistant
Entry Difficult Negative experience No offer 3 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Take home Onsite
Interview formats
Behavioral Technical
They started with a phone interview with usual questions. Then, I had to complete a writing test. After that, there was an in-person interview where someone from a different department joined. She was clearly disingenuous and kept checking her phone. They said I'd hear back within a week, but it took over two weeks and I had to follow up twice before they finally told me they hired their previous summer intern. It was really rude and unprofessional not to let me know after all the effort I put into applying.
Confirmed questions2 questions
- What makes you want to apply for this role and how do your qualifications align with it?
- Why are you a suitable candidate for this particular job?
PEN American Center Interview Questions
Quoted word for word from PEN American Center interview reports.
“How do you define self-expression?”
Read reports →“Which social media platform do you prefer the most?”
Read reports →“What was the writing test like?”
Read reports →“How did you find out about us?”
Read reports →“What makes you want to intern at PEN America?”
Read report →“Are you familiar with legislative tracking and project management software?”
Read report →“How do you handle political tensions in the workplace?”
Read report →“How do you handle working overtime?”
Read report →“Can you describe a time you were confused about something or needed clarification?”
Read report →Formats, difficulty and experience
Across all 23 PEN American Center interview reports.