Rainforest Trust Interview Questions
& Process

The hiring process was a bit of a journey, taking about 2.5 months from application to offer. It kicked off with a pre-recorded interview where I answered timed questions, with the option to re-record. Then, I had a one-on-one Zoom chat with the hiring manager, followed by a panel interview with some team folks. After that, there was a timed written exercise, which felt like free labor. The final step was a values alignment chat with the CEO and my manager. The application itself was pretty intense, requiring a cover letter and a 200-word essay with citations on what I could teach them about conservation. It felt unnecessary for the role and added stress, especially since no one ever asked about it. Turns out, HR didn't even know the system was asking for essays, which explains why it was a complete waste of time. I sensed some disorganization and that they could waste people's time with a long interview process, especially considering they lay people off monthly.

This interview process dragged on for almost two months and had way too many stages. It started with an HR phone screening, then a one-way recorded interview, which I thought was a waste of my time and frankly, rude. If you want to know a candidate, at least interview them properly. After that, I had a normal Zoom chat with the hiring manager. The fourth stage was a timed writing task, which felt like free work – writing a fundraising appeal letter for them. The fifth stage was a panel interview with six other people, which was pretty standard. Sadly, even after getting through five rounds, they never contacted me again. But maybe it was for the best, since their own timeline showed more interviews and reference checks still to come. In short, the whole thing was way too long (over two months from applying to round five) and included unnecessary and frankly insulting parts like the writing assignment and the one-way interview. The absolute worst part was being ghosted after putting in so much time and effort. Candidates should at least get the courtesy of being told they weren't selected. I finished the process feeling completely disrespected and like my time meant nothing.

For a mid-level role, the interview process felt overly rigorous and drawn out, spanning about 4-5 rounds and including a project which is a bit much. They were initially prompt with updates, usually within a day. However, near the end, they became unresponsive for weeks before ultimately hiring someone they already knew, likely from a previous workplace of a senior staffer. It was disappointing to feel like a placeholder to legitimize what seemed like an internal hire. On a positive note, the people I interacted with were pleasant.

The interview process was a bit long and drawn out, but not necessarily negative because I got the job. It started with a video recording of myself answering some questions, followed by meeting with HR, then my manager, then a panel interview, and finally a meeting with the CEO before the offer. That's about five interviews in total, which seems like a lot, but I get why they did it.