Rock Candy Media Interview Questions
& Process

The interview started normally, with a group interview. The office atmosphere was really tense because the owner was yelling in the back, which made my interview start late. Annie, who was supposed to interview me, also showed up late and was super rude, even leaving partway through. After that, they asked me to write a blog post, promising $25 for it. Originally, it was supposed to be for a fake construction company, but the next day they wanted me to switch it to an RCM blog post, even though I had already started the first one. They didn't give me a topic, saying that was part of the 'test.' One employee gave me some pointers, and I wrote a pretty detailed article. Once I submitted it, the company went completely silent. After I tried contacting them several times, I finally got this response: 'Thank you for taking the time to write the blog. Unfortunately, we cannot use this blog as we needed it to follow the current model on our blog page.' I wasn't told about any specific model to follow. I never got paid for my time, and given the obvious tension and yelling I heard, I'm actually glad I didn't get the job.

The owner Annie called me repeatedly over the weekend wanting me to take a quiz. She needed to know if she should invite me for an in-person interview or give the offer to another candidate by Monday. She called me Friday night around 7:30 pm and then again Saturday morning multiple times. Her voicemails were weird and unprofessional, which made me think there wouldn't be boundaries at work. I did the quiz Sunday night, but she never responded.

The casual environment means there is a lot of political incorrectness. Make sure to dress well. Not flip-flops. You will be disqualified immediately. Wearing a backpack also doesn't help, though I did. Another tip: send them your resume through their online careers form now. The boss likes when someone has already applied for a job, and when a position opens up, they go through those resumes before they ever post the job. If you don't get an email back from them, it's because they are very busy.

My situation was a bit unusual since I began as a paid intern after submitting a blog post. Because of this, I didn't meet the CEO for a while and only interacted with the director. However, I was performing well, which led to an offer for a raise and a permanent position. The interview for this actual role happened then. For most candidates, the process starts with writing and submitting a blog post about something in media, business, design, or advertising that irritates you, along with your resume. If your submission is chosen, the interview involves meeting with Annie Liao Jones (CEO) and Sam Kimmelman and Samantha Schack (Director and Business Development Director, respectively). When I was hired, Sam and Samantha acted out a typical day with Annie for me, but now there's a short video to show candidates how lively things can get.