Shmoop Interview Questions
& Process

I applied online with a cover letter and then got an email for a writing test. It was a really involved test that took hours. I had to create two original writing samples and answer some proofreading and editing questions, all in the Shmoop style. After that, I had a nice phone interview with an editor. She told me the CEO would contact me for another interview. It's been months and I haven't heard back from the CEO, even after I followed up with the editor. I spent a lot of time figuring out the Shmoop writing style, writing samples in that style, and doing the editing test, but it feels like the employer didn't take the process seriously.

So after asking for a witty cover letter and resume, I was asked to do a writing sample on a broad topic of 'religious studies'. They have a lot on the Bible and seem to cater to Christians. I asked if they wanted me to write about the field or a certain religion or event and they said any of that would be fine and gave me a two page, double spaced, limit. After thinking about what to write in a 'fun' voice that would not detract from their 'yay, Christianity!' motif, I wrote a shortened lesson. Three weeks later, I followed up and they said they didn't have a spot for me.

It was like, first this non-technical phone thing to chat about what I wanted and what I'd done. Then, this 2.5 hour in-person thing with 3 engineers and the CEO. They asked stuff that ranged from super basic like 'What is X?' to more open-ended 'How would you do Y?' kinds of questions. It was basically checking if I knew my basic data structures, algorithms, and how to solve problems. Nothing too crazy, but definitely not simple. The last part was the co-worker vouch, sending in my school transcript (I guess that's just for new grads?), and some of my code.

The interview process was really engaging. I felt like each conversation I had with the team was a two-way street. After every interview, I had a clear understanding of the role's expectations, the company's values, and how my position fits into the company's overall mission. There were three interviews in total, and one of them involved a mock sale. Things seem exciting for the company's future.