The Onion Interview Questions
& Process

I found out they were hiring on their website and applied. After a few months, I got a call back. The first step was a phone interview with someone from HR. Then, I had an in-person interview with three team members. The HR person gave me some tips beforehand, which was nice. During the in-person part, I had to do a typing test to show how I'd take notes in meetings, and there was also a take-home editorial test.

Had an initial call with HR that went well. Then they set up in-person interviews with the President, HR again, and other executives, some in person and some on the phone. There was a lot of waiting around. They were really quick to respond to emails and get calls or interviews scheduled, but after you've done the interviews, it gets really quiet. I didn't hear anything for about two weeks after the last meeting, except for one generic email saying they were still evaluating candidates and would be in touch. Then, when they finally got back to me with an offer, they said I'd have to move to Chicago. I was told the job could be in my current city, the same one they flew me to for interviews, but then they told me I had to sign a contract agreeing to move across the country within three months of starting as a condition of the offer. I declined. I was surprised by how the process went and the outcome, especially since it's a D-list company that should be doing everything they can to attract candidates. It's hard for them to get good talent, so if they manage to find marketing executives with strong backgrounds at top companies, they should be more professional, move faster, and be more flexible with location. Top talent doesn't stick around long, and if you take weeks to decide, they'll have a new job by the time you make an offer. They also don't seem interested in moving away from New York, which is a top market, to Chicago, which is a third-tier market at best. You can find other reviews online; it's well-known that The Onion is a declining brand with little future value. Their content isn't original, website traffic is dropping, and there are many other sites with similar or better content. So, if you're really bored and have nothing better to do than look for fake, sometimes funny news online, look elsewhere. And if you're thinking of applying here, you can do better. Don't waste your time at a company that might be closing soon, or at the very least, waste your time interviewing at a place that will change the terms at the last minute. Keep searching!

I had two phone interviews that lasted about twenty minutes and they were informational. HR was extremely interested in hearing about my experience with group work and group projects. One question I remember is how I dealt with someone who doesn't put in enough work to a group. Then I was invited to interview at the office and it was very casual and more about what it's like to work at the Onion. They want to see the interest in your face!

I got an email with an interview request about a month after the application window closed. Less than a week later, I had a single very friendly Skype interview of around half an hour - was interviewing simultaneously for the fellowship or apprenticeship spots, with the possibility of a remote contributorship. The whole thing rides 98% on the portfolio and the interview is essentially there to make sure you're not visibly a murderer.