The Pokémon Company International Interview Questions
& Process

The interview process lasted about six weeks. The recruiter and the team were incredibly transparent and friendly, some of the best I've interviewed with. I made it to the final round, but another candidate was ultimately selected. The recruiter personally called me to deliver the news, which was much appreciated over a generic rejection email. I have nothing but positive things to say about the company and their interview process.

I reached out to the recruiter and they took about a month to reply. First, there was a phone screen, followed by a technical test, and then an interview with the hiring manager. I didn't get any feedback or reasons for why I was rejected. I had to follow up to ask about my application status and they informed me they were not proceeding with my candidacy. The recruiter was unresponsive to emails and messages, so I always had to chase them.

The interview process began with a 30-minute phone chat with TA/Recruiter. They were super nice, talked about the company and benefits, and we went over my background. I also got asked a few situational questions. Then, I got an email asking for a video call with the hiring manager within a week. This 30-minute video call was also with someone really friendly. They had notes from my chat with TA, so we didn't repeat much; it was mostly about how my experience fit the job. They mentioned being a Pokemon fan wasn't required, but if I got to the next stage, I'd need to do a short presentation and should check out the Pokemon Central website. Later that day, I got an email saying they wanted to move me to the final round. The final round was a 3.5-hour ordeal involving a presentation. TA asked for my availability over the next two weeks and then sent the schedule. Day 1 had a 30-minute presentation/Q&A with a 6-person panel, followed immediately by a 30-minute interview with a Sr. Manager. Day 2 had four more 30-minute interviews with 7 other people (1-2 per interview). I was also told I'd have 7 days to prep my presentation. Two days later, they sent presentation instructions, but they were for the wrong job! I pointed this out, and they sent the correct ones. The assignment was a 15-minute presentation involving a detailed, unpaid project they hadn't mentioned before. I had to come up with a 12-piece Spring 2025 collection, including 3 styles they don't offer (which meant digging through over 1000 styles online), a collection story and inspiration backed by trend research, a character strategy (from over 1000 Pokemon), and visuals with color and character application ideas. The next day, they scheduled *another* 30-minute call with TA to prep for the presentation and interviews. That's when I decided to withdraw my application. They showed no respect for my time and wanted an unpaid project that they could potentially use anyway. It seemed like they cared more about Pokemon fans than actual experience, and they weren't shy about using candidates for free work. Based on company materials and reviews, they also don't seem to live by their stated values (except maybe being a fan) and don't prioritize diversity, which is a worry for me as a POC.

The whole interview process took around 2 months. It started with a 30-minute recruiter screen, followed by a 30-minute chat with the hiring manager. The last interview was a two-day event with a group of 5 people, including the manager. They asked a lot of situational and STAR method questions. I got the offer from TPCi about two weeks later, and they really liked my relationship-building skills and TCG knowledge. It was a great experience; the recruiters were super responsive and helpful, making me feel like they were really rooting for me. I'm eager to start working with my new colleagues and manager.