TheNewsletterPro Interview Questions
& Process

I had a short 10-minute call with a hiring coordinator, then another 15-minute interview with someone else. Then I had to interview the hiring coordinator who was acting as the CEO. After that, I had three hours to write an article for a newsletter. They were supposed to send examples of the client's voice and tone beforehand, but they didn't, so I had to ask for them. I usually prefer to do writing tests after I know the salary and more about the job, as not much was disclosed to me. Honestly, I would have rather they were upfront about the job before I spent so much time writing for a job I didn't get. Something feels off about this place. It might be a good role for a beginner writer, but I've got more experience than that.

The first round was a speed-date style, which felt a bit hectic. They also surprised me with multiple editing tests that took up a lot of time. It would have been better if they had warned me about how long the interview would be. I took time off thinking it would only be an hour, but it ended up taking the rest of the business day. I got to the second round, which was with the whole team I'd be working with. Everyone was nice, but the manager hadn't reviewed my resume and couldn't tell me the salary. He said HR would email me the details, but they never did. This company seems more focused on looking cool and innovative than on running a business efficiently. They seem to waste a lot of time and resources interviewing too many people in too many ways. I think they could save everyone time if they narrowed down their search earlier and were better prepared for interviews.

I'm sharing my experience with The Newsletter Pro's hiring process to help others and maybe get them to rethink their approach. They use a high-volume method, which isn't for me. It started with applying for a content marketing writer job on Craigslist. They wanted a creative cover letter, resume, and writing samples. A few days later, they asked me to answer 5-6 more creative questions. Then, I was invited to a speed-dating style interview with 3 other candidates. After that, they wanted me to do a couple of writing assignments to 'see what I've got.' The instructions were a bit unclear. I realized they hadn't referenced anything I sent them. None of the 4 employees I met knew anything about me or what I'd submitted. This made me decide to withdraw. The process felt too impersonal for a company that claims to value the human element. It was more like an endurance test without any genuine interest in getting to know me. After I explained my feelings, I just got a standard, 'sorry you feel that way...good luck.' My advice is to be upfront about your process and policies, like giving no feedback on applications or interviews. That way, candidates don't feel like they're the only ones putting in a sincere effort.

I started with a phone interview with the hiring manager. Then the hiring manager followed up within 1-2 days to set up an in-person interview. I interviewed with the hiring manager and then the two team leads at the time a week later. Then a week after that, I was invited for a meet-and-greet. It was probably the best meet-and-greet I’ve been in and I really loved my future team. Then I heard back a week later with a job offer and I took it!