U.S. News & World Report Journalist Interview Questions
& Process

The recruiter reached out to me cold. They wanted me to complete an edit test before even having a phone call. I asked for a phone call first, and it was granted, but the recruiter was disorganized. After the call, I completed an edit test, but I think the recruiter forgot to send it to the hiring manager because I never heard back again. I saw on LinkedIn that someone else had been hired for the same role.

I went through a three-part interview. First, HR reached out, and we went over my resume and the job/company details. They also clearly laid out the interview stages. Then, I had a phone call with my potential direct manager. The questions were more specific to social media, like my use of analytics software and my critique of the company's current social media efforts, plus suggestions for improvement. The final round was an in-person interview at the D.C. office. I met various groups of people and got a tour. Each group asked about my vision for the role and how I'd boost social engagement. This part was tough because I had to tailor my social media strategy ideas to different departments. To wrap up, I had a writing test: pitch 10 story ideas, discuss the best one with an editor, and then write a short piece from the chosen idea. It was pretty simple. After that, I submitted my references for a background check. Overall, it was a positive experience; I knew what to expect at each stage, and everyone was happy to answer my questions.

It took about 4 weeks. First, a phone screen, then a same-day, three-hour face-to-face with three leaders. After that, a writing/editing test I had 5 days to complete. The final interview was face-to-face too. The HR call was nice. The midday interviews were serious but friendly, just a bit draining. The test was pretty standard. The last interview was great.