University of California Berkeley Director Interview Questions
& Process

Before the interview, I had to complete a long questionnaire. After that, I was selected for the next round. They shared the base salary details, which were much lower than the top range mentioned in the job posting. The salary was less than what I was already earning, making the whole process a waste of time.

It was a 3-round process: one phone call, one meeting with the manager, and a final one with the team. They really dug into my past experience, expecting me to share lessons learned. The questions were pretty set, so there wasn't much back-and-forth or chance for clarification during those parts. I used the time when they asked if I had questions to circle back to some of those missed conversational moments. The group seemed happy I brought that up, like they felt the scripted questions held them back a bit.

After applying, I was contacted for a phone interview about 3 months later. There were about 6 people on the half-hour call. Following that, I had an all-day interview that included 5 panels and a lunch, where I met around 20 people. It seemed to go well, but I never received a decision. After a full day of interviews, this lack of communication was unprofessional and unacceptable. I contacted HR a month later and heard nothing. I eventually checked the program website and saw the new director's name. It turned out to be the interim director. I suspect I never had a real chance and they were just interviewing external candidates as a formality. My positive view of the university has been soured by this experience.